Friday September 7th, 2001

Following the lead of pop diva Celine Dion, Canadian Formula One driver Jacques Villeneuve inked a deal on Thursday with the Quebec government to promote the charms of the French-speaking province in the United States.

Quebec Premier Bernard Landry said he was confident the high-profile racing star will help entice Americans to vacation in "La Belle Province". Starting at the U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis on Sept. 30, the British American Racing team driver will wear a Quebec logo on his helmet when he races in the United States.

"I have always been proud of my roots," the 30-year-old former World Champion, a native of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, said from Nice in France.

In recent years, Quebec has earmarked a hefty portion of its marketing budget for campaigns directed at the U.S. market. This year's budget is C$1.6 million. Last year, nearly 2.3 million Americans came to Quebec spending more than C$1.5 billion ($1 billion).

Published at 08:43:13 GMT

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