After the accident that occurred in Japan in 1977, where it unfortunately involved Peterson and cost the lives of spectators in a prohibited area of the track, the press has never been too kind to Ferrari and its new driver: Gilles Villeneuve.
When Drake continued to repeat that the Canadian just needed time, the journalists timidly pointed out to him that there were several valuable Italian pilots who deserved the coveted cockpit.
Until the Austrian Grand Prix the critics did not spare the criticism of the team and its driver, then in Zeltweg, with a perfect drive in the wet, Villeneuve achieved his first podium, definitively attracting the sympathy of the team and fans.
On the Île Notre-Dame, scene of the Canadian GP, Villeneuve hopes to do well to give satisfaction to his fellow citizens who have always been his fans.
For the grand prix, Lotus decided to replace the late Peterson with the Frenchman Jarier who had no difficulty in immediately obtaining pole position while the home idol had to settle for third place on the grid.
At the start Gilles tries to defend his third position but, in view of the treacherous first corner, he gives up the position to Jones and settles for fourth place.
While Jarier takes the lead and slowly begins to go away leading a solitary race, Gilles follows Jones who has to stop due to a puncture, allowing the home idol to begin attacking the Wolf of Jody Scheckter, his future teammate,
The South African tries to resist the Canadian’s Ferrari who, pushed by the public, manages to pass him, achieving an excellent second place.
The positions seem to have crystallized and the race wearily comes to an end, when Jarier begins to slow down until he retires with the braking system out.
The lead of the race is inherited by the Ferrari driver who, suspicious of some noises at the rear, decides not to take any risks and reduces the pace and crosses the finish line in first position amidst the applause of the audience, all on their feet.
We like to imagine that the Drake, seeing his pilot cross the finish line with his arms raised, cracked a smile, after all, this victory is also a bit his!
