Canadian Grand Prix - Wall of Champions

Wall of Champions

The final corner of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve became well known for crashes involving former World Champions. In 1999, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve all crashed into the same wall which had the slogan Bienvenue au Québec (Welcome to Quebec in English) on it. The wall became ironically known as the "Wall of Champions". The wall also was involved in a crash with Ricardo Zonta, who was, at the time, the reigning FIA GT sports car champion. In recent years, GP2 Champion Nico Rosberg and CART Champion Juan Pablo Montoya have also fallen victim to the wall. In 2011 Friday practice the wall claimed reigning F1 Champion Sebastian Vettel.

Before the wall was named it also claimed victims such as 1992 World Sportscar Champion and long time F1 driver Derek Warwick who spectacularly crashed his Arrows-Megatron during qualifying for the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix.

Full list of victims:

  • Alexander Wurz, two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, in 1997.
  • Damon Hill, 1996 F1 World Champion, in 1999.
  • Michael Schumacher, 7 time F1 World Champion, in 1999.
  • Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 World Champion, in 1997 and 1999.
  • Ricardo Zonta, 1998 FIA GT sports car Champion, in 1999.
  • Nico Rosberg, 2005 GP2 Champion.
  • Nick Heidfeld, 1999 International Formula 3000 Champion, in 2001.
  • Rubens Barrichello, 1991 British Formula Three Champion in 2002.
  • Jenson Button, 2009 F1 World Champion, in 2005.
  • Tiago Monteiro, in 2006.
  • Juan Pablo Montoya, 1999 CART Champion, in 2006.
  • Vitantonio Liuzzi, 2004 International Formula 3000 Champion, in 2007.
  • Kamui Kobayashi, 2008-09 GP2 Asia Series Champion, in 2010.
  • Sebastian Vettel, 2010–12 F1 World Champion, in 2011.
  • Bruno Senna, nephew of 3 time World Champion Ayrton Senna, in 2012.
  • Pastor Maldonado, 2010 GP2 Series Champion, in 2012.

Read more about this topic:  Canadian Grand Prix

Famous quotes containing the words wall and/or champions:

    “The writer in me can look as far as an African-American woman and stop. Often that writer looks through the African-American woman. Race is a layer of being, but not a culmination.”
    —Thylias Moss, African American poet. As quoted in the Wall Street Journal (May 12, 1994)

    “Did all the lets and bars appear
    To every just or larger end,
    Whence should come the trust and cheer?
    Youth must its ignorant impulse lend—
    Age finds place in the rear.
    All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys,
    The champions and enthusiasts of the state:”
    —Herman Melville (1819–1891)