Jacques-Joseph Villeneuve is a Canadian racing driver whose career reads like a high-octane adventure through nearly every form of motorsport imaginable. He’s the younger brother of the legendary Gilles Villeneuve and the uncle of 1997 Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve — hence his affectionate nickname “Uncle Jacques” (or “L’oncle Jacques” back home in Québec). Among fans, he’s also known as “Jacquo,” a fitting nickname for someone with such a fearless, free-spirited approach to racing.
| Nationality | Canadian |
|---|---|
| Born | Jacques-Joseph Villeneuve 4 November 1953 Berthierville, Quebec, Canada |
Villeneuve’s résumé spans snowmobiles, Formula Atlantic, CART, Can-Am, and Formula One, and he’s still celebrated as one of Canada’s true motorsport originals. Notably, he was the first driver ever to win the World Championship Snowmobile Derby three times, a feat that cemented his name in the ice and snow long before he hit the asphalt.
Villeneuve’s story begins on the frozen tracks of snowmobile racing, a discipline he never fully left behind, even as his career diversified. His early triumphs on the ice gave him the confidence to try his hand at saloon racing, where he quickly found success in the Honda Civic series, racking up wins between 1976 and 1978. From there, he made the leap into open-wheel racing, first in Formula Ford and then in Formula Atlantic. His debut season in 1979 earned him Rookie of the Year honours, followed by back-to-back championship titles in 1980 and 1981. That same year, he also won the World Championship Snowmobile Derby, proving his versatility across machines and terrains. Late in 1981, Villeneuve was called up to the big stage —Formula One —taking two drives with the Arrows team. Though he failed to qualify for the 1981 Canadian Grand Prix and 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
In the midst of all this, Villeneuve even joined the legendary 1979 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash — an outlaw cross-country road race — driving a Porsche 928 alongside John Lane, who happened to be Gilles Villeneuve’s friend and sponsor. It was another bold chapter in a career already full of them.
The 1982 season began on a high note, with Villeneuve once again winning the World Championship Snowmobile Derby under brutal, freezing conditions that left the track rock-hard. His team’s perfect setup carried him to victory and a purse worth over $50,000 in cash and prizes — a small fortune at the time. But the year took a tragic turn when his brother Gilles was killed in May. Deeply affected, Jacques spent much of that year competing in Can-Am, with a one-off appearance in CART. In 1983, he bounced back by winning the Can-Am championship and narrowly missed qualifying for the 1983 Canadian Grand Prix in Formula One with RAM. He also returned to Le Mans for a single outing in the 24 Hours endurance classic and, as ever, kept adding snowmobile trophies to his growing collection.
In 1984, Villeneuve committed to CART, finishing 15th overall and grabbing pole position at the Phoenix round. The following year, he made history by becoming the first Canadian ever to win a CART race, mastering the treacherous wet-dry conditions at Road America and finishing the season eighth in the standings. By 1986, he’d added yet another accolade — a record-setting third win at the World Championship Snowmobile Derby — before easing back from full-time car racing. Still, Villeneuve never strayed far from the track, popping up for guest appearances in CART, Formula Atlantic (where he even snagged a few victories), and IMSA.
His competitive streak extended well beyond four wheels, too. Alongside his snowmobiling exploits, Villeneuve tried his hand at powerboat racing — because why not? In January 2008, he suffered a serious crash during the World Championship Snowmobile race, sustaining multiple leg and pelvic fractures as well as a spinal injury. Doctors predicted a long seven-to-nine-month recovery, but Villeneuve’s resilience proved as strong as ever. By 2013, he was back in action — until another major accident in Valcourt left him with a leg injury and ten days in hospital. True to form, “Uncle Jacques” bounced back once again.
A fearless competitor and a true Canadian racing icon, Jacques Villeneuve Sr. was rightfully inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2001 — a lasting tribute to a man who lived, raced, and triumphed entirely on his own terms.
Jacques Villeneuve Sr. Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1981, 1983 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Arrows, RAM |
| Entries | 3 (0 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1981 Canadian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1983 Canadian Grand Prix |
Jacques Villeneuve Sr. Teammates
| 1 driver | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riccardo Patrese | 1 | 1981 |
Jacques Villeneuve Sr. Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | WDC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Arrows Racing Team | Arrows A3 | Cosworth V8 | USW | BRA | ARG | SMR | BEL | MON | ESP | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN DNQ | CPL DNQ | NC | 0 |
| 1983 | RAM Automotive Team March | March RAM 01 | Cosworth V8 | BRA | USW | FRA | SMR | MON | BEL | DET | CAN DNQ | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | EUR | RSA | NC | 0 |
