The Canadian Grand Prix, both a fan and driver favourite and it's clear to see why. With it's stunning location, challenging turns and long straights (which make it ideal for overtaking opportunities), the on track action never disappoints.
Like the last race in Monaco, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a real drivers circuit due to the ever present barriers closely lining the track, the tricky corners and the lack of margin for error. No wonder it always produces such exciting racing.
Canada always welcomes Formula 1 with open arms. The fans are some of the most enthusiastic and friendly in the world which gives it such an excitable and warm atmosphere.
The track, which is named after former Ferrari driver and Formula 1 race winner Gilles Villeneuve, is one of the most challenging on the calendar due to its street-like nature. The barriers that surround the circuit have caused retirements from many including the likes of Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. It is a real drivers circuit, all 2.91 miles of it.
A lap of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, situated on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, kicks off on the mid-length pit straight which gently curves to the right before reaching turn one, a sharp third gear corner which then leads directly on to turn two. The second corner on the track is a second gear, almost 180 degree right which benefits most with a late apex to straighten up the car. Good traction is needed out of this corner to propel cars onto a short straight which runs on to turn three.
Turn three and four make up the first right-left chicane on the circuit. It is a tricky third gear complex which requires good use of the kerbs and a run that takes the car as close to the barriers on the exit as possible. This is because there is another short burst of speed needed as the cars round the full throttle right-hander that makes up turn five.
Another chicane beckons, this time a left-right taken in second gear due to the tighter entry. The exit is important - once again - due to the next short straight leading to the second, out of three, right-left chicane. The cars go beneath a bridge under braking before the second gear right. Taking a good amount of the inside kerb and running as close to the barrier on exit, like turns three and four, enable a good slingshot for the following straight which leads to the hairpin.
Turn 10 is both the tightest and slowest corner on the circuit. It is a tricky right-hand hairpin taken in first gear with a heavy braking zone which is ideal for overtaking. There are a number of lines that can be taken through the hairpin. Cars could run wider which enables the driver to straighten the car up on exit for better traction, in the wet conditions more grip could be found running wider around the whole corner or cars can hug the apex when defending position. Traction is vital on corner exit for the long back straight which is where the DRS zone will be positioned.
After going up through the gears and reaching the rev limiter on the back straight, which is over a kilometre long, cars decelerate heavily for the final third gear corner, the final right-left chicane. It is perhaps the trickiest turn on the track layout due to the high kerbs and unforgiving wall at the exit, dubbed the "wall of champions" due to its list of victims. Braking and engine power are two key components to setting a good lap time at the famous circuit due to the amount of large stops and long straights, the cars are full throttle for 67% of the lap.
Teams are often at a trade off between high and low down force when setting up a car for the Canadian Grand Prix. High down force enables cars to feel stable under braking and give more grip through the medium speed corners, but that comes at the cost of poor straight line speed. The amount of wing that you bring to Canada is a big decision and some drivers even test both during practice to see which one is best.
Canada has staged a number of dramatic and exciting races, including a number of its most recent events. Back in 2011 fans witnessed the longest race in Formula 1 history at four hours and four minutes. This was due to adverse weather conditions which caused a two hour red flag period as well as a number of safety car stints to negotiate. Jenson Button benefited from the continual bunching of the field to rise from last to second in the second part of the race.
The following year saw another McLaren triumph, Lewis Hamilton converted his front row grid slot into first place after making an extra pit stop to fit fresh Pirelli tyres. The Brit managed to claw back the lost time and overtook the struggling Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso to take the win, ahead of the one stopping Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez.
That was Hamilton's second race win at the track, he took a euphoric win back in 2007 in what was his sixth ever grand prix. He withstood pressure from team-mate Fernando Alonso, who was seemingly feeling the pressure himself, early on to claim a dominant victory. Who would have thought he was just a rookie at the time. Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen also know how to win around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after they took victory in 2006 and 2005 respectively.
Canadian Grand Prix Fact-file
Location: Montreal, Canada
Track Length: 2.91 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 14
Laps: 70
Gear changes per lap: 56
Full throttle: 67%
First race: 1978
Lap record: 1m13.662, Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004
Tyre compounds: Super-soft and medium
2012 race winner: Lewis Hamilton
2012 pole position: Sebastian Vettel
2012 fastest lap: 1m15.752, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and BBC One (both available in HD)
My blog will, as always, be covering every single session out on track over the race weekend. My "weekend review" article will be continually updated with all the goings on from the circuit and is the place to go for session reports. Thursday will also see the return of the "Thursday Snap Shot" after the shake-up for Monaco.
 |
| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
Canada always welcomes Formula 1 with open arms. The fans are some of the most enthusiastic and friendly in the world which gives it such an excitable and warm atmosphere.
The track, which is named after former Ferrari driver and Formula 1 race winner Gilles Villeneuve, is one of the most challenging on the calendar due to its street-like nature. The barriers that surround the circuit have caused retirements from many including the likes of Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. It is a real drivers circuit, all 2.91 miles of it.
A lap of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, situated on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, kicks off on the mid-length pit straight which gently curves to the right before reaching turn one, a sharp third gear corner which then leads directly on to turn two. The second corner on the track is a second gear, almost 180 degree right which benefits most with a late apex to straighten up the car. Good traction is needed out of this corner to propel cars onto a short straight which runs on to turn three.
 |
| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
Another chicane beckons, this time a left-right taken in second gear due to the tighter entry. The exit is important - once again - due to the next short straight leading to the second, out of three, right-left chicane. The cars go beneath a bridge under braking before the second gear right. Taking a good amount of the inside kerb and running as close to the barrier on exit, like turns three and four, enable a good slingshot for the following straight which leads to the hairpin.
Turn 10 is both the tightest and slowest corner on the circuit. It is a tricky right-hand hairpin taken in first gear with a heavy braking zone which is ideal for overtaking. There are a number of lines that can be taken through the hairpin. Cars could run wider which enables the driver to straighten the car up on exit for better traction, in the wet conditions more grip could be found running wider around the whole corner or cars can hug the apex when defending position. Traction is vital on corner exit for the long back straight which is where the DRS zone will be positioned.
After going up through the gears and reaching the rev limiter on the back straight, which is over a kilometre long, cars decelerate heavily for the final third gear corner, the final right-left chicane. It is perhaps the trickiest turn on the track layout due to the high kerbs and unforgiving wall at the exit, dubbed the "wall of champions" due to its list of victims. Braking and engine power are two key components to setting a good lap time at the famous circuit due to the amount of large stops and long straights, the cars are full throttle for 67% of the lap.
Teams are often at a trade off between high and low down force when setting up a car for the Canadian Grand Prix. High down force enables cars to feel stable under braking and give more grip through the medium speed corners, but that comes at the cost of poor straight line speed. The amount of wing that you bring to Canada is a big decision and some drivers even test both during practice to see which one is best.
Canada has staged a number of dramatic and exciting races, including a number of its most recent events. Back in 2011 fans witnessed the longest race in Formula 1 history at four hours and four minutes. This was due to adverse weather conditions which caused a two hour red flag period as well as a number of safety car stints to negotiate. Jenson Button benefited from the continual bunching of the field to rise from last to second in the second part of the race.
The following year saw another McLaren triumph, Lewis Hamilton converted his front row grid slot into first place after making an extra pit stop to fit fresh Pirelli tyres. The Brit managed to claw back the lost time and overtook the struggling Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso to take the win, ahead of the one stopping Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez.
That was Hamilton's second race win at the track, he took a euphoric win back in 2007 in what was his sixth ever grand prix. He withstood pressure from team-mate Fernando Alonso, who was seemingly feeling the pressure himself, early on to claim a dominant victory. Who would have thought he was just a rookie at the time. Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen also know how to win around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after they took victory in 2006 and 2005 respectively.
Canadian Grand Prix Fact-file
Location: Montreal, Canada
 |
| (c) AllF1.com |
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 14
Laps: 70
Gear changes per lap: 56
Full throttle: 67%
First race: 1978
Lap record: 1m13.662, Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004
Tyre compounds: Super-soft and medium
2012 race winner: Lewis Hamilton
2012 pole position: Sebastian Vettel
2012 fastest lap: 1m15.752, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and BBC One (both available in HD)
My blog will, as always, be covering every single session out on track over the race weekend. My "weekend review" article will be continually updated with all the goings on from the circuit and is the place to go for session reports. Thursday will also see the return of the "Thursday Snap Shot" after the shake-up for Monaco.
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