The seventh round of the 2014 Formula 1 season takes place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada.
Following a short stint competing closer to home, the sport now briefly moves away from Europe for the first of two races this year in North America.
The Canadian Grand Prix has been a part of the F1 calendar since 1967. After eight races at Mosport Park, in Ontario, and two at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, the event eventually found its permanent home in 1978.
Originally, the track was called the Île Notre-Dame Circuit after the man-made island that it is situated on in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. It was re-named in honour of Gilles Villeneuve in 1982, following his death at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Mercedes has so far dominated the opening six rounds, winning every single race and scoring five one-two finishes. The Brackley-based outfit’s considerable advantage over the chasing pack doesn’t look set to decrease any time soon.
This year marks the 45th time that the race has appeared on the official F1 schedule and will be the 51st Canadian Grand Prix in total, after six non-championship rounds took place at Mosport Park between 1961 and 1966.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the most challenging in the sport, both for the drivers and the cars. It consists of long straights and slow corners, which means it has a very stop-start nature and requires a medium downforce set-up.
The engine is put under a large amount of stress during the race thanks to the number of flat-out sections. A fast car around the 2.709 mile track needs to have good straight-line speed, strong traction and stability under braking, as well as being able to ride the kerbs well and change direction sharply.
As the straights are followed by slow corners, the brakes are also worked incredibly hard. The temperature and wear rates must be monitored closely, as failures are not uncommon at the track. As it is a road circuit that is only used a few times a year, the surface is usually quite dirty at the start of the weekend and grip levels remain low throughout.
Despite being resurfaced a few years ago, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve remains quite bumpy in places – particularly at turn 10, so we can expect plenty of lock-ups there. The tarmac itself is smooth and mechanical grip is vital, hence Pirelli’s decision to bring the super-soft and soft tyre compounds.
A lap of the 14-turn track starts on the relatively short pit straight. There is a slight right-hand kink on the run to the first corner, which is a tight left-hand corner that leads directly on to turn two. The long, slow hairpin is followed by a short straight.
The third and fourth corners make up the first chicane on the circuit. A lot of time can be gained at this right-left section by using plenty of kerb and getting as close to the wall as possible. Turn five is a fast, flat-out right that leads on to a slow left-right chicane.
A good line through the sixth and seventh corners is very important to carry speed on to the next straight. Drivers brake under the bridge for the turn eight and nine chicane, which is another tricky right-left complex with a wall on the exit ready to punish even the smallest of mistakes.
This section will be taken in a much higher gear this season. Again, a good exit is important for the following straight – which is broken up by a gentle left-hand kink on the run to turn 10. This is the slowest corner on the track. It is a tight right-hand hairpin and is a popular overtaking spot.
The most popular line to be used here is the “V”, which requires a late apex to maximise speed onto the following straight. It is over one kilometre long and is followed by the tight right-left chicane that makes up turns 13 and 14.
This is arguably the most difficult part of the track layout, but it is also the best overtaking opportunity. The kerbs are high and the unforgiving wall on the exit – nicknamed the “Wall of Champions” – has caught out the likes of Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.
The pit entry is quite tricky as it requires drivers to go straight on at the final chicane. The exit misses the first corner and feeds cars out at turn two. There will be two DRS zones. The first is on the run to the last corner and the second will be on the main straight, with one detection point located just after turn nine.
Michael Schumacher has won the Canadian Grand Prix seven times: the most of anyone in the history of the sport. From the current grid, Lewis Hamilton has taken victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on three occasions (2007, 2010 and 2012), while Kimi Raikkonen (2005), Fernando Alonso (2006), Jenson Button (2011) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) have all won the race once.
Ferrari and McLaren have registered 13 wins each, although two of the Scuderia’s triumphs were at non-championship rounds. Both teams do not look likely to win in 2014 as the Mercedes domination continues. As it is a track that requires a strong engine, we should expect the Silver Arrows’ advantage to increase in comparison to the last race in Monaco.
The other Mercedes-powered teams (Williams, McLaren and Force India) should also be more competitive. However, the two other power-unit suppliers have improved in recent races so Red Bull and Ferrari should still be in the fight to be best of the rest.
The race is a favourite amongst the drivers, teams and fans. It always throws up drama and the weather usually helps to spice up the action too. Following what was a controversial Monaco Grand Prix and with the battle at the front heating up, it should be another fantastic weekend of racing.
Canadian Grand Prix Fact File
Location: Montreal, Canada
Track length: 2.709 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 14
Laps: 70
First race: 1967 (1978 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve)
Lap record: Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004, 1m13.622
Tyre compounds: Super-soft and soft
2013 race winner: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
2013 pole position: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 1m13.784
2013 fastest lap: Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing, 1m16.182
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and BBC One
 |
| © Williams Martini Racing |
The Canadian Grand Prix has been a part of the F1 calendar since 1967. After eight races at Mosport Park, in Ontario, and two at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, the event eventually found its permanent home in 1978.
Originally, the track was called the Île Notre-Dame Circuit after the man-made island that it is situated on in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. It was re-named in honour of Gilles Villeneuve in 1982, following his death at the Belgian Grand Prix.
 |
| © Caterham F1 Team |
Mercedes has so far dominated the opening six rounds, winning every single race and scoring five one-two finishes. The Brackley-based outfit’s considerable advantage over the chasing pack doesn’t look set to decrease any time soon.
This year marks the 45th time that the race has appeared on the official F1 schedule and will be the 51st Canadian Grand Prix in total, after six non-championship rounds took place at Mosport Park between 1961 and 1966.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the most challenging in the sport, both for the drivers and the cars. It consists of long straights and slow corners, which means it has a very stop-start nature and requires a medium downforce set-up.
The engine is put under a large amount of stress during the race thanks to the number of flat-out sections. A fast car around the 2.709 mile track needs to have good straight-line speed, strong traction and stability under braking, as well as being able to ride the kerbs well and change direction sharply.
As the straights are followed by slow corners, the brakes are also worked incredibly hard. The temperature and wear rates must be monitored closely, as failures are not uncommon at the track. As it is a road circuit that is only used a few times a year, the surface is usually quite dirty at the start of the weekend and grip levels remain low throughout.
 |
| © Mercedes AMG Petronas |
Despite being resurfaced a few years ago, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve remains quite bumpy in places – particularly at turn 10, so we can expect plenty of lock-ups there. The tarmac itself is smooth and mechanical grip is vital, hence Pirelli’s decision to bring the super-soft and soft tyre compounds.
A lap of the 14-turn track starts on the relatively short pit straight. There is a slight right-hand kink on the run to the first corner, which is a tight left-hand corner that leads directly on to turn two. The long, slow hairpin is followed by a short straight.
The third and fourth corners make up the first chicane on the circuit. A lot of time can be gained at this right-left section by using plenty of kerb and getting as close to the wall as possible. Turn five is a fast, flat-out right that leads on to a slow left-right chicane.
A good line through the sixth and seventh corners is very important to carry speed on to the next straight. Drivers brake under the bridge for the turn eight and nine chicane, which is another tricky right-left complex with a wall on the exit ready to punish even the smallest of mistakes.
 |
| © Red Bull/Getty Images |
This section will be taken in a much higher gear this season. Again, a good exit is important for the following straight – which is broken up by a gentle left-hand kink on the run to turn 10. This is the slowest corner on the track. It is a tight right-hand hairpin and is a popular overtaking spot.
The most popular line to be used here is the “V”, which requires a late apex to maximise speed onto the following straight. It is over one kilometre long and is followed by the tight right-left chicane that makes up turns 13 and 14.
This is arguably the most difficult part of the track layout, but it is also the best overtaking opportunity. The kerbs are high and the unforgiving wall on the exit – nicknamed the “Wall of Champions” – has caught out the likes of Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.
The pit entry is quite tricky as it requires drivers to go straight on at the final chicane. The exit misses the first corner and feeds cars out at turn two. There will be two DRS zones. The first is on the run to the last corner and the second will be on the main straight, with one detection point located just after turn nine.
 |
| © Sahara Force India F1 Team |
Michael Schumacher has won the Canadian Grand Prix seven times: the most of anyone in the history of the sport. From the current grid, Lewis Hamilton has taken victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on three occasions (2007, 2010 and 2012), while Kimi Raikkonen (2005), Fernando Alonso (2006), Jenson Button (2011) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) have all won the race once.
Ferrari and McLaren have registered 13 wins each, although two of the Scuderia’s triumphs were at non-championship rounds. Both teams do not look likely to win in 2014 as the Mercedes domination continues. As it is a track that requires a strong engine, we should expect the Silver Arrows’ advantage to increase in comparison to the last race in Monaco.
The other Mercedes-powered teams (Williams, McLaren and Force India) should also be more competitive. However, the two other power-unit suppliers have improved in recent races so Red Bull and Ferrari should still be in the fight to be best of the rest.
The race is a favourite amongst the drivers, teams and fans. It always throws up drama and the weather usually helps to spice up the action too. Following what was a controversial Monaco Grand Prix and with the battle at the front heating up, it should be another fantastic weekend of racing.
Canadian Grand Prix Fact File
 |
| © AllF1 |
Location: Montreal, Canada
Track length: 2.709 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 14
Laps: 70
First race: 1967 (1978 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve)
Lap record: Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004, 1m13.622
Tyre compounds: Super-soft and soft
2013 race winner: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
2013 pole position: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 1m13.784
2013 fastest lap: Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing, 1m16.182
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and BBC One
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