STORY OF THE DAY: A Damaged Ferrari Through the Montreal Rain

On 27 September 1981, Gilles Villeneuve finished third in the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal in Ferrari 126 CK number 27. Run in heavy rain, the World Championship race reached the two-hour limit after 63 of its scheduled 70 laps. Jacques Laffite won for Ligier, with John Watson second for McLaren.

Villeneuve damaged the Ferrari’s front wing, which bent upward and partially obstructed his view. He continued at speed in appalling visibility until vibration finally tore the assembly away, leaving him to complete the race without front aerodynamic assistance. Watson passed him, but Villeneuve preserved third place before his home crowd.

The 126 CK combined a twin-turbocharged 1.5-litre V6 with a chassis designed around ground-effect aerodynamics. It offered exceptional power but could be abrupt in its delivery and demanding in corners. Losing the front wing further disturbed an already challenging balance, especially on a flooded circuit.

Quebec-born Villeneuve was celebrated for improvisation and an unusual capacity to operate at the edge of adhesion. He joined Ferrari in 1977 and formed a close bond with the team and its supporters. His damaged-car podium in Montreal became one of the clearest illustrations of why his performances mattered beyond statistics.