This time around, Formula One will be held at a waterfront raceway—the Canadian Grand Prix—in Quebec.
The largest city in the Canadian province, Montreal is well-known for its delectable cuisine, its triple-peaked hill, Mount Royal, which sits right in the middle of the city, and its racetrack, which has a long tradition of being one of the most anticipated points on the Formula One calendar.The man-made Île Notre-Dame, home to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, is located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, just east of the busy International District.
Fernando Alonso described the track as a “semi-street circuit” best last year. Drivers must come near to the wall and nail ride the curbs in order to put together a competitive lap because there are not many run-off spots. Additionally, there are a few unknowns at this circuit, such as the possibility of rain and the occasional appearance of groundhogs that run across the course.
In addition, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is well-known for hosting Lance Stroll’s home race, the fabled “Wall of Champions,” and its spectacular hairpin (watch out for passing opportunities!). Members of the crew also used to compete in the F1 Raft Race on the river, just outside the circuit boundaries.
As F1 prepares for the standalone race ahead of the European summer stretch, here’s what you need to know about Montreal’s bumpy track with a leafy setting.
The history of the Canadian Grand Prix
The Canadian GP has been part of the F1 calendar since 1967 (though has missed a few years), but it hasn’t always been held in Montreal.
Up until 1971, the Grand Prix was rotated between Mosport Park in Ontario and Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. F1 abandoned the latter because to safety concerns; the track surface was harmed by harsh winters and the circuit was fairly uneven. Mosport Park, though, has its own problems.
Ian Ashley crashed a television tower in 1977 after he topped a bump and flipped over the guardrails. Jochen Mass struck something during that same weekend that almost knocked down a railing. In the end, the FIA determined that the track was inappropriate. The race was eventually shifted to Montreal after the Toronto city council rejected the plan to relocate the grand prix to Exhibition Place.
A tribute to a Canadian star
The manmade Île Notre-Dame was built for the 1967 Expo 67 World’s Fair, and once the 1976 Summer Olympics left Montreal, a race circuit was created out of the roads. It was fittingly named Île Notre-Dame Circuit and hosted its first F1 race in 1978. And it was renamed four years later after a Canadian motorsport hero.
It was Gilles Villeneuve’s maiden Formula One victory, taking home the first Canadian Grand Prix for Ferrari in Montreal. He was up against such well-known figures in motorsport as Mario Andretti and Niki Lauda during that period. After being thrown out of the cockpit and suffering a fractured neck in a crash during the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying session, Villeneuve passed away four years later. The Canadian track was renamed in his honor after he passed away in the hospital.
What the drivers are watching
The surrounds of Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve include a combination of public roads and trees, much like Albert Park in Melbourne. The circuit is fast, lengthy straights are broken up by slower-moving bends and chicanes, giving drivers a stop-and-start sensation. The configuration has not altered since 2002. Pay close attention to how the drivers handle the obstacles during Turns 9 and 14. Lewis Hamilton said in 2023, “You’ve got these long, long straights, but it’s a bit like a go-kart track in how you have to throw the car over the curbs.”
To prioritize top speed, the cars typically run low downforce setups; however, this means the tires tend to slide more heading into the corners. Drivers can seize overtaking opportunities in these moments, like at the hairpin at Turn 10.
Drivers speed by the “Wall of Champions,” the track’s most well-known feature, as the lap draws to an end. Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill, and Michael Schumacher crashed there during the 1999 race, among other notable incidents. This part is bumpy and the drivers are braking from their fastest speeds after racing down the straight, which makes it tricky.
The weather is one of several unpredictably occurring elements on the Canadian circuit. This year’s race weekend will see a range of temperatures and intermittent rain. Additionally, one must consider groundhogs.
“It could be a very boring race, maybe you’re outside of the points, and then someone hits one of these, and they’re out, new front wing,” Zhou Guanyu said in 2023. “Definitely keep my eye on that.”
(This is an updated version of a story originally published in June 2023.)
(Track video courtesy of EA Sports F1 — learn more about “F1 24″ here.)
(Lead image: Getty Images; Design: Drew Jordan)
