Jacques Villeneuve revealed his distress over the recent theft of a life-size bronze statue honoring his father, Formula 1 legend Gilles Villeneuve.
A few days ago, staff at the Gilles Villeneuve Museum in Berthierville, Quebec, were shocked to find the statue, which had stood for 30 years, mysteriously missing.
"I'm stunned," said Jacques, the 1997 world champion. "When I heard about it, I could hardly sleep. Such soulless beings do not deserve to be called human."
"My father represented Canada all over the world, and there are not many such people," he continued. "It is shameful that there are idiots who are capable of such an act. They have no heart and nothing in their heads."
Gilles Villeneuve tragically died in a crash at Zolder in 1982, and two years later, artist Jules Lasalle crafted the bronze statue to honor his eternal legacy.
Lasalle told the Calgary Herald, "This is a huge disappointment. I hope we find the statue in one piece. The value of the metal is not that high, but for the people of Berthierville, the value is very high."
The town of Berthierville has since offered a $12,000 reward for information, describing the crime as something that "robs our community and motorsport enthusiasts around the world of a powerful symbol."
In contrast to the sad news, an iconic piece of F1 history has resurfaced. The infamous charred and partly melted helmet worn by Niki Lauda during his 1976 crash at the Nürburgring was recently found.
The helmet vanished in 1988 after Gino Amisano, founder of AGV — the brand behind the helmet — loaned it to the Milan Motor Show. It has now emerged at a Bonhams charity auction in Miami, with an initial price of $60,000, according to the Italian magazine Autosprint.
Lauda's historic AGV X1 'Air System' helmet is currently displayed at the Dainese Archivio di Vicenza in Italy, where fans can view it free of charge.
