Collector Gilles Villeneuve – Great Witness Daniele Audetto

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Great Witness – Daniele Audetto

Director of sporting activities for the Fiat group between 1977 and 1986

“It was the risk that made him feel alive”

How did you meet Gilles Villeneuve?

After Silverstone (1977 with McLaren. Editor's note) where Villeneuve had shown interesting potential, Mr. Ferrari wanted to meet him. So he asked his secretary to call him and put him through the call. “ Pronto? It's Ferrari. I would like to talk about F1 with you, come to Maranello as soon as you can! » While he expected the same “ I will arrive without delay » that usually on such an occasion, he had been astonished to hear himself say: “ Send me your contract proposal and we’ll see later! ". Ferrari hung up abruptly, taken aback to say the least. Had this episode had the effect of increasing his curiosity tenfold? Still, he called me to go meet him. Former sporting director of the Scuderia, I was now director of sporting activities for the Fiat group, and it therefore made sense for me to go to Montreal.

Once there, I contacted him and we agreed to meet at my hotel. I was sitting in the lobby when I saw a Harley-Davidson type motorcycle pull up in front of the hotel doors. A “pit-stop” style arrival, I thought the bike was going to pass through the door. The two bikers in black leather headed towards reception and I could hear them asking if Mr. Audetto was there. They were told where I was and they headed towards me. “ Hello, I am Gilles Villeneuve ", said the boy. “ I'm Joann, his wife », continued the girl. After congratulating Gilles on his performance at Silverstone, I explained to him that Mr. Ferrari wanted to meet him and offered him a test at Fiorano. He answered me: “ No need for testing, I'll go quickly. If you want, we sign the contract and I'll take the test! » As taken aback as the Commendatore had been, I informed him that I was going to report his remarks to Mr. Ferrari and that he would decide.

He was so sure of himself that it would have been easy to mistake it for aggression. You could see right away that he knew what he wanted. The name Ferrari left him cold! So I called Ferrari, telling him honestly that the boy hadn't really impressed. This time, it was Ferrari who surprised me a little by retorting: “ You send it to me, and you will see that he will do the test before signing the contract if there is a contract to sign! » I took the tickets. He came with Joann, and he signed the contract before getting in the car. He was so sure of himself that he managed to turn Mr. Ferrari around. A first !

Why did Mr. Ferrari go looking for him when he had Eddie Cheever on hand to ward off Niki Lauda's departure?

Because of what Gilles had shown at Silverstone with the McLaren, but also to please Philip Morris (the tobacco company. Editor’s note). Eddie was the one who went to pick him up after the 1976 Japanese GP where Lauda threw in the towel. Niki had a contract for the 1977 season, but as the relationship with Ferrari had become complicated after the accident (at the Nürburgring in 1976 where he almost lost his life. Editor's note), we signed Cheever as 3^e driver just in case... Finally, Niki had competed in the 1977 season and once the title had been acquired at Watkins Glen (United States. Editor's note), he decided not to compete in the last two Grands Prix of the season.

After that in Canada where Gilles started, Cheever showed up in Maranello with his lawyer. When Enzo asked the administrator to bring him the contract, Eddie thought he just wanted to control the terms, but once he had it in hand, he tore it into four pieces, telling him : “ Here is your contract, now you are free! » Gilles also did the Japanese GP where he took off on the front wheels of Ronnie Peterson's Tyrrell before crashing into the crowd, killing an amateur photographer and a track marshal (two other people died from their injuries a few days later. Editor’s note).

After returning from Japan, Ferrari told me that he had perhaps torn up Cheever's contract a little too quickly, because he wondered if Gilles was ready to face a full season. Over the winter he rode a lot at Fiorano, improving with each track entry and becoming extremely fast. Enzo fell in love with Gilles who reminded him of Tazio Nuvolari. Same risk taking, same ability to win with cars less efficient than the competition. He was won over. It is for the same reasons that Gilles entered the hearts of fans, for his extraordinary driving, for his bravery, for his risk-taking on the track, but not only that…

The face of an angel. – PHOTO: DPPI

Did it have to go quickly everywhere and all the time?

That's exactly it! I remember when I was sporting director of Lancia, I was often in contact with Maranello who supplied us with the engine for the Stratos. The Scuderia made its drivers available to us for the Tour of Italy Auto: Jody Scheckter on a Ritmo Abarth and Gilles on a silhouette car derived from the Stratos. They competed in the track events, associated with a rally driver for the road events. Gilles teamed up with Walter Röhrl.

At Imola he put on a show, but pulled the engine so hard that the head gasket cracked. By the time it was repaired, it was impossible to reach the next stop point in time... unless we took the highway between Imola and Misano. Röhrl had already done the trick at the start of the event without being caught, but not this time! We were excluded. With Gilles, the show was always colorful, but it was often at the cost of limits that were largely exceeded: those of the track, mechanics and reasonableness!

Have you personally experienced this?

More than once, and I keep a memory of it as amazed as it is frightened! He lived in the Principality and I in Bordighera which is the first exit after Ventimiglia. Every time he went down to Maranello with his Ferrari, he picked me up on the way, and always wanted to beat his previous record! He overtook from right to left without ever going below 200 km/h. It was two hours of fear. He was always on the limit as in everything. At that time, he had a motorboat in Monaco, like Riva with a prepared Mercury engine, and his thing was to wait for bad weather to go and jump on the big waves.

He was doing amazing jumps. I once organized a motorboat race between F1 drivers. The idea was born during a dinner between Tullio Abbate – a pilot and boat builder -, Didier Pironi and Villeneuve. The project only became a reality with the help of Villa d'Este and a number of sponsors. If the first round had been won hands down by Bruno Giacomelli, the second round was more closely contested. Pironi was second with Villeneuve just behind him. When there was someone in front of him, Villeneuve wanted to get through by any means possible. This time the bow of his boat rose above the stern of Pironi's. He literally flew away, passing over Didier, leaving a mark on the latter's helmet. Now 2^e, he went after Riccardo Patrese in the last corner…

After the awards ceremony, Gilles wanted to leave immediately with his helicopter. Normally, before taking off, you have to wait until everything is at the right temperature, because it is a very delicate tool. However, as there were more and more people around the plane, he left without waiting. He was already high when the engine stalled above Lake Como, and he began to fall like a stone... In fact, he explained to me later, that he had not had the slightest damage , that he had cut off the engine on purpose to put on a show! Gilles drove visually, following the roads and highways. He piloted his helicopter like he piloted his cars.

Did that earn him some enmity?

No, it was simply not possible not to be friends with him because he was so natural and whole. It's true that he was a little wild, but once the ice was broken, there was nothing warmer. Risk was his philosophy. It was the risk that made him feel alive! He was the one who made him strong! That's why everyone loved him, including Enzo who found in him someone ordinary who did extraordinary things, who could win in any condition, with any car. He did not have time to be world champion, although he was faster than Scheckter in 1979. Only, at that time, he was not yet able to manage. No doubt he would have gotten there with time.

Did Enzo Ferrari do for Gilles what he never did for any other driver?

Gilles had become like a son to Ferrari. He was the only one who entered his office uninvited. He passed by the office of Valerio, who was Ferrari's secretary, opened the door and said: "  Hello Enzo, come stai? » Ferrari also loved these moments of conviviality with Gilles, because he could speak French with him. It was the only foreign language he mastered, because he had worked in France in his younger years. He forgave Gilles everything, he who usually forgave so little.

Once the visor was down, he was no longer the same man. – Photo DPPI

Were you present in Imola, in 1982, when he felt betrayed by Pironi, and two weeks later in Zolder?

I was not present in Imola, however I was in Zolder. The first person I spoke to after the accident was Jochen Mass who was a close friend. He was very shocked. He told me about the lack of understanding between them, before telling me: “ You know, it's not a simple accident, it's very serious ! » Jochen had moved aside to leave the line to Gilles who was in a fast lap, and Gilles did not understand the maneuver. As in Japan in 1977 where the Peterson wheel had catapulted him, this time it was the Mass March. At Imola, Marco Piccinini was in charge (of the Scuderia. Editor’s note).

I was there as head of the Fiat group. Ferrari was very affected by the death of Gilles. He was a tough man who was able to tell me after Lauda's accident at the Nürburgring, while I was at his bedside in hospital, to return to the circuit to offer his steering wheel to Peterson. We didn't know then if Niki would survive, but Ferrari was thinking of the team and the people who worked for him. He was able to put his emotions aside for the good of the company. This extreme lucidity that he had in Niki's case, he did not have after Gilles' accident. Three Grands Prix passed before he called on Patrick Tambay, the only driver it was acceptable to take. Patrick was not a replacement, he was much more than that.

Forty years after his death, are you surprised by Gilles' continued popularity?

No ! With Ayrton Senna, they represent the very essence of their sport. They are not F1 drivers, they are F1! Their tragic end was also electroshocks which allowed the discipline to move forward in terms of safety.