After running out of points at the Spanish GP by finishing eleventh, Charles Leclerc He showed up at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend in a bid to recover and please the Tifosi, who have not had a good season so far. But it’s not all in the points and, as Lewis Hamilton usually does with Ayrton Senna in Brazil, the European wanted to make a move with the Canadian motorsport legend.
Since his arrival in Montreal, the monegasque driver with a helmet that pays homage to Gilles Villeneuve, the man who gave his name to the circuit and who won six victories in the premier class during his career. However, Charles Leclerc He came across the news that the family did not want him to use that name with any sponsors, who by commercial contracts must appear on the helmets.
Without the permission of the family, the finalist of 2022 he was unable to pay the tribute he had in mind for the former Prancing Horse rider, who died in 1982 following an accident with the 126C2K during qualifying for the Belgian GP. Consequently, the Ferrari ace had to settle for using another design in free practice on Friday and the last one this Saturday.
they repented
Although he could not pay tribute to the Canadian, Charles Leclerc he finally had the pleasure of doing so in qualifying after Gilles’ daughter, Mélanie Villeneuve, presented him with the honor after the close of FP3. The woman, accompanied by her mother and the driver’s widow, Joann, appeared in the paddock to meet the Monegasque and apologize for the initial decision taken by the family.
“Charles was very nice about it. We have no objections. It’s a nice tribute,” said Mélanie, who also received an apology from the competitor and the entire Maranello team, who had not asked permission before the trip to Canada. That’s why he saw the SF-23 number 16 with a different helmet than the one used in training, which he will wear again on Sunday.
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