The F1 world champion Circus arrives overseas this week, precisely in Montreal, in Canada. The circuit is a semi-permanent city track and is located in Parc Jean-Drapeau, on Notre-Dame Island. It has hosted Formula 1 competitions since 1978. In that year the Canadian Gilles Villeneuve won. The track was named after him a few weeks after his death.
The track has never undergone major changes throughout its history. It is considered a "stop and go" track: very hard on the brakes and on fuel consumption. The length of the track is 4,361 meters for a total of 14 curves. 70 laps to complete.
GP Canada 2024: curiosities
- Montreal is the third circuit to enter Canadian F1 history. Before it there were Mosport (1961-197, with the exception of 1968 and 1970) and Mont Tremblant (1968 and 1970);
- It was a Canadian who won the first Montreal Grand Prix: Gilles Villeneuve;
- In 1973 a yellow Porsche made its debut as the Safety Car, thanks to inexperience the car came out ahead of Howden Ganley who was sixth. This allowed the top 5 to take a lap lead;
- It is the only Formula 1 circuit named after a driver: Circuit De Gilles Villeneuve;
- In 1977 the Canadian Walter Wolf Racing team with Jody Scheckter, also Canadian, won at Mosport;
- Unlike Mosport, no American has ever won in Montreal;
- The 2011 Grand Prix goes down in history as the race with the lowest average speed and the highest number of overtakings: 89 recorded. It was 4 hours and 39 minutes long due to a very heavy downpour which caused the race to be suspended for an hour and a half. The entry of the Safety Car occurred six times;
- It is right here in Montreal that we find the famous “Wall of Champions” placed at the last chicane before the finish straight;
- The writing "Greetings Gilles” precisely to remember the Canadian driver to whom the circuit is dedicated.
GP Canada 2024: statistics
- The team that boasts the most victories in Montreal is Ferrari, with 11. Followed by McLaren with 9 triumphs and Williams, with 7;
- Williams holds the record as the team that has won with 4 different engines (Ford, Renault, Honda and BMW);
- With 7 victories each, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are the most victorious drivers;
- Lewis Hamilton is the only Mercedes driver to have won in Montreal;
- In 2016 there was the last podium with a team other than Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari. The credit goes to Bottas with his Williams;
- The only Italian driver to have won on Canadian soil was Michele Alboreto with Ferrari;
- Both Ferrari and McLaren won with 6 different drivers. We find Villeneuve, Alboreto, Arnoux, Alesi, Schumacher and Vettel for the Rossa and Senna, Berger, Hakkinen, Raikkonen, Button and Hamilton for the English team.
Photo Credits: Formula 1