More than a year ago we wrote that British and Italian documentary filmmakers had started a film about Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi, two Ferrari drivers who were once friends, but then their story turned into a tragedy that took a special place in the annals of the Formula 1.
The film is now complete and will premiere on Sky Italia on the evening of December 25. The work is simply called: “Villeneuve – Pironi”, and those who have already seen it assure that it makes a strong impression.
The film contains many interviews shot in different periods – both archive and filmed today, in particular his widow Joanne, his son Jacques, world champion in 1997, as well as many other people who knew the great Canadian racer in one way or another, and his partner.
About how their enmity began, Pironi says such a sentence, said at the time, in 1982, to one of the journalists who asked which of the two Ferrari drivers is faster?
“Any driver who does not give his name in response to such a question is either not a real Formula 1 driver or lying,” the Frenchman said at the time. The partners finally fell out during the days of the San Marino Grand Prix when Pironi effectively stole the victory from Villeneuve, despite the team’s instructions to stay in his position.
Anyone interested in the history of motorsport knows how events unfolded: on May 8, 1982, a tragedy occurred at the Belgian Zolder circuit that interrupted Gilles’ life…
Enzo Ferrari, the great Commendatore, made it clear that he was very upset by this loss: “With the death of Gilles we lost a great champion, a man I loved very much. During my life I have experienced many deaths, I lost my parents, brother, son. I look back and see the faces of the people I love, and Gilles is one of them.”
In the eyes of the Ferrari founder, Villeneuve was the champion, although his best finish at the end of the 1979 season remained 2nd.
The further career and life of Pironi was also very dramatic, and the film tells about it in sufficient detail. The story of two Ferrari drivers takes the viewer back decades and tells of the drama without which it is still difficult to imagine motorsport, of shattered dreams, of the fact that human relationships sometimes background disappear when race wins and the championship title are achieved. at stake. .
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
