Skip to content

Gilles Villeneuve

Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
User avatar
Pebblestone
0
Joined: 04 Feb 2014, 03:37
Location: Montreal

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

Before setting foot in Europe, Gilles Villeneuve was already an accomplished Snowmobile racer in North America, or should I say, a World Champion.

Ref: Winning the 1974 snowmobile World championship in Eagle River, Wisconsin (USA)

Image

His 1974 Alouette Twin Track racing machine:

Image

Image

Salut Gilles !
The ingredients for the recipe of success shall be added in the following order: Attitude, Aptitude and Altitude. Inversions to the prescribe order could seriously prevent altitude from happening, therefore giving a sour taste to the mix.
Top
User avatar
Shrieker
13
Joined: 01 Mar 2010, 23:41

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

No wonder he didn't have much trouble routinely pushing a car to it's limits and beyond. The best motorcycle track racers also have motocross backgrounds more often than not. The crux of the matter is definitely going over the traction/grip limit and still maintaining control.
Education is that which allows a nation free, independent, reputable life, and function as a high society; or it condemns it to captivity and poverty.
-Atatürk
Top
User avatar
GitanesBlondes
26
Joined: 30 Jul 2013, 20:16

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

Shrieker wrote:No wonder he didn't have much trouble routinely pushing a car to it's limits and beyond. The best motorcycle track racers also have motocross backgrounds more often than not. The crux of the matter is definitely going over the traction/grip limit and still maintaining control.
Many of the MotoGP guys spend their off-season flat track racing.

It's by far one of the best ways of keeping yourself sharp with the limits of adhesion.

Image
"I don't want to make friends with anybody. I don't give a sh*t for fame. I just want to win." -Nelson Piquet
Top
User avatar
Pebblestone
0
Joined: 04 Feb 2014, 03:37
Location: Montreal

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

GitanesBlondes wrote:
Shrieker wrote:No wonder he didn't have much trouble routinely pushing a car to it's limits and beyond. The best motorcycle track racers also have motocross backgrounds more often than not. The crux of the matter is definitely going over the traction/grip limit and still maintaining control.
Many of the MotoGP guys spend their off-season flat track racing.

It's by far one of the best ways of keeping yourself sharp with the limits of adhesion.

http://www.2wheeltuesday.com/wp-content ... Track2.jpg
Going over the grip/adhesion limit was a normal routine for him :wtf:

Image
The ingredients for the recipe of success shall be added in the following order: Attitude, Aptitude and Altitude. Inversions to the prescribe order could seriously prevent altitude from happening, therefore giving a sour taste to the mix.
Top
User avatar
Andres125sx
166
Joined: 13 Aug 2013, 10:15
Location: Madrid, Spain

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

Shrieker wrote:No wonder he didn't have much trouble routinely pushing a car to it's limits and beyond. The best motorcycle track racers also have motocross backgrounds more often than not. The crux of the matter is definitely going over the traction/grip limit and still maintaining control.
Past week I was recording with my drone at a MX track, and there it was Julian Simon with a CRF. What a nice model I found :mrgreen:

It´s very common to see track racers at MX tracks, Marquez, Espargaro, Bautista, Simon, Terol....
Top
User avatar
Pierce89
60
Joined: 21 Oct 2009, 18:38

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

Andres125sx wrote:
Shrieker wrote:No wonder he didn't have much trouble routinely pushing a car to it's limits and beyond. The best motorcycle track racers also have motocross backgrounds more often than not. The crux of the matter is definitely going over the traction/grip limit and still maintaining control.
Past week I was recording with my drone at a MX track, and there it was Julian Simon with a CRF. What a nice model I found :mrgreen:

It´s very common to see track racers at MX tracks, Marquez, Espargaro, Bautista, Simon, Terol....
I'd like to think my years of motocross has made me better at sliding cars. I feel quite lucky to have caught the "anything that burns fuel disease" at a young age. I'm only 30 now but I've raced for 24 yrs :mrgreen:

Edit: as an aside if any of you have a vehicle more physically demanding than my race crf450 with 60 hp at 230 lbs on a wet muddy track, then I want to shake your hand.
“To be able to actually make something is awfully nice”
Bruce McLaren on building his first McLaren racecars, 1970

“I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go”
Sir Frank Williams after the 2003 Canadian GP, where Ralf hesitated to pass brother M. Schumacher
Top
User avatar
Andres125sx
166
Joined: 13 Aug 2013, 10:15
Location: Madrid, Spain

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

Pierce89 wrote:Edit: as an aside if any of you have a vehicle more physically demanding than my race crf450 with 60 hp at 230 lbs on a wet muddy track, then I want to shake your hand.
No way, it doesn´t exist :mrgreen:

I did love driving at mud, but it was so demanding I didn´t resist more than a few laps. And once you fall down first time then it becomes some sort of punishment for all your sins :lol: with even more mud/weight on the bike that made it like driving an Harley, with sliding grips due to the mud they got at the fall that overload your forearms even more.... What a punishment...

But even so when I saw a track with mud I liked it.... well, at least first laps :P
Top
RA168E
RA168E
1
Joined: 17 Feb 2014, 02:30

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

I have an AM-SNOW from last year that was celebrating the life of Gilles in his Moto-Ski days, definitely the Villeneuves are heroes to any Canadian interested in motorsport like myself. I wish i could have seen Gilles drive back in the day, but he died ten years before i was born. I still think Senna is the best driver, but just for sheer "Go big or go home" appeal i think Gilles was in a league of one. Seeing him drive back on 3 wheels is amazing, no other driver would try that after seeing the catastrophic damage to his rear, but for some bizarre reason, the term 'quitting' didnt exist in Gilles world.
Top
User avatar
flynfrog
Moderator
Joined: 23 Mar 2006, 22:31

Re: Gilles Villeneuve

Post

Pierce89 wrote: Edit: as an aside if any of you have a vehicle more physically demanding than my race crf450 with 60 hp at 230 lbs on a wet muddy track, then I want to shake your hand.
I had a CR500AF by the time I got it started I was out of breath. I am thinking of upgrading my 450 to a newer one the air suspension handles so good.
Top

Return to “General chat”