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Villeneuve to lead drivers' parade with father's winning Ferrari

Canadians are in for an emotional treat on Sunday when Jacques Villeneuve takes to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on-board his father's race winning Ferrari T3.

The event commemorates the 40th anniversary of the legendary Canadian driver's win in Montreal in 1978.

The 1997 world champion will lead for a full lap a pack of Austin Healeys carrying the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix drivers.

"It's great because it's the first time I will lead in a Formula 1 car in Montreal!" joked the 47-year-old former driver.

"As time passes, [the memory of Gilles] has more meaning, because you see what it represents, to the fans, to the people, to the history of the sport. And now having kids myself, I feel that more as well."

Villeneuve is well acquainted with his father's car and admits he's always impressed when driving a car from a bygone era of F1.

"I've driven this car at Goodwood, so I've sat in it already. It's different, it's like sitting in a tuna tin can, basically," he said.

"You can see your feet, then somebody puts a bit of plastic around you, which is the shell [bodywork], and you feel safe, but it's just plastic.

"But it's still amazing how advanced the cars were already back then."

©GuillaumeAlvarez

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