A few weeks ago, former F1 driver and 1997 title champion Jacques Villeneuve joined MD in the paddock of the Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monza. A year to mark his 25th anniversary when his title is given on his 26th October. The Canadian won the crown with a Renault-powered Williams. Because of this, the French company planned to put him under control of the car that Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon drove last year. important day.

Earlier, Jacques remembered the course in MD where he was champion. He stayed in a particular moment that has already made him F1 history. When the whole season’s work is done and in the final race he puts it all on one card and after his year that has been even more difficult, it’s incredible the energy and feeling of accomplishing it. . I will never forget it,” noted the 51-year-old (9 April 1971) Canadian. Jack points to one of the tightest and most controversial endings anyone can remember.

The F1 European Grand Prix at Jerez was the 17th and final race of 1997. Jacques arrived with 77 points, one less than him than Michael Schumacher, and both played in the race for whoever was in front to take the crown. It was only Villeneuve’s second season in Formula 1, but he has already twice, like Schumacher, F1’s new star since Senna’s death in 1994, and his second season with Ferrari in 1997. Like Schumacher, who has won the world championship, he had already dueled the two-time champion without a wrinkle. Jacque kept his heart beating and took pole position right in front of Michael. They came first and second in the title-defining face-to-face. It was tension MAX. And then comes the accident between the ‘Kaiser’ and the Canadian, one of the most famous images of him in F1 history.

crash

In the closing stages of the race, after the second stop, Villeneuve had 25 laps to catch and pass Michael. He had no choice but to move on. He managed to get to him, and what many expected happened there. Michael closed and they touched. “When he sees me on the inside he turns left and when he realizes I’m there he turns very aggressively. Then he went into the gravel and got stuck. On the next lap I saw him hit the wall and put his hands on his hips and I remember his face, his anger and his sweat,” Villeneuve said of F1 years ago. Michael got stuck in the gravel and Jack finished third as the new F1 champion.

“Jack had nothing to lose. He tried to pass me. I braked as late as I could and he did too. I don’t think I made a mistake. ‘, the German pointed out after the appointment.

Disqualification and Driver Education

A few days later, the International Automobile Federation’s World Council presumed that the incident was caused deliberately by Schumacher in an “instinctual and unexpected” way. , was forced to take part in road safety campaigns in seven European capitals.The then president of the FIA, Max Mosley, was the best speaker and Michael had a lot of influence, especially among young people. will give

“I made a mistake.

“What happened at the Jerez track happened under the pressure that comes with the world title and I’m sorry. Now we have to accept the consequences and it’s not easy,” he said. I added in front of a journalist.

“For me the last few weeks have been very difficult. A couple of days after the Grand Prix I started to understand what happened. is a human being like everyone else, it is very difficult to lose second place.Looking at the Grand Prix records, I kept asking myself:

Whatever happens, the Germans will get out of that hole. His dominance at Ferrari then came and he won five titles in red (2000-2005) and still remains today the most successful driver with seven crowns. This is the same record as Lewis Hamilton.

Success and Glory, but also Mistakes

His successes and glory remain in his shadow, although there are some things to remember. , won the first title. Indeed, after the accident with Villeneuve, Damon said: But i was wrong. In that regard, he has proven to be very consistent,” the Briton sarcastically commented.

Apart from these incidents, it will also be remembered the day Michael deliberately parked his car at Monaco’s La Lascas in 2006, causing him harm in qualifying. Long before he received a two-race suspension for not honoring the black flag at the 1994 British Grand Prix, the champions were wrong too.