''Salut Gilles! 25 ans déjà!''

Each year, Didier Schraenen hosts the silent auction. He's quite an ambassador for the museum.

The annual banquet of the Gilles-Villeneuve museum has become a great tradition among the Quebec racing enthusiasts. Each year, fans and admirers of the great Gilles Villeneuve gather for an evening dinner and a silent auction, hosted by Didier Schraenen.

The auction allows racing fans to bid on many collection items, many of which are signed by the big names in auto racing : Fernando Alonso, Kimi Räikkönen, Michael Shumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, Alex Tagliani, Andrew Ranger...

The most important prize will be a fabulous framed picture of the legendary Gilles Villeneuve, a picture taken during the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix. It is a souvenir of the very first victory of Gilles Villeneuve in F1... with his original signature!

There will also be a fireproof racing suit worn by Bruno Spengler, another one belonging to Champ Car's Alex Tagliani, a lithography of the 2006 U.S Grand Prix signed by Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raïkkonen, memorabilia autographed by Jacques Villeneuve as well as an impressive collection of F1 hats, clothes and miniature models.

Alan Labrosse and his protégé, Andrew Ranger, will be attending this year's Banquet.

Other guests in attendance will include Joan Villeneuve, Gilles's widow, and Jacques Villeneuve, Gilles's brother and the 2006 Eastern Sno-Pro Series snowmobile champion.

Alan Labrosse and his protégé, Andrew Ranger, will also be attending this year's Banquet.

For the museum, the Banquet is the most important found-raising event of the year. The money received during this event helps the management and volunteers to pursue their mission, which is to perpetuate the

During the 2005 Banquet, Joan Villeneuve (center) thanked a couple who bought a watch that belonged to Gilles.

memory of Gilles Villeneuve through the years and generations.

Last year, nearly 250 people attended the Banquet, including Joan and Jacques Villeneuve, Gino Rosato, from the Scuderia Ferrari, and Bruno Giacomelli, a former F1 driver and friend of Gilles.

Tickets will soon be available at the price of $112. You can already reserve your places by calling the museum at 450-836-2714 or toll-free at 1-800-639-0103. For more information on the 2006 Banquet, visit www.gilles.villeneuve.com.