Jacques Villeneuve has clarified the reasons why his family was caught by surprise with Charles Leclerc’s helmet choice for the 2023 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix weekend in Montreal. Charles Leclerc chose to unveil the helmet dedicated to the late Gilles Villeneuve through his own social media. Besides the media attention, with fans particularly appreciating the Monegasque’s decision to honor the Ferrari legend on the track named after him, the helmet also caught the Villeneuve family off guard.
Initially, it seems that Jacques Villeneuve asked Charles Leclerc not to wear the helmet during Free Practice 2. The concerns raised by Jacques, who was present in the paddock, mainly revolve around the use of the Villeneuve Sr. brand. The rights to it are controlled by Melanie, Jacques’ sister.
Melanie and their mother Joann were later guests in the Ferrari garage on Saturday. After a brief discussion with Charles Leclerc, they chose to allow him to wear the commemorative helmet.
“Charles was very kind,” explained Melanie to Autosport. “Certainly a nice tribute,” she added.
Villeneuve: “People involved should always be consulted”
Clarifying the initial ban was Jacques himself. The Canadian driver explained that his family was caught by surprise as they were not consulted beforehand: “It caught us by surprise,” Villeneuve explains. “No one consulted us in advance. We were definitely surprised. When Hamilton decided to wear the helmet dedicated to Senna, Ayrton’s family was involved. You can’t choose to do something like this on your own.”
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Jacques’ conversation with Charles Leclerc ultimately clarified the intentions behind the Monegasque’s thoughtful gesture: “Charles told me that he hadn’t thought about it. He then spoke with my sister, and now everything is resolved. People involved should always be consulted. Here, everything was done as a surprise, without any of us knowing.” – the former Formula 1 driver pointed out.
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