CanadianGrand Prix

Since the first race here in the late 1970s, the circuit hasn’t had many changes apart from adding or removing the odd chicane. There have been upgrades to facilities like the pit buildings, but the circuit itself has been untouched since 2002. Drivers always enjoy visiting here, with Lewis last year saying he “loves driving this track” from the moment he leaves the pit lane!

There are plenty of excellent places for overtaking across a lap – quite the contrast to Monaco last time out – such as the iconic hairpin at Turn 10. There’s also the chicane which is located right before the start/finish straight, which, if not handled properly, could leave you in the Wall of Champions. This concrete barrier at the edge of the chicane has caught out some of the biggest names over the years, which is how it got its famous nickname.

The circuit itself is named after the Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve, who tragically lost his life in 1982.

Montreal is a low downforce circuit, and will require a totally different set-up from the one seen in Monaco just two weeks ago. The 4.361km track also consists of no high-speed corners, so will see our team focusing on making the W15 as stable as possible for leaving slow corners, changing direction or braking, which is high at this circuit. Just as we’ve seen in Imola and Monaco, the three softest tyre compounds have been picked by Pirelli for Montreal. As the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve isn’t a permanent circuit, we are also likely to see high tyre degradation over the weekend.

The weather can also be as unpredictable as the racing in Montreal! If you’re attending, your best bet is to pack for all seasons. Last year rain fell over Free Practice 3 and Qualifying, making conditions pretty challenging for the grid. However, we can’t not mention 2011 when we talk about torrential rain and Canada. The race was postponed for more than two hours because of the heavy downpours. Best pack that poncho, race fans!