500

Gilles, now there is a special one.

I was just discovering the world of racing in the early '80's (I was twelve at the time) and was consumed with reading everything to do with racing and Gilles was the big Canadian star. I did not understand a lot of the nuances back then that I do now, but even so, I knew he was a very special driver.

I remember that day, Saturday May 8 very clearly. I had to go to a confirmation class (mine was not a very religious family, but we did all the standard stuff). My dad picked me up afterwards, and I knew the Belgian Grand Prix was on that weekend (not bad for a twelve year old!) My dad told me (quite gently I realized later) that the Canadian driver I liked so much had a bad crash (my dad couldn't remember his name). Anyway, I thought in my mind "Oh no, maybe he broke a leg or something?!" I'm serious, I just had no idea... Shortly thereafter the news came on the radio and I remember it clearly "Gilles Villeneuve, Canada's greatest ever racing driver has been pronounced clinically brain-dead."

I was so shocked. I had been fortunate that I had not experienced the loss of anyone close to me in my life up to that point, so the death of Gilles hit me very hard. I sort of held myself together until I got to my older sister's place, where I was to spend the rest of the weekend and went straight to the washroom and buried my head in a towel and sobbed for a long time. I was literally in mourning for a week at least, and even one year later on May 8th, I was still pretty emotional about it.

If anyone has not had the chance to read Gerald Donaldson's book on Gilles, I would highly recommend it. He was a very special man, completely devoid of political cunning and ill will. Anyway, I better stop now, I'm not very impartial!

500

Cory M

That second picture is awesome, one of the coolest F1 pictures I've seen.

Geo

Losing a driver, especially a great one, is really hard. I hate that aspect of this sport. I remember when we lost Senna someone wrote a letter to the editors of On Track magazine (God, I miss that magazine):

(paraphased) Now this generation knows how it felt when we lost Jimmy [Clark].

Thank God it's not as bad as it used to be. I had a conversation a few years back with the NYS sales tax auditor that came to audit the company I was with. I am originally from upstate NY and started a conversation. We quickly found out we both loved racing and he was originally from Watkins Glen. He told me about when we lost Francois Cevert. Turns out his family was always involved at the track somehow and his mother adored Cevert (and had met him). Turns out his mother was a notary and had to sign the death certificate to send his body back to France. I mourn ever driver that is killed. I was in the airport in Rochester waiting for my flight back to Houston when I saw the Earnhart crash. The last thing I saw was the ambulance leaving the track and I knew. When I got home my wife broke the news to me. She knows it always bothers me. But I already knew....

I was lucky enough to see Gilles race. I went to the last USGP at Watkins Glen in 1980. I can't believe that's the only F1 race I've even been to. Anyway, I have a photo of Gilles from that race. I'll have to scan it.

Geo

McLaren WRC car??

Flying Finn

Man, I was 13 and had those exact same feelings as you did. In Finland back then there was pretty much no F1 on tv but I read the news and it was so sad. Reading your post I get same kind of feelings and am sad.
In my head, I have the image of his wrecked car and him, still strapped in his seat on that metal wire fence as clearly as I saw it yesterday.

On that day, F1 lost a wonderful man and a great driver.

Flying Finn

They don't call him "Flying Finn" for nothing!

It's that very picture that started Mika's tradition to add "Flying Finn" in his signatures.

GREEK-TURBO-RACER

Now you guys know why I call FF " Mika ". LOL ..........



Theo

Mark in Baltimore

Keke Rosberg was the original Flying Finn, right?

http://www.formula1.com/archive/hall...river/204.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keke_Rosberg

Flying Finn

No Mark, hat's not correct.

Keke was "Flying Finn", and for a good reason, for example he was firt one tho take Eau Rouge flat out with F1 car.

There has been few "Flying Finns" over the years and they'r enot all even in motorsports.

The first ever to be called "Flying Finn" maybe is Paavo Kolehmainen, Olympic Athlete who won in ealy 1900's

But maybe the best known early ones and maybe really the first one to be called "Flying Finn" is Paavo Nurmi, Olympic Athlete (long distance runner) who BTW has won most Summer Olympic Golds (9, a tie with Carl Lewis).

Then to motorsports...

Below is the list of most famous "Flying Finns" (there ar others who have been called that but I think these are the ones who are most accociated with that "title".

Rauno Aaltonen - 1965 European Champion
Timo Mäkinen
Simo Lampinen
Pauli Toivonen - 1968 European Champion (with Porsche!)
Jarno Saarinen - Motorcycle Racing World Champion 1972 (Killed in 1973, if not, surely would've won many more championships, IMO sort of like Gilles Villeneuve of motorcycle racing even though won one title)
Leo Kinnunen - i.e. Won Sebring 12 hours in 917!
Keke Rosberg - Formula 1 Driver's Campion 1982
Hannu Mikkola - World Rally Champion 1983
Timo Salonen - World Rally Champion 1985
Juha Kankkunen - World Rally Champion 1986, 1987, 1991, 1993
Tommi Mäkinen - World Rally Champion 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Mika Hakkinen - Formula 1 Driver's Champion 1998, 1999

Google up these names, lot of motorsport history there.

Again, I feel very proud to be Finn!

Mark in Baltimore

Flying Finn,

Yeah, I've heard of those other drivers. I should have clarified: "Keke Rosberg was the original Flying Finn in Formula One, right?

I thought it was clear since this thread pertains to F1 drivers and not rally drivers.

JCP911S

Ok....way, Way, WAY OT... but how come so many good drivers come out of Finnland that has like, what barely enough population to fill a Starbucks on Sunday morning... ???

Is it the ice, or maybe its the only way to get the heck out if Finnland..

Flying Finn

Leo Kinnunen technically also drove Formula 1 (failed to qualify or something, it was in a horrible car though) and he was called "Flying Finn", drove with Porsche 917 among other things but you're right, Keke really was the original "Flying Finn" in F1.

Flying Finn

When we talk about motorsports, i don't think it's OT to talk about Finns!

I have to disappoint you, Finland being so succesful in motorsport is a secret that we can not reveal...

MJSpeed

Yes it's true Senna was quite disliked in F1 maybe that's because he was beaten the $H%T out of everyone, and in Irvine's case literally!! What's even funnier is the conversation before the punch...as story goes Eddie had a couple of libations (as a true Irish man) after the race and when Senna went to "see" him, he was a bit "out of it" and began to mock Ayrton...not about to take that Senna started saying really loud, "what the f>>K do you think you're doing, this is not a karting race this is Formula 1, you're not racing driver, you're a FU($)(%NG idiot!" And then punched him. Senna actually once choked Schumi because he felt that Schumi was blocking him during a practice session...<---- PRACTICE!! LOL...

Also Senna won plenty of times without having the best car including the 1991 championship when the Williams was much better already...and yes in 1988 he had the best car but he also had a 4 time world champion as a team mate, Prost!

Jordan, Senna, Jim Brown the list goes on...all could arguably be the best at their sport but that didn't mean that they were liked by all...respected yes, feared definitely but liked hmmm...

and about the good ole days try this on for size:

Here's who was racing against each other in F1 in 1991:

Prost and Alesi at Ferrari
Nige (the lion of England) and Patrese at Williams
Senna and Berger at McLaren
Piquet and Moreno (who was replaced for the last three races by Schumi) at Bennetton
Hakkinen at Lotus
JJ Lehto and Emanuele Pirro at Dallara
Blundell and Brundle at Brabham

The 1991 Japanese GP had a total of 20 World Driver's Titles among 6 drivers along with a few LeMans victories, a few ALMS Championships. Too bad we couldn't see Schumi at his prime against this type of competition.

At the start of the 2006 season there are three World Champions on the grid, Schumi, Villenueve and newly crowned golden boy, Alonso.


FF,

BTW based on your avatar you should change your name from the Flying Finn to the Sliding Finn!!