Piero Ferrari recalls pivotal episode in birth of Gilles Villeneuve's myth
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Gilles Villeneuve's birthday, Ferrari's wishes
Ferrari celebrates on social media the birthday of the unforgettable and unforgettable Gilles Villeneuve. The Canadian driver, who tragically passed away in an accident during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, would have turned 75 today. Revealing a behind-the-scenes story about Gilles Villeneuve's career was Piero Ferrari, in an interview with Leo Turrini published in the Quotidiano Nazionale: the son of Enzo Ferrari, who will turn 80 this year, not only spoke about the much-anticipated arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Maranello but also remembered a sliding doors moment in Villeneuve's career.
The memory of the vice chairman and non-executive director of Ferrari goes back to 1978, the first real full season in which Gilles Villeneuve raced with Ferrari after competing in the last two Grand Prix of the 1977 season with the Scuderia. According to Piero Ferrari, Enzo's intention for 1979 was to send Gilles to gain experience with another team, due to the numerous accidents that had characterized his first months at Maranello. A decision that changed course because of Carlos Reutemann's sudden choice to leave Ferrari and move to Lotus.
Gilles Villeneuve “legend by accident”
“In 1978,” explains Ferrari, “my father had decided to send Villeneuve to gain experience with another team, he was getting into too many accidents. I was supposed to tell Gilles the news, but on the same day, the Argentine Reutemann made it known that he was leaving us. Dad reached me quickly, through his secretary Gozzi, because at that point I had to tell the Canadian that we would keep him. Sometimes legends are born almost by accident!”
Ferrari had chosen Riccardo Patrese
This theory, that Enzo Ferrari had considered parting ways with Gilles Villeneuve for 1979, is not in conflict with what Riccardo Patrese wrote in his book *F1 Backstage*. The Venetian driver actually recounts in his autobiography, written with Giorgio Terruzzi, that he had met the Drake to sign a letter of intent: “That year, Gilles had caused a lot of trouble, and under heavy media pressure, Enzo Ferrari had pointed me out as a possible replacement for Villeneuve. He revealed himself to me in a very different way from how he was described, and he proposed that I sign a letter of intent stating that I would not make commitments for 1979.”
An agreement that, like every sliding doors moment, eventually fell through almost by accident. The decisive factor in Ferrari's final choice was the last race of the 1978 season, where Gilles Villeneuve crossed the finish line first at his home race in Montreal. This victory convinced the Drake of the driver's competitive maturity, leading him to believe that he could still win his greatest bet. The rest is history, with Gilles Villeneuve staying at Ferrari and playing a crucial role in helping Jody Scheckter win the 1979 title.
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