Unique like Gilles

Gilles Villeneuve, jumps out of the Lancia Montecarlo that carried him around the track for the drivers’ parade, at the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.

The Canadian delighted the tifosi by putting his Ferrari, in an extraordinary effort on pole, 0.7s quicker than Reutemann in his Williams, and no less than 1.34 sec faster than team mate Didier Pironi in 7th position.

The Ferrari 126CK Villeneuve was driving all season 1981 proved to be fast (in a straight line) but heavy and the Canadian found the handling to be very difficult, calling the car “a big red Cadillac”.

Villeneuve scored back to back victories in Monaco and Spain, victories only he could have achieved. On these two occasions, Villeneuve was simply heroic, mastering a difficult car and fending off all his opponents (picture below, at Jarama, Spain). A masterclass.