This representation of the 1997 world champion, Jacques Villeneuve, was painted in 2002. Jacques was another driver well liked by Gavin due to the French-Canadian’s graduation from CART as champion and winner of the Indy 500 in 1995 – also for his unusual and slightly comical preference for wearing race overalls three or four sizes larger than necessary.

Jacques’ father, Gilles Villeneuve, was the racing legend whose legacy helped his son progress up the motorsport ladder, and who sadly died when Jacques was just 11 years old following a crash during qualifying at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. Two years later Jacques decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and began racing karts where he immediately impressed, and by 17 he was racing saloon cars followed by Formula 3 a year later. Racing in the 1993 Toyota Atlantic series he achieved seven poles and five race victories, earning himself a drive in the CART IndyCar World Series for 1994. In 1995 Jacques won the championship, with four victories on the way.

After signing for Williams in 1996 and taking the fight for the championship down to the final race with Damon Hill, Villeneuve would fight Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari for the 1997 Drivers’ Championship title. After a strong start to the season, the French-Canadian succumbed to some mid-season wobbles thus allowing Schumacher to gain ground and eventually take the championship lead. Villeneuve and Williams recovered, however, and were looking good for the title until being suspended for the penultimate round in Japan where Schumacher clinched the victory, leaving the pair virtually neck-and-neck going into the final round at Jerez for the European Grand Prix.

Schumacher was leading and both drivers had made their two pit stops, at which point Villeneuve began closing. On lap 48 Villeneuve surprised the German by darting down the inside of Dry-Sac corner and he was clearly ahead when his rival deliberately turned into him, damaging Villeneuve’s side pods but taking himself out in the process. Consequently Villeneuve ended up finishing third with enough points to secure the championship as Schumacher was disqualified.