Rollin’ Into the Weekend Like: Spicy Dijon

The twin circuses of Formula 1 and Las Vegas converge this weekend, where Dutchman Max Verstappen could clinch his fourth world championship on the bounce, though neutrals and Lando fans alike will certainly have other ideas.

Max has come in for some criticism this year for his on-track battles, and while hot-headed, do-anything-to-win passion has always been a part of motorsport at all levels, particularly at the pinnacle, there is undoubtedly a contingent of racing fans who long for the days of some good, clean wheel-to-wheel stuff. 

Like this thrilling battle (watch on YouTube) at Dijon during the 1979 French Grand Prix, between Ferrari’s Gilles Villeneuve and Renault’s Rene Arnoux. With the affable Murray Walker as your guide, the action begins five laps from the end of the race and just builds and builds as the two racers put it all on the line. We’ll give the last word to the men who were there:

“The duel with Gilles is something I’ll never forget, my greatest souvenir of racing. You can only race like that, you know, with someone you trust completely, and you don’t meet many people like him. He beat me, yes, and in France, but it didn’t worry me. I knew I’d been beaten by the best driver in the world.” —René Arnoux

“That is my best memory of Grand Prix racing. Those few laps were just fantastic for me—out-braking each other and trying to race for the line, touching each other but without wanting to put the other car out. It was just two guys battling for second place without trying to be dirty but having to touch because of wanting to be first. It was just fantastic! I loved that moment.”—Gilles Villeneuve