Canadian Pride?

[Dannyboy]

Is anybody else tired of the lack of respect Jacques recieves from journalists and the public in general in Canada. After his short spell as world champ he has been all but forgotten. Public awareness that Jacques is Canada's most recognizable representative on the world stage is pathetic. Added to the fact that JV's story as the son of Gilles is altogether remarkable makes me wonder about our much vaunted Canadian pride. Indeed, going to the Montreal GP is almost a disheartening experience. While every other nation flaunts their devotion to their national driver with flags banners and the sort there is nary a solitary Canadian or even Quebec Provincial flag to boost on our Canadian racer. Is this another example of muted modesty on the part of Canadians. It hurts me to think that Canadians will have passed up the chance to cheer on a driver of such talent as Jacques. It may be some time before we see another Canadian in formula 1 and even longer before one as talented as this comes along.

[Liz]

When I was at Monza last year (wearing my Villeneuve shirt) I saw several Canadian and Quebec flags in our section and a couple of Villeneuve caps too. More than I saw for McLaren, in fact. I think it's a case of "What have you done for me lately" more than a lack of respect for him - and Jacques has been adamant all his career long that he does not want any mention made of his father in connection with his racing career, so he can't expect to draw on that.

[Dannyboy]

Exactly, there is considerable, more vocal and more visible support for Jacques outside of Canada. Why? Further, just because Jacques doesn't associate himself with his father (for obvious reasons) does not mean we or the press cannot do so.

[This message has been edited by Dannyboy (edited 13 May 2000).]

[Liz]

Oh, I agree - I am afraid that when I compare Jacques to his father, I have to conclude that Gilles was the better of the two, although the stats appear to be against me. But look at the field Gilles drove in: on the Long Beach grid in 1978, there were seven current and future World Champions: Andretti, Jones, Laffite, Fittipaldi, Schecter, Lauda and Hunt - and Gilles outqualified every last one of them. How many World Champions is Jacques racing against? Two. How many is he outqualifying? Um ... zero.

But comparisons are odious. So perhaps we Canadians are just not making them because you can't win that way.

As for getting respect in Canada, nobody gets respect in Canada - it's only after we have made it OUTSIDE Canada that Canadians consider our success legitimate. Don't ask me why that is. Collective inferiority complex or natural modesty I guess.

[Mr.S]

It's really to bad that someone as good as JV isn't getting what he deserves. That will change I hope if he moves to a more competitive car, another Canadian world champion, that would be grand.

One thing that surprised me was the amount of air time most Canadian sport highlight shows gave to the ausie GP, and to JV's first pionts in a year, not over twenty seconds.

[Liz]

That's because it's hockey season. Judgement Day better not come during Stanley Cup playoffs or most Canadians will miss it.

[jack]

I agree with Liz, there is absolutely no question that Gilles was better. He wasn't a 'points collector' in the modern sense. Gilles drove balls-to-the-wall, win or bust.
As a person, too, Gilles displayed none of the petulance or self-importance of his son.
The last of his kind, alas.
I have never, ever seen a bad word written against him, or heard of him saying a bad word about any of his competitors (with the understandable excetion of Pironi).

[Liz]

According to Gerry Donaldson's bio he could be a difficult SOB to live with on occasion; but every competitor spoke of him with admiration. Mario said once that he was the only pilote that the others could trust absolutely not to run them off the track on purpose - Gilles drove right on the razor's edge, but the only life he risked was his own and he felt that he had the right to do that. Mario did say that he didn't always approve of the way Gilles drove, but he couldn't find fault with his behaviour toward others. And it was only his sense of loyalty and honour that kept him from being WDC - and probably killed him in the end, as he couldn't believe Pironi would betray him, as he would never have betrayed another pilote. He was not so scruplous in his personal life, one has to admit, but at least he kept it out of the papers.

This is not to say that Jacques is not a good pilote, as he is the best he can be with the tools and in the F1 he has to work with. Still, I think that most Canadians still revere Gilles and give him great respect ... and they will continue to do so after they have forgotten his son ever drove a racing car. Different times, different men, different world, I guess.

[Jay]

One of the problems in Canada, is that we are not that big of a motorsports country. But, a large number of them do converge on Montreal in mid-June. I haven't been yet (sniffle) but from what I see on TV there are a ton of Canadian flags and Quebec flags.

But, I am going for the first time this year, so I guess I will see the truth.

P.S. No question GV was much better than JV will ever be, but I still consider JV the second best driver in the field.

[Minardi fan]

JV has driven his socks off so far this season and deserves a lot more credit than he gets anywhere.

As for another Canadian world champion, if the re-fuelled rumours about JV signing for the Silver Arrows, then it won't be a very long wait.

[Dannyboy]

Has anyone here ever seen Gilles race? Just wondering.

Interestingly I've just read that JV is planning to produce and star in a documentary about his father.DailyF1 planetF1 etc. It seems as though JV is proving everybody wrong again. I think it's his favourite trick.
Gilles revered in Canada. I wish he was.... Only in the minds of Canada's small racing community. My father doesn't even know who he was...sad but true. I imagine its quite different in Quebec though.
Liz: Gilles couldn't get enough of his personal and racing affairs into the papers something his son has thankfully refused to continue.
[This message has been edited by Dannyboy (edited 15 May 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Dannyboy (edited 15 May 2000).]

[Gerard]

I've seen all races Gilles ever competed in.
From his first in the McLaren to his last in the Ferrari.
I particularly remember Gilles at Zandvoort 1979, I was there, were he drove a whole lap with the left rear wheel hanging loose.
Sparkles all over the place.
And did he slow down?
No, he drove it at top speed.
Some will say it was madness to do such a thing, I thought it was fantastic.

[Liz]

Gilles believed if it was driveable he should keep driving it. If it was not driveable he should try to keep driving it anyway! Gilles would have been great in BTCC.

I think Jacques would have himself all over the Canadian papers if he could get anybody to pay attention to him. "Jacques Villeneuve - DNF" makes a very poor headline. Especially when you have to run it twice a month.

[EERO]

I saw him win at Watkins Glen in 1979; he wiped the noses of the rest of the field with a very convincing win on a damp raw day.
He was fast and brilliant.
I also think I may have seen him racing Formula B/Atlantic in the mid seventies at Watkins Glen and Lime Rock Park, but at that time Bertil Roos was the class of the field, (he only got a lone ride at Shadow in F1.)
I wish I remembered Gilles better, but I still remember the Ferrari tearing uphill through the Esses sideways with a spray of mist behind it.