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October 2001: We are closing www.firstcontact.com
The site was originally created to host a Tribute to Gilles introduced on the www in december 1995. The original content no longer has a reason to be as the Gilles Villeneuve Museum web site is now well established and very popular on the web.
Times have changed drastically since 1995 and most of the information that was pertinent back than is totally obsolete now. For that reason, we are retiring firstcontact.com from the web this fall. We are transferring the TRIBUTE TO GILLES section to the Museum site. We wish to invite you to visit the new and revamped Gilles Villeneuve Museum web site at a new URL opening soon.
Michel (Flag) Flageole, webmaster, october 2001
Introduction - December 1995
Ever since I started surfing the NET, I made it a point to regularly check the information available about Gilles Villeneuve. Using most of the search engines available to me, I found some sites with interesting information and it gave me the idea to share one of my own experience with everyone interested with this great racer which I had the privilege to meet years ago. Well, it is almost twenty years ago now ... a life time for some!
I will introduce my personal "snapshots" of Gilles and welcome the world to grab them if they wish. I also welcome anyone who cares to send more information about Gilles that they wish to see added to this page, that will be updated regularly. I hope that my contribution to the info available on the NET about Gilles will please the "surfers".
Let me also mention that I am a french canadian and that english is a second language for me. I will do my best to write this text to my best ability and ask the readers for their forgiveness if it is not perfect. I guess you could drop a line and propose the corrections which I will gladly do...
About the logo used in this page's background...
Most people on this planet have never seen this logo (sticker) in their life. This came about on or around 1978, I really cant remember who started this club, it could be Gaston Parent, Gilles's manager at the time or maybe Jean-D. Legault, a P.R. man in his entourage. It's too long ago for me to remember. The fact is that one of my good friends (MWH) still had one available and I asked him to let me use it for the introduction of this page.
Le club des Amis de Gilles Villeneuve (Gilles Villeneuve friend's club) was short lived and the news bulletin that came with membership was abandoned after only a few issues. Dont ask me WHY? I did not understand at the time, I still cant! I wonder if anyone has a copy of this bulletin, it would be nice to find one and share it with the rest of the world. Here is a challenge for Gaston , J.D. or others, check your files guys and give me a shout.
October 5th, 1978, the day it all started for me...
It all started with a phone call from my old friend MICHEL W. HANSON (MWH) on the wednesday night preceeding the 1978 Montreal Grand Prix on a very cold evening. I had ask Michel, who was the race starter, to call me if ever one of his "official starter team" member could not be present and he did call me, that famous night in October. MERCI BEAUCOUP Michel "William" Hanson for the unique opportunity. I will never forget! Anyway he asked me to show up at l'Ile Notre-Dame at 6.00am the next morning and I did. I was not going to miss such an occasion, not me! I only had a few hours to familarize with the task ahead, I was the team's new pit exit man. A huge responsability, but someone had to do it and I guess Michel trusted me to be able to do it adequately. I was extremely nervous for the first warm-up session, but picked up quickly on my new challenge. Millions of race fans would dream about having this job but will never have the chance to control PIT EXIT. I had this unique chance that famous October week-end of 1978 and it was quite an adrenalin high.
Being so close to all the greatest F-1 drivers in the world, specially to Gilles who was still looking for his first victory in F-1 after winning everything in Formula Atlantic was quite a thrill. I realized during the next two days how fast F-1 really was. The decisions from the pit exit man had to come fast and without any hesitation. It is a split second decision and you have to live with it. It is not a game for kids. I can affirm this: The starting team has a tremendous responsability and Michel Hanson's team was one of the best in the world and it included me now, Michel Flageole the pit exit man, what a thrill. BTW, I must have done the job right, I remained the pit exit man until 1982. The death of Ricardo Paletti just in front of the start/finish line put an abrupt end to my enthusiasm about being there, so close to the action.
It snowed on Saturday, probably a first in F-1 history and it was damm cold but the show must go on and it did. Now I have two days experience and I dont suffer the cold one bit, I love this... sometime between practice sessions I day dream : "Man, I have the switch to the biggest and most expensive race track game in the world" Oh, What a thrill !
October 8th, 1978 - famous Sunday!
That's it, it is race day in Montreal. The big show is just about to start. It is very cold on the platform. Canada's Prime Minister the Honorable Pierre-Elliott Trudeau is joining our team on the start/finish line platform (I am the guy with the tuque in the back) along with Roger Doucet who sings the National Hymn and then it is time. The 3 minutes sign is displayed on the track, my heart is beating a little faster. The red light goes on and 6 seconds later, its the start of the most famous F-1 race in canadian history. A young brilliant driver born right here in Quebec, in a little place called Berthierville on January 18, 1950 will drive his Ferrari to victory. With both arms up in the air when crossing the start/finish line for his first F-1 chequered flag, Gilles is the winner, at last, he has his first F-1 victory, right here in his backyard in front of his fellow canadians and millions of fans watching TV's retransmission of the event world wide. Only one thing could make my first week-end at the F-1 Canadian Grand- Prix perfect, I guess that if you thought: Gilles Villeneuve first F-1 victory, you are perfectly right.
My friend Michel W. Hanson lost his chequered flag that afternoon. There was no way that Gilles would give it back after his victory lap. Not this one, not his very first. I have no idea where this famous flag is today, but I know one thing: Michel now displays in his living room a beautiful original Ferrari flag that was brougth back from Italy via Gaston Parent in a trade arranged by Gilles. He kept his word to Michel. Gilles was like that with friends, he cared and that is probably why he had so many fans around the world including Enzo Ferrari himself who loved him as his son.
You should have seen the eyes on Gilles immediately after his victory, I was lucky to be very close and I can say I had never seen him so happy, he was overwhelmed. We were all stunned with the excitement that followed a few minutes later on the podium. What a thrill, what a great victory:
SALUT GILLES ! For the thrill of a life time, I will never forget that magic moment.
October 8, 1978 : forever in my memories !
additional information
This close to Gilles
by Roy Glikin , February 1998
Acknowledgment:
I wish to thank and recognize the work of collaborators and friends for their assistance on this page.
- MERCI MY FRIENDS...
François Pilon, the original webmaster of this site in 1995.
Michel "William" Hanson for some of the material used in this page.
Dany Flageole for the 2001 design of the site.
Francesca Clementa for the Italian translation of the site.
Michel (Flag) Flageole
