What do you think?
Rate this book
Gilles Villeneuve: The Life of the Legendary Racing Driver
Gilles Villeneuve became a legend in his own time, a driver whose skill and daring personified the ideals of Grand Prix racing, the pinnacle of motor sport. With his flamboyantly aggressive, press-on-regardless style in his scarlet Ferrari, he captured the imagination of a vast international audience as no other driver has in recent times.
Paperback
First published June 10, 1989
13 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Donaldson
23 books3 followersBesides being an avid and devoted frogophile, Gerald Donaldson is co-author of The Exercise Book, and The Book of Days and author of The Walking Book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 12, 2017
'I know that some day I am going to have a really big crash'
Unfortunately that day came and claimed the life of arguably the fastest and purest Formula One driver the sport has ever seen. Gerald Donaldson does a spectacular job of telling the story of the legendary Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve.
The book starts right at the beginning. Donaldson takes the reader on a journey through Gille's life from his early days growing up in Quebec to that sad unforgettable day in May 1982. Gilles lived his life in the fast lane. He always had the need for speed, whether it was on snowmobiles, his pickup truck, or in the cockpit of his Ferrari F1 machine.
With that said, Gilles wasn't wild or crazy behind the wheel. His friends and family may have thought so as Donaldson comically points out, but he was always composed. He had great trust in his own driving abilities that he was never afraid of going fast.
One of the main points I'll take away from this book is that Gilles was not like the other superstar drivers of the time. What I mean by that is Gilles was a family man; he did not go out partying or have a 'girl in every port.' Yes, like a lot of celebrities, he had family issues which at the end of his life he was trying real hard to fix, and he also loved spending money, but when it comes down to it he still was a family man in a sport that can suck you away from it.
Gilles Villeneuve truly was the purest driver the sport has ever seen. He did not race for the money, yes he enjoyed the perks of racing, but he enjoyed going fast more. Gilles' former Ferrari teammate Jody Scheckter sums up who Gilles is perfectly:
'[Gilles] was the fastest driver in the history of motor racing. .. But more important for me is that he was the most genuine person I have ever known.'
Unfortunately that day came and claimed the life of arguably the fastest and purest Formula One driver the sport has ever seen. Gerald Donaldson does a spectacular job of telling the story of the legendary Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve.
The book starts right at the beginning. Donaldson takes the reader on a journey through Gille's life from his early days growing up in Quebec to that sad unforgettable day in May 1982. Gilles lived his life in the fast lane. He always had the need for speed, whether it was on snowmobiles, his pickup truck, or in the cockpit of his Ferrari F1 machine.
With that said, Gilles wasn't wild or crazy behind the wheel. His friends and family may have thought so as Donaldson comically points out, but he was always composed. He had great trust in his own driving abilities that he was never afraid of going fast.
One of the main points I'll take away from this book is that Gilles was not like the other superstar drivers of the time. What I mean by that is Gilles was a family man; he did not go out partying or have a 'girl in every port.' Yes, like a lot of celebrities, he had family issues which at the end of his life he was trying real hard to fix, and he also loved spending money, but when it comes down to it he still was a family man in a sport that can suck you away from it.
Gilles Villeneuve truly was the purest driver the sport has ever seen. He did not race for the money, yes he enjoyed the perks of racing, but he enjoyed going fast more. Gilles' former Ferrari teammate Jody Scheckter sums up who Gilles is perfectly:
'[Gilles] was the fastest driver in the history of motor racing. .. But more important for me is that he was the most genuine person I have ever known.'
December 14, 2017
Gilles Villeneuve was a fascinating character and a real racer, more interested in simply being the fastest than winning championships. And Gerald Donaldson tells his story very well. I had a few minor complaints - for example I would have liked to understand more about Villeneuve’s relationship with Pironi. But these didn’t get in the way of a great (although tragic) story.
A perfect antidote to modern F1, a bland sport with bland, politically correct drivers.
A perfect antidote to modern F1, a bland sport with bland, politically correct drivers.
September 16, 2025
If I could say everything I want to say about this book, my review would be as long as the book itself. I was a teenager when I got into F1 in 1978 and, although it was the late 90’s before I got to attend my first Grand Prix (and I’ve been to another 35 to date) I’ve watched every race highlight and every full race since then, and I have all of them on DVD. For me the late 70’s/early 80’s was the heyday of F1. The racing was pure, the cars innovative and the drivers raced out of their love for speed rather than the money and the fame.
Gilles Villeneuve was a legend. A pure racer who needed every lap to be his fastest. He took risks that others wouldn’t dare take and ultimately, he paid the highest price.
It was great to read this book and remember the long-gone teams such as Arrows, Shadow, Ligier, Brabham, ATS, Surtees and many more – some consigned to the history books and a few that eventually morphed into the teams on the grid today. And the drivers – Peterson, Andretti, Scheckter, Reutemman, Watson, Lauda, Laffite, Regazzoni and many, many more.
But this book is about Gilles Villeneuve – his life, his family and his short, but fierce, F1 career where he died doing what he loved best.
Obviously, I never met him, but I did meet his son, Jacques (the 1997 F1 World Champion) and I have a programme that he signed for me.
And if anyone ever doubts how amazing Gilles Villeneuve was, search online for the video of the 1979 French Grand Prix held at Dijon, and his battle with Rene Arnoux for second place. It’s heart stopping.
Gilles Villeneuve was a legend. A pure racer who needed every lap to be his fastest. He took risks that others wouldn’t dare take and ultimately, he paid the highest price.
It was great to read this book and remember the long-gone teams such as Arrows, Shadow, Ligier, Brabham, ATS, Surtees and many more – some consigned to the history books and a few that eventually morphed into the teams on the grid today. And the drivers – Peterson, Andretti, Scheckter, Reutemman, Watson, Lauda, Laffite, Regazzoni and many, many more.
But this book is about Gilles Villeneuve – his life, his family and his short, but fierce, F1 career where he died doing what he loved best.
Obviously, I never met him, but I did meet his son, Jacques (the 1997 F1 World Champion) and I have a programme that he signed for me.
And if anyone ever doubts how amazing Gilles Villeneuve was, search online for the video of the 1979 French Grand Prix held at Dijon, and his battle with Rene Arnoux for second place. It’s heart stopping.
June 3, 2023
Much like Donaldson's James Hunt biography, this is a nice biography that covers the basics well: a year-by-year account of the subject's life, funny anecdotes, and a little bit of hero-worship. It doesn't delve deeper into the darker or negative elements, and somewhat glosses over those, nor does it proffer any analysis or judgement on character or psychological matters. Would like to give a 3.5 because the book is fine when judged solely against what it intends to cover, but points lost for what it doesn't cover.
February 1, 2021
A nice, balanced look look at the life of this gifted man. Given the mythical status of Villeneuve there is always the danger that a biography will be a partisan deification. The author, Gerald Donaldson, while obviously a fan, does not take us down that path. We get an objective view with race accounts, viewpoints of those close to Villeneuve and a nicely woven narrative. As expected, there are plenty of reminiscences regarding Gilles remarkable car handling exploits as in this regard he was peerless. But what also emerges is a portrait of Gilles the man. He was down-to-earth, loyal, a bit naive but genuinely honest, qualities that he maintained in the world of F1. Knowing this about Gilles only strengthens the legend. RIP Gilles.
August 31, 2012
I read it several years ago, re-read it years after and once again read it recently while working on the research the book I am currently writing that involves motor racing anecdotes supporting a management topic; well there are plenty here about a racing driver that was always able to interpret his role behind the steering wheel at the fullest. Not only that, his unique sense of an authentic and even naive way to see and live life, his way to basically continuing always to be a kid-at-hearth (for good and bad) contributed to develop a legend bound to last for many years to come...
August 3, 2019
The best biography I’ve ever read, and surely the best I will ever read. Never have I cried at a book before..until now. Heartbreaking and also awe-inspiring; a must read.
May 1, 2021
This is one of the best autosport book. Gilles Villeneuve is a legend.
December 31, 2020
"I will miss Gilles for two reasons. First, he was the most genuine man I have ever known. Second, he was the fastest driver in the history of motor racing. But he has not gone. The memory of what he has done, what he achieved, will always be there." Jody Scheckter
August 8, 2018
A fascinating read
A well balanced book which gives a great insight into the character of Giles Villeneuve. It is written in a very interesting manner and is to be recommended.
A well balanced book which gives a great insight into the character of Giles Villeneuve. It is written in a very interesting manner and is to be recommended.
June 29, 2024
A thorough, enjoyable overview of the life and career of one of the most mercurial talents in Formula 1 history. There are hints of interesting tangents the story could take, the wide range of sources yielding a bounty of anecdotes that might merit further enquiry. But that isn't in the scope of this more general account.
Villeneuve's idiosyncratic character comes through well, and it is easy to see both how the fans came to love him and how he may have been a difficult man to live and work with, maintaining a straightforwardness bordering on naïveté in a sport packed with cynics. He brought romance to the sport in a difficult, fractious period in its history.
The death of Formula 1 drivers has been much covered in recent retrospectives, not least Gilles' own tragic end on the racetrack – but it is shocking to be reminded of how many other drivers suffered career-ending, life-changing injuries, those who emerged from crashes with permanent disabilities (Jean-Pierre Jabouille; Clay Regazzoni; Didier Pironi). It is easy to think, in review, that the sport must have been getting steadily safer, as 1982 marked the final driver death on an F1 race weekend for 12 years. But it is a testament to the stark dangers still facing drivers in this era that Jody Scheckter, Villeneuve's Ferrari teammate and world champion in 1979, feels like an exceptional case with his 10-year F1 career and choosing to retire on his own terms.
It is also interesting to reflect on the rosy notions we now have, as fans, about this era of F1. Several asides make clear how dull fans found the racing, while several more are explicit about the driver's hatred for the new generation of cars, as the sport's 'ground-effects' technical revolution took hold. Villeneuve, a generally apolitical figure, found himself embroiled in a drivers' strike. He drove in races where more than half the field had withdrawn in protest at the way the sport was being run. The death toll was not the only shadow cast across F1 in the late 70s and early 80s.
Villeneuve's idiosyncratic character comes through well, and it is easy to see both how the fans came to love him and how he may have been a difficult man to live and work with, maintaining a straightforwardness bordering on naïveté in a sport packed with cynics. He brought romance to the sport in a difficult, fractious period in its history.
The death of Formula 1 drivers has been much covered in recent retrospectives, not least Gilles' own tragic end on the racetrack – but it is shocking to be reminded of how many other drivers suffered career-ending, life-changing injuries, those who emerged from crashes with permanent disabilities (Jean-Pierre Jabouille; Clay Regazzoni; Didier Pironi). It is easy to think, in review, that the sport must have been getting steadily safer, as 1982 marked the final driver death on an F1 race weekend for 12 years. But it is a testament to the stark dangers still facing drivers in this era that Jody Scheckter, Villeneuve's Ferrari teammate and world champion in 1979, feels like an exceptional case with his 10-year F1 career and choosing to retire on his own terms.
It is also interesting to reflect on the rosy notions we now have, as fans, about this era of F1. Several asides make clear how dull fans found the racing, while several more are explicit about the driver's hatred for the new generation of cars, as the sport's 'ground-effects' technical revolution took hold. Villeneuve, a generally apolitical figure, found himself embroiled in a drivers' strike. He drove in races where more than half the field had withdrawn in protest at the way the sport was being run. The death toll was not the only shadow cast across F1 in the late 70s and early 80s.
October 11, 2025
Ako milovníčka Formuly 1 som po tejto knihe siahla s veľkou zvedavosťou – a už po pár stranách som mala jasno, že ma čaká niečo výnimočné. Gerald Donaldson rozpráva príbeh Gillesa Villeneuvea s úctou, emóciou a obrovským porozumením pre človeka, ktorý nebol len pretekárom, ale zosobnením rýchlosti, odvahy a vášne.
Od prvej kapitoly som mala pocit, že sedím s ním v kokpite Ferrari, počujem dunenie motora a cítim ten moment, keď sa všetko sústredí do jednej sekundy. Gilles bol tvrdohlavý, neústupný a nebezpečne odhodlaný – no zároveň neuveriteľne ľudský. Nepotreboval pózy ani slávu, jednoducho žil pre to, čo miloval.
Najviac ma zasiahlo, že popri všetkej tej rýchlosti ostával verný rodine. Jeho manželka Joann bola skutočnou hrdinkou v tieni legendy – trpezlivá, chápavá, no vždy s vedomím, že muž, ktorého miluje, patrí svetu rýchlosti. Autor krásne vyvážil pohľad na pretekára aj na človeka, vďaka čomu som mala pocit, že ho naozaj spoznávam.
Atmosféra knihy je presne taká, aká má byť – cítiť vôňu benzínu, napätie na štarte aj ticho po búrke. Donaldson dokonale vystihol éru, keď Formula 1 bola surová, nebezpečná a plná emócií. A hoci som vedela, ako sa jeho príbeh skončí, posledné stránky som čítala so stiahnutým hrdlom.
Táto kniha nie je len o rýchlosti – je o vášni, o ľuďoch, ktorí sa neboja ísť naplno, aj keď to znamená riskovať všetko. Gilles Villeneuve možno nevyhral titul majstra sveta, ale získal niečo oveľa cennejšie – srdcia fanúšikov. A aj moje.
Od prvej kapitoly som mala pocit, že sedím s ním v kokpite Ferrari, počujem dunenie motora a cítim ten moment, keď sa všetko sústredí do jednej sekundy. Gilles bol tvrdohlavý, neústupný a nebezpečne odhodlaný – no zároveň neuveriteľne ľudský. Nepotreboval pózy ani slávu, jednoducho žil pre to, čo miloval.
Najviac ma zasiahlo, že popri všetkej tej rýchlosti ostával verný rodine. Jeho manželka Joann bola skutočnou hrdinkou v tieni legendy – trpezlivá, chápavá, no vždy s vedomím, že muž, ktorého miluje, patrí svetu rýchlosti. Autor krásne vyvážil pohľad na pretekára aj na človeka, vďaka čomu som mala pocit, že ho naozaj spoznávam.
Atmosféra knihy je presne taká, aká má byť – cítiť vôňu benzínu, napätie na štarte aj ticho po búrke. Donaldson dokonale vystihol éru, keď Formula 1 bola surová, nebezpečná a plná emócií. A hoci som vedela, ako sa jeho príbeh skončí, posledné stránky som čítala so stiahnutým hrdlom.
Táto kniha nie je len o rýchlosti – je o vášni, o ľuďoch, ktorí sa neboja ísť naplno, aj keď to znamená riskovať všetko. Gilles Villeneuve možno nevyhral titul majstra sveta, ale získal niečo oveľa cennejšie – srdcia fanúšikov. A aj moje.
November 18, 2021
Fantastic read. Gilles Villeneuve is my all-time hero in Formula 1. Gerald Donaldson reflected very well Gilles's intensity and infinite courage. A must-read for everyone who declares himself a fan of F1, Gilles Villeneuve, and/or motor racing.
Read
August 7, 2019Lu en français
June 12, 2022
adieu.
October 22, 2024
(PT) A vida e eitos de Gilles Villeneuve, um dos pilotos mais selvagens do seu tempo, que viveu e morreu a mais de 300 km/hora.
December 27, 2024
A very interesting person who lived his life to the fullest, testing the limits of life many times.
June 26, 2025
Excellent and detailed look at one of the most exciting drivers that graced F1.
December 21, 2025
Really interesting and enjoyable look at one of the more unique F1 drivers. I would have loved to see him race live. Gilles was a reminder of why guys loved racing - it's a lot of fun to go really, really fast. As a new F1 fan, I'm trying to backfill my knowledge of the earlier eras and this was a great picture not only of Gilles himself, but of everything going on in the sport at the time.
September 15, 2025
This biography is actually hilarious, because it manages be very pro-Villeneuve all while blatantly showcasing each one of Villeneuve's most horrible flaws. No hate to Villeneuve fans at all, I don't wanna disrespect the elderly. But Villeneuve is not loyal and honest as people claim him to be. In fact, people only describe him so "in contrast" to Pironi, who is supposedly a scheming politician and a backstabbing teammate. Villeneuve is actually no better than Pironi in terms of personality. He might even be worse because he had kids to neglect and Pironi couldn't live long enough to do that. This biography skims over the unhealthy side of Villeneuve's mentality, and yet you can still find out about the unfairly cruel things he did to his wife. Wait, cheating is cruel, right?
September 9, 2011
Another book that I read several years ago, I lent it to a friend who never returned it to me, and I'd kinda like it back. Gilles Villeneuve is one of my favorite drivers, and it was of great interest to me to learn more about the man and his fiery passion and driving ability. Hard to believe that someone so awesome had someone so lame as Jacques Villeneuve for a son.
December 1, 2023
A tale of extremes. My first read into a professional racer's, or any other kind of sport, biography. Romanticized for indulgence, but we can still find some pretty interesting life lessons in here. An extremely talented young man with a huge attitude problem.
April 30, 2012
Good Book. Sad.
December 27, 2014
Brilliant book, would recommend to anyone
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews