Gilles Villeneuve was killed on May 8, 1982, thirty years ago today.

Over the past few days, I read a lot about Gilles and watched footage from some of his most memorable drives. The themes that capture Gilles are consistent -- he was aggressive and fearless, with extraordinary driving skill. He may have gotten more out of his car than any other driver might have; he was certainly considered one of the fastest drivers, if not the smoothest. Thirty years later, his name and images evoke a unique romance. He was a small, gentle looking man, just as the cars were getting larger and more powerful. He started relatively few races and won only a handful, but is widely regarded as one of the great Formula One drivers in history. .

Of course, we know that Gilles Villeneuve was associated with Heuer throughout most of his career -- displaying the Heuer logo on his Ferraris and his driving suit, and wearing Heuer chronographs, whether racing or relaxing.

Here are links to a couple of interesting sites and tributes --

http://www.motorsportretro.com/2012/04/jacques-villeneuve-drive-gilles-villeneuves-312-t4-commemoration-of-30-years-since-gilles-death/

http://www.motorsportretro.com/2012/05/gilles-villeneuve-photos/

Personally, watching Villeneuve battle Arnoux in the 1979 French GP is still my favorite tribute. Please share you thoughts and favorite images.

Jeff