I'm really taken by surprise each time I receive an e-mail or a phone call regarding Jacques Villeneuve.
Over the last two months alone, I must have received a dozen phone calls from various medias who wanted to contact Jacques.
Unfortunately, I can't do anything for these people because I haven't been close to him for a long while.
Let's get back in time
I have known little Jacques since the driving years of his father Gilles on the Montreal racetrack, on Ile Notre-Dame. He often accompanied his parents to the track that now bears the Gilles Villeneuve name. As for me, I have been covering the Canadian Grand Prix from the start/finish bridge ever since 1978.
In 1996, I had the pleasure to begin working with Jacques and his team of advisers on what would be his official Website for several years.
Back then, the Worldwide Web was still in its early stages and people from all over the planet were trying to beat each other in order to have their tiny place on the soon-to-be-huge Internet.
I also had an agreement with the managers of the Musée Gilles-Villeneuve, in Berthierville. My job was to create a Website that would serve to promote the museum on the Net.
It was during the holiday season of 1995-96 that we launched the first version of our tribute to Gilles.
A few months later, I received an e-mail from a young and panicked student at the University of Sherbrooke.
A bailiff had come to his house with a letter of intent from a law firm in England. They wanted him to shut down immediately the Website he had started with a friend using Jacques Villeneuve's name and images.
I remember quite well the agreement we managed to reach. The content of his Website was transferred onto mine, Flagworld.com, and we later proceed with the creation of Jacques' official Website: www.jacques.villeneuve.com.
It wasn't over. I also received a threat from the same law firm. Was I going to shut down this newly born Website? No way!
We resolved the matter with Jacques, his manager Craig Pollock and a group of lawyers in London. Jacques' Website became a popular place for his legions of fans to share their stories and meetings with JV, including their pictures.
The famous Guestbook of the Website quickly became full of names and anecdotes.
 |
Over the last two months alone, I must have received a dozen phone calls from various medias who wanted to contact Jacques.
Unfortunately, I can't do anything for these people because I haven't been close to him for a long while.
Let's get back in time
I have known little Jacques since the driving years of his father Gilles on the Montreal racetrack, on Ile Notre-Dame. He often accompanied his parents to the track that now bears the Gilles Villeneuve name. As for me, I have been covering the Canadian Grand Prix from the start/finish bridge ever since 1978.
In 1996, I had the pleasure to begin working with Jacques and his team of advisers on what would be his official Website for several years.
Back then, the Worldwide Web was still in its early stages and people from all over the planet were trying to beat each other in order to have their tiny place on the soon-to-be-huge Internet.
 |
It was during the holiday season of 1995-96 that we launched the first version of our tribute to Gilles.
 |
A bailiff had come to his house with a letter of intent from a law firm in England. They wanted him to shut down immediately the Website he had started with a friend using Jacques Villeneuve's name and images.
I remember quite well the agreement we managed to reach. The content of his Website was transferred onto mine, Flagworld.com, and we later proceed with the creation of Jacques' official Website: www.jacques.villeneuve.com.
 |
We resolved the matter with Jacques, his manager Craig Pollock and a group of lawyers in London. Jacques' Website became a popular place for his legions of fans to share their stories and meetings with JV, including their pictures.
The famous Guestbook of the Website quickly became full of names and anecdotes.