Jacques Villeneuve puts an end to the controversy surrounding Charles Leclerc’s helmet

The tribute could have been much more beautiful. On the occasion of the Canadian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc wanted to pay tribute to a local hero: Gilles Villeneuve. 41 years after his first victory in F1, the Canadian remains a legend in Formula 1.

It is for this reason that Charles Leclerc decided to come to Montreal with a helmet that adopts Gilles Villeneuve’s design. However, the Monégasque driver did not inform the late driver’s family, which surprised them. Gilles’ son, Jacques, wanted to clarify the situation and put an end to the controversy.

As I arrived at the racetrack, my sister called me in a fit of anger. She had seen Charles using our father’s helmet without any prior knowledge or notification. The whole family was taken by surprise because we were not informed beforehand, explains the 1997 world champion.

The Villeneuve family insulted

I immediately passed on the message to Charles, who was kind enough to call me. We had a sincere discussion, during which he apologized for this situation. I reassured him by saying that I considered it as a touching tribute and that I personally had no problem with it.

However, I emphasized the importance of contacting my sister, as she is the one in charge of everything related to our father. I also suggested inviting my sister and mother to the circuit to address any remaining concerns.

So, the family was invited by Charles Leclerc to the circuit located on the St. Lawrence River. The tension subsided and even a photo session was organized around the helmet. The situation has clearly improved, although there is still one action that sticks in the throat of the Canadian.

The incident has taken on an excessive scale and turned into an unnecessary controversy. Some people felt the need to insult me and my family.

Charles Leclerc, after leaving the helmet in the garage on Friday and Saturday morning, was able to use it for qualifying and the race.