Gilles Villeneuve

Lore & Background

Villeneuve's debut was marked by an unforgettable collision course at the Mount Fuji circuit in Japan during the final race of 1977. While piloting the 312T2B, he suffered an enormous accident where his car was launched over Ronnie Peterson's six-wheel Tyrrell at the end of the straight. The Ferrari cleared the Armco barrier and landed in a spectator-restricted area, yet Villeneuve emerged from the wreckage to continue racing. This incident highlighted his fearless nature immediately upon joining the team, even as he struggled to adapt to the car's handling characteristics which Lauda had mastered earlier that year.

In Their Own Story

In late 1977, tensions were high at Ferrari following Niki Lauda's departure after the US Grand Prix. The team planned to run three cars at Mosport Park in Canada, but Lauda decided to leave early because he felt the resources would be stretched too thin without his guidance. This left Villeneuve as the primary focus for the remaining races. At Mount Fuji, the pressure mounted during the final race of the season. As the field approached the straight, Villeneuve found himself in a chaotic scenario involving Ronnie Peterson's Tyrrell. The impact sent his 312T2B airborne, clearing safety barriers and landing far from the track. It was a violent end to the season that showcased both the danger of the era and Villeneuve's resilience, as he faced a car that refused to bend to his will.

Reader's Guide

The Villeneuve chapter within the 312T series began in earnest during the latter half of 1977. The car he drove, the 312T2B, was an uprated version of the 1976 model, featuring new rear wings and revised bodywork developed after extensive testing by Lauda earlier that year. However, a significant mechanical challenge plagued the season: Goodyear tires were increasingly unsuited to the car as they were developed for the high downforce Lotus 78. This made it difficult for the Ferrari to build sufficient tire temperatures, rendering the neutral-handling T2B particularly tricky for a driver like Villeneuve who preferred oversteer. Despite these technical hurdles and the fact that Lauda had won the Drivers' Championship in this car through reliability rather than outright speed, Villeneuve stepped into the cockpit with the same determination.

Did You Know?

• Villeneuve replaced Niki Lauda in late 1977 after Lauda walked out on the team following his third consecutive Constructors' Championship win.
• The 'T' in the 312T name stands for 'trasversale,' referring to the transverse gearbox mounted ahead of the rear wheels to lower the polar moment of inertia.
• In 1979, Ferrari tested a semi-automatic gearbox controlled by steering wheel buttons with Villeneuve at Fiorano, but he preferred the original manual transmission and it was never used in competition.
• Villeneuve's first race for Ferrari was not his debut; the team used the old 312B3 for the first two races of 1975 before the 312T made its debut at the South African Grand Prix.
• At the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix, Villeneuve's car was launched over Ronnie Peterson's six-wheel Tyrrell, cleared the Armco barrier, and landed in a spectator-restricted area.