La creazione del mito di Gilles Villeneuve attraverso la stampa ...

INTERVIEW WITH GERALD DONALDSON (F1 MAGAZINE)
What is a hero? Which qualities are necessary to be considered a hero?
The dictionary definition of a hero is someone who is admired for their courage or outstanding
achievements. In mythology and folklore a hero was person of superhuman qualities (as in the
Greek legends). A hero is also used to denote the chief character in a book, play or film. An heroic
racing driver is someone who embodies these qualities (as Niki Lauda did when he came back from
nearly being killed in 1976 and raced harder than ever).
Why Gilles Villeneuve became a legend?
Gilles Villeneuve became a legend because he was a driver whose obvious skill and daring seemed
to personify the ideals of racing. His enduring legend owes much to its classic elements of tragedy,
because he was a charming young man of humble origins who achieved undreamed of fame and
fortune by giving his all to the sport that ultimately took his life.
Italian newspapers have called Gilles "aviatore", "Nivolaneuve" and there was the
phenomenon of "fièvre Villeneuve". Have these nicknames ever been used by the
international press?
The nicknames were used mainly in Italy, though Villeneuve 'fever' was also used in Canada to
describe the situation when his son Jacques first raced in F1 in Montreal.
The press still remembers Gilles after 20 years... will it be so also in the future?
Jacques Villeneuve helps keep the Villeneuve name alive for today's audience. Gilles will be
remember less and less as time goes by, but since we remember names like Nuvolari from the past
Gilles Villeneuve will probably always be remembered by the keenest enthusiasts.
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