By: Nissan Micra Cup Series
October 26 2016
Xavier Coupal awarded the 2016 Gilles Villeneuve Trophy
Mississauga, Ontario – After a spectacular 2016 Nissan Micra Cup season that crowned its winner at the very last event of the season, Quebec driver Xavier Coupal saw his efforts rewarded with the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy, one of the most prestigious annual awards in the world of Quebec motorsports.
Xavier Coupal joined the Nissan Micra Cup in 2016 and was immediately recognized as a top contender. On the track, he was consistently among the other drivers vying for each victory, as well as the overall championship title. By the end of an eight-round (sixteen-race) season held on tracks in Quebec and Ontario, the driver from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Quebec) finished on top of the podium nine times, which is more than one win for every two races. His victories took place on the circuits at Calabogie (one win), Mont-Tremblant (five wins), Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (two wins) and during the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (one win).
“I did not expect this. It’s the cherry on top after an incredible season in the Nissan Micra Cup,” said Xavier Coupal, winner of the 2016 Championship. “This series allowed me to return to motorsport after an almost two-year absence and, after a tight championship battle, I came away with the title and this prestigious Gilles Villeneuve Trophy. There are many Quebec drivers who have done extremely well in 2016; to be selected is a very special feeling.”
Coupal is one of two drivers in the 25 year history of the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy to receive this award twice. The first time he was awarded the trophy was in 2011, when he was honoured as a driver for the Canadian team in the Formula 1600 World Openwheel Championship in England. This year, Xavier was awarded the trophy during the banquet at the Gilles Villeneuve Museum held at Montreal’s Loews Hotel on Tuesday, October 25th.
“I am thrilled for Xavier,” said Jacques Deshaies, promoter of the Nissan Micra Cup. “I am also so happy to see that those at the highest level of Quebec motorsport recognize and honour the amazing talent in our series, for the second consecutive year. In addition to offering new and experienced Canadian motorsport fans a cost-effective one-type series that is fun and professionally organized, the Nissan Micra Cup showcases the immense talent among Quebec and Canadian drivers. In only two years, the series has proven to cultivate new talent, which represents the future of Canadian motorsport. I couldn’t be happier and I give my biggest congratulations to our champion.”
“For Nissan Canada, it’s a huge honour that a Nissan Micra Cup driver has won the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy for the second consecutive year,” said Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada Inc. “We are very proud to see the award that carries the name of Canada’s most celebrated driver of all time, being given to the Nissan Micra Cup champion. After Olivier Bédard, the first winner in the history of the series in 2015, it is extremely significant for Nissan Canada to see Xavier Coupal receive the same award.”
Created in 1982, the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy is awarded by Auto Sport Québec (Quebec’s representative of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) and symbolizes a Quebec driver’s perseverance and racing excellence. Gilles Villeneuve, who was born in Chambly in 1950 and deceased on May 8, 1982, encouraged the public’s interest and love of motorsport like no other. His charisma and aggressiveness on the track made him a legend around the world, and not just with Formula One fans.
Each year, a committee of experts (drivers, journalists and celebrities) select the recipient of the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy. The 2016 winner, Xavier Coupal, follows in the footsteps of many drivers who have made history in Canadian motorsport including Patrick Carpentier (1994), Alexandre Tagliani (1996), Andrew Ranger (2002) and, of course, Olivier Bédard in 2015.
The Nissan Micra Cup will return to the tracks again next year. Officials are currently finalizing the calendar of events, which will be announced during the winter.
Visit the series’ Facebook page Nissan Micra Cup for news and updates or go to the series’ official website at: www.nissan.ca/micracup.
Winners Of The Gilles Villeneuve Trophy
1982 : Serge Beaudin
1983 : François Cloutier
1984 : Patrick Robitaille
1985 : Gary Werve
1986 : Alan Labrosse
1987 : Jeff Girard
1988 : Patrick Lacasse
1989 : Robert Boyer
1990 : Martin Guimont
1991 : Greg Pootmans
1992 : Mark Craig
1993 : Jean-François Lussier
1994 : Patrick Carpentier
1995 : Martin Roy
1996 : Alexandre Tagliani
1997 : Marc-Antoine Camirand
1998 : Bruno St-Jacques
1999 : Christopher Green
2000 : Philippe Gélinas
2001 : Louis-Philippe Dumoulin
2002 : Andrew Ranger
2007 : Kevin Lacroix
2008 : Pierre-Luc Ouellette
2009 : Nick Wittmer
2010 : Olivier Bonnet
2011 : Xavier Coupal
2012 : Nathalie Richard & Antoine L'Estage
2013 : Karl Wittmer
2014 : Louis-Philippe Dumoulin
2015 : Olivier Bédard
2016 : Xavier Coupal
About the Nissan Micra Cup
Sanctioned by Auto Sport Québec (ASQ) and presented by JD Promotion & Compétition with the support of Nissan Canada, the 2016 Nissan Micra Cup exclusively features the stock Micra 1.6 S M/T model with minor modifications, including NISMO suspension - to render it race-ready.
Unlike most motorsport events, each competing Nissan Micra race vehicle has the exact same specifications, resulting in a competition that truly reveals the most skilled drivers. The Nissan Micra Cup race vehicles were equipped with the Nissan Micra's stock 1.6-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and Twin CVTC (Continuously Variable Timing Control) and stock 5-speed manual transmission. In its inaugural season last year, more than 25 Nissan Micras competed on each race weekend which included two hours of track time consisting of: a 30-minute trial, a 30-minute qualifying session and two 30-minute races.
Young karting drivers, the average Canadian looking for an entry point into motorsport competition, or anyone who wants to experience the rush of adrenaline inherent with racing cars are all well-suited to this series. In summary, the Nissan Micra Cup is for people who are passionate about motorsports, want to experience all the fun and thrills of racing, but without spending staggering amounts of money.
For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please go to the website www.nissan.ca/micracup.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.
About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. It is the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.
For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.
About Nissan Canada Inc.
Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 191 independent Nissan dealerships, 39 Infiniti retailers and 45 Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers across Canada. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year and World Car of the Year awards.
More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.infiniti.ca.