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Gilles Villeneuve

Gilles Villeneuve (January 18, 1950 - May 8, 1982) was born in the small town of Berthierville[?], Quebec, Canada. He was a world renowned Formula One race car driver.

His first Formula One win came in his native Province of Quebec, Canada in the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix, held in Montreal. All told in his short career, he won six Grand Prix races. In 1979 he finished second in the championship to teammate Jody Scheckter.

His wheel-banging duel with René Arnoux[?] in the last laps of Dijon 1979 Grand Prix was one of the most intense moments in Formula one racing.

On May 8, 1982, on the final qualifying lap for the Belgian Grand Prix[?] at Zolder, his car crashed and he died shortly thereafter in hospital.

His son, Jacques, would follow in his footsteps and join the Formula One circuit in 1997.

In June, 1997 Canada issued a postage stamp in honor of its favorite racing son.

The racetrack on Île Notre-Dame, Montreal, used for the Molson Indy and Grand Prix de Montréal, is named in his honour.

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