JACQUES VILLENEUVE - personal & early life

Jacques was born in the Canadian city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec to the son of Formula One driver Gilles and his wife Joann Velleneuve on April 9, 1971.Although he was born in Canada, he was in fact raised in Monaco.

When Jacques was eleven years old, his father was killed during the qualifying session for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder following a collision with Jochen Mass.The permanent road circit on Ile Notre-Dame, Montreal has been named "Circuit Gilles Villeneuve" in his memory.

When not racing, Jacques lives between his $3 million home in Westmount, Montreal and Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. He owns a trendy nightclub and restaurant in Montreal called Newtown which is the English translation of his French last name ("Ville" means "Town", and "Neuve" means "new". It is located on Crescent Street, one of Montreal's hottest nightspots.