In a surprising turn of events, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc unveiled a tribute helmet at the Canadian Grand Prix featuring the iconic red and black color scheme associated with former Ferrari driver Gilles Villeneuve, after whom the circuit is named. However, the announcement caught the Villeneuve family off guard, as neither Leclerc nor his management had sought their permission beforehand.
Following discussions between Leclerc and Gilles Villeneuve’s sister Melanie, who manages her late father’s image rights, the issue was resolved, and Leclerc was granted clearance to continue using the tribute design from Saturday onward. Prior to the public understanding the true nature of the situation, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve faced a wave of criticism on social media, wrongly perceived as denying Leclerc the right to honor his father’s memory, who tragically lost his life during the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying.
To clarify the matter, Villeneuve took to his social media channels to address the incident and the subsequent insults directed at him and his family. He expressed disappointment that the incident had been blown out of proportion, attributing it to certain media outlets and commenters on social media. Villeneuve emphasized that the disagreement was resolved amicably.
After resolving the issue, Leclerc extended an invitation to the Villeneuve family to join him at the circuit, where they posed for pictures together, including the tribute helmet. Villeneuve acknowledged the sincere apology from Leclerc during their heartfelt conversation and reassured him that he considered the tribute touching and had no personal objections to it. However, he emphasized the importance of Leclerc reaching out to his sister, who manages matters related to their father, and suggested inviting both his sister and mother to the track to address any remaining concerns.
Melanie Villeneuve, speaking on Saturday, expressed her appreciation for Leclerc’s gesture, describing him as very understanding and confirming that they had no objections to the tribute, considering it a nice gesture.
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