Formula 1 2014: Round 7 - Canadian Grand Prix

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Race Preview
2014 CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
6 – 8 JUNE 2014

After two races in Europe, Formula One visits North America this week for the Canadian Grand Prix, round seven of the 2014 FIA F1 World Championship.

Following Monaco, Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is another temporary track with unforgiving walls millimetres off the racing line – but that’s where the similarities end. From the slowest race of the year, F1 moves to one of its fastest and teams will unleash medium-low downforce packages for the first time in 2014 in an attempt to stay competitive on the long straights of the Île Notre-Dame.

In essence, the long, thin circuit is a series of high-speed straights linked by slow corners. The start-stop nature of the lap, in which cars may hit more than 300km/h on four separate occasions before braking down to first or second gear, has long been recognised as exceptionally harsh on brakes and engines but this year there are the added demands of the MGU-K, which will have to deal with these heavy braking loads, and the MGU-H which will be kept busy with unrelenting demand from the turbocharger.

Cars will be set-up for high top speeds but the demands of the three chicanes and the hairpin prevent use of ultra-low downforce packages. There is much fine-tuning to be done as teams seek to find the right balance between low downforce and good stability in those all-important braking zones. With the added requirements of riding the kerbs well and getting good traction from low-speed, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has plenty to keep engineers occupied.

Lewis Hamilton comes to Montreal as the form driver of 2014 with four victories and four pole positions from the six early season races. The Briton, however, arrives narrowly trailing German team-mate Nico Rosberg in the Drivers’ Championship. The Mercedes pair are waging a fascinating battle for dominance at the top of the table, and this provides an added dimension to what is always a thrilling weekend in Canada.

Session Times:

Thursday 5th June
16:00 to 16:45 – F1: Driver Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
21:30 to 22:00 – F1: Preview (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Friday 6th June
07:00 to 07:15 – F1: Gear Up for Canada (Sky Sports F1)
14:45 to 16:50 – F1: Practice 1 (Sky Sports F1)
14:55 to 16:30 – F1: Practice 1 (BBC Two)
18:45 to 21:00 – F1: Practice 2 (Sky Sports F1)
19:00 to 20:35 – F1: Practice 2 (BBC Three)
21:00 to 21:45 – F1: Team Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
23:00 to 00:00 – The F1 Show (Sky Sports F1)

Saturday 7th June
14:45 to 16:15 – F1: Practice 3 (Sky Sports F1)
14:55 to 16:05 – F1: Practice 3 (BBC Two)
17:00 to 19:20 – F1: Qualifying (BBC One)
17:00 to 19:45 – F1: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)

Sunday 8th June
01:30 to 04:00 – IndyCars: Firestone 600 (BT Sport 2)
- repeated on Sunday 8th June at 13:00
11:15 to 17:40 – BTCC: Oulton Park (ITV4)
17:30 to 22:15 – F1: Race (Sky Sports F1)
=> 17:30 – Track Parade
=> 18:00 – Race
=> 21:30 – Paddock Live
18:20 to 21:00 – F1: Race (BBC One)
21:00 to 22:00 – F1: Forum (BBC Red Button)



CIRCUIT DATA

Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

Length of lap:
4.361km

Lap record:
1:13.622 (Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004)

Start line/finish line offset:
0.000km

Total number of race laps:
70

Pitlane speed limits:
80km/h in practice, qualifying and the race

Circuit length:
4.361 km

Number of corners:
14 (6 left, 8 right)

DRS zones:
2

Race laps:
70

Race distance:
305.270 km

2014 tyre compounds:
Soft, supersoft

Circuit lap record:
1m 13.622s - Rubens Barrichello (2004), Ferrari

First world championship Grand Prix:
1967, Mosport (won by Jack Brabham, Brabham)

First world championship Grand Prix in Montreal:
1978 (won by Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari)

Number of races:
44 (34 - Montreal; 8 - Mosport; 2 - Mont-Tremblant)

Number of races with at least one safety car appearance:
7 of the last 13 races

Longest race in Montreal:
2011 (4h 4m 39.537s)

Shortest race in Montreal:
1997 (1h 17m 40.646s)

Last year’s pole position:
1m 25.425s, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

Last year’s podium:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 2 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 3 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Most appearances (current field):
13 - Jenson Button; 11 - Fernando Alonso; 10 - Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa; 7 - Nico Rosberg; 6 - Lewis Hamilton; 5 - Adrian Sutil, Sebastian Vettel

Most wins (driver):
7 - Michael Schumacher; 3 - Nelson Piquet, Lewis Hamilton; 2 - Jacky Ickx, Jackie Stewart, Alan Jones, Ayrton Senna; 1 - Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, Peter Revson, James Hunt, Jody Scheckter, Emerson Fittipaldi, Gilles Villeneuve, Jacques Laffite, Rene Arnoux, Michele Alboreto, Nigel Mansell, Thierry Boutsen, Gerhard Berger, Alain Prost, Jean Alesi, Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Ralf Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel

Most wins (constructor):
13 - McLaren; 11 - Ferrari; 7 - Williams; 4 - Brabham; 2 - Tyrrell, Benetton; 1 - Wolf, Ligier, Renault, BMW Sauber, Red Bull

Most wins (engine manufacturer):
12 - Ford/Cosworth, 11 - Ferrari; 6 - Mercedes; 5 - Renault; 4 - Honda, BMW; 1- Repco, Matra

Most pole positions (driver):
6 - Michael Schumacher; 3 - Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel; 2 - Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, Ralf Schumacher; 1- Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, Jacky Ickx, Peter Revson, Ronnie Peterson, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Mario Andretti, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Alan Jones, Didier Pironi, Rene Arnoux, Elio de Angelis, Nigel Mansell, Riccardo Patrese, Damon Hill, David Coulthard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso

Most pole positions (constructor):
11 - McLaren; 8 - Williams; 6 - Ferrari; 5 - Brabham, Lotus; 3 - Red Bull; 2 - Tyrrell, Benetton; 1 - BAR, Renault

Most pole positions (engine manufacturer):
14 - Ford/Cosworth; 9 - Renault; 6 - Ferrari, Honda; 4 - BMW, Mercedes, 1 - Repco

Number of wins from pole in Montreal:
15 wins from 34 races (44 percent)

Lowest winning grid position in Montreal:
10th (Jacques Laffite, Ligier, 1981)

Laps led (current field):
163 - Lewis Hamilton; 157 - Sebastian Vettel; 103 - Fernando Alonso; 27 - Kimi Raikkonen; 4 - Felipe Massa; 1 - Jenson Button, Romain Grosjean

Most podium places (current field):
4 - Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso; 2 - Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel; 1- Romain Grosjean, Sergio Perez

Number of Canadians to have started at least one Grand Prix:
11

Number of victories for Canadian drivers in the Canadian Grand Prix:
One (Gilles Villeneuve, 1978)

Fascinating fact:
Ile Notre-Dame, the man-made island on which the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is situated, was the site of the 1967 World Fair and also home to the rowing events in the 1976 Olympic Games.

Percentage of 2014 season complete:
31 percent

Maximum number of world championship points still available to a single driver:
350

Significant running sequences going into this weekend:
Mercedes - five consecutive one-two finishes, six consecutive wins, six consecutive podiums; Ferrari - 73 consecutive races in the points; Nico Rosberg - 15 consecutive races in the points and six consecutive podium finishes; Max Chilton - 25 consecutive classified finishes.

Turbo history:
If a Renault-powered car wins Sunday’s race it will be the first Renault turbo victory since the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix. Similarly, if a Ferrari-powered car wins the race it’ll be the first Ferrari turbo win since the 1988 Italian Grand Prix. The last turbo-powered victory in Canada went to Ayrton Senna in the McLaren MP4-4 in 1988.

CIRCUIT NOTES

► Asphalt has replaced gravel around the outside of Turns 10 and 13.
► The barrier on the outside of Turn 13 (right of the pit entry), has been moved further back and a new debris fence has been installed.
► New guardrail posts have been added in order to ensure that no spacing is greater than two metres.
► The speed bumps used in 2013 at the exit of Turn Nine and the final chicane will be in place again this year.

DRS ZONES

► There will be two DRS zones in Canada. They share a single detection point, located 110m after T9. The first activation point is 55m before T12, the second 70m after T14.

Track Map:



Canadian GP
Fast Facts
► McLaren lead the way with 13 F1 World Championship victories at the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari are second with 11.

► Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver in the history of the race, winning at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on seven occasions. Of the current field, Lewis Hamilton has the best record with three victories.

► Hamilton won this race in 2007, 2010 and 2012. The first of those was his debut victory in F1. Of the seven other grand prix winners in the current field, he is one of five to have taken a maiden victory on the same weekend as a maiden pole position – the others being Felipe Massa (Turkey 2006), Sebastian Vettel (Italy 2008), Nico Rosberg (China 2010,) and Pastor Maldonado (Spain 2010).

► Three venues have hosted the Canadian Grand Prix. Mosport Park was the original venue in 1967 and also held the race in 1969, 1971-4 and 1976-7. The Mont-Tremblant circuit held the race in 1968 and 1970. The first grand prix at the track now known as the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was held in 1978.

► History does not favour Nico Rosberg this weekend. The Canadian Grand Prix has held a date in the first half of the calendar since the early 1980s and on 17 occasions during that time it has been the race following the Monaco Grand Prix. Ayrton Senna in 1990 is the only driver to win in Monaco and follow that with victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. When the races have not been consecutive Michael Schumacher (1994, 1997), Kimi Räikkönen (2005), and Fernando Alonso (2006) have all won both events.

► In total there have been 44 Canadian Grands Prix – the race did not run in 1975, 1987 or 2009.

► A dispute between sponsors led to the race being cancelled in 1987 but the circuit made use of the hiatus, moving the pitlane to its present home from an original location after the hairpin. Other significant changes that have brought the circuit to its present state include the gradual straightening of the Casino Straight, a tightening of the final chicane to lower speeds (1991) and a relocation of the pitlane exit to prevent cars merging directly onto the racing line (2002).

► Jenson Button won the race in 2011 in a time of 4h04m39.537s. This holds the record for the longest (duration) race in the history of the Formula One World Championship and was caused by a two-hour suspension brought about by torrential rain. The race also holds the records for the most appearances of the safety car (six) and – technically – the lowest average race-winning speed (74.864kph).

► The duration of that race led to an amendment to the F1 Sporting Regulations. A limit of four hours duration has been placed on a race interrupted by red flag suspensions. At the four-hour mark, the chequered flag will be waved the next time the leader crosses the finishing line.





Team Quotes:

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 1st, 2013 Race - 1st
"Canada is a very demanding high-speed racing track, which is surrounded by rails and concrete walls. There is definitely a high risk potential, especially in Turn 15, where you will soon get to know the notorious 'Wall of Fame' should you be driving a few centimetres too far to the right. The first danger zone is already at the start. In the very narrow right-left passage, it's all about avoiding contact with the other cars, otherwise there will be a crash. It is not uncommon for the safety car to make an appearance at the Canadian Grand Prix. Before the Grand Prix, I'm travelling to Toronto to spend a day with Infiniti and their guests on Wednesday for an Infiniti driving day, which will be fun. I'll be performing a few Hot Laps with David Coulthard and some Infiniti guests."

Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 10th, 2013 Race - 15th
"I doubt anyone on the grid lacks motivation, but there's definitely a little extra edge to it at some circuits. They tend to be the ones that demand the most from you and hold real consequences from getting it wrong. Montreal definitely falls into that category. Each of the chicanes (the hairpin too) is an opportunity to make up, or lose, time but the crucial corner is probably the last one: you arrive at top speed so there's a lot to be gained in braking if you get that just right, and then the way you go over the kerbs is worth more time. The flip side is that it's very easy to get wrong and if you do then there's that big wall waiting. It's a clear choice: some guys will play it safe and sacrifice half a tenth to get through there cleanly; others who will take a risk and go flat out trying to find a little bit. The nearer you are, the faster you'll go. Give the wall a kiss and you feel pretty good; kiss it too hard and that's it!"

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 3rd
"Monaco was another great weekend for the team and I'm so proud of all the hard work the guys put in to make it happen. Of course, from a personal perspective it wasn't what I was aiming for. I race to win every time and unfortunately it just wasn't my weekend. But I drove with all my heart and gave it all I could, so I head to the next race with even more energy and determination. Montreal is one of my favourite weekends of the year. It's where I won my first Grand Prix back in 2007 and I've had another two victories there since, so it holds some special memories for me. The city itself is incredible. It's one I always love to go to and there's always a great crowd, so I'm hoping for them that the weather is good and we can put on a great show!"

Nico Rosberg
2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 5th
"Sunday in Monaco was a very special day for me. It was a fantastic result to get another one-two and I'm really happy for the whole team. Lewis drove really, really well and pushed me massively hard but I kept it cool and was able to take the win. He has been on top of his game so it was important for me to break his momentum last weekend. I now have the lead again in the World Championship which is great. But it's still very early days and it's going to continue to be an extremely tight battle between us this year. From Monaco, we head across the Big Pond to Canada. Montreal is one of my favourite venues. It's a beautiful but also crazy city where there is always a lot happening: particularly in the evenings... it's a great place to celebrate a good result, shall we say! That's what I'll be aiming for again this weekend."

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"We are pleased to head to Canada on the back of another strong weekend in Monaco. We went into that race convinced that our rivals could outperform us and that's how we worked to prepare for the weekend: like we were the underdogs. So we were pleased to see that we still had a good advantage at the front of the field. The team is operating at a very high level right now but we need to keep the ball flat, stay humble and keep pushing. On paper, you might say that Canada is the kind of circuit that should suit our package. But we don't have a crystal ball and we have been bitten by that way of thinking in the past. We know that our rivals are getting closer and that we will need to extract every bit of potential to deliver a strong performance in Montreal. Lewis has a fantastic track record in Canada, Nico has the momentum from his win in Monaco. We are all looking forward to the next chapter in the story of this season."

Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
"Monaco provided another fantastic weekend for the team. We approached the event with cautious optimism, but without being entirely confident that our car would enjoy the same performance differential as seen at the previous rounds of the season. This made the result all the more satisfying, particularly given the special effort put in by everyone involved to prepare for the unique challenges of this race. We now head to Canada, which is another unusual circuit but in the opposite vein to Monte Carlo. It's very much a power circuit and we're looking forward to seeing how the Mercedes-Benz Hybrid package performs around this type of track layout. Endurance will also be an important factor given the high demands placed on the components, so this weekend will provide a comprehensive test of the Power Unit. There were some concerns after Monaco following a retirement for Valtteri Bottas but the team at Brixworth have been working extremely hard to understand that problem and ensure that it is contained across every engine. We are confident that this will be the case. In Montreal, we have a circuit at which Lewis has traditionally excelled and, with both him and Nico on top of their game, we're expecting them to push each other all the way through the weekend once more. As always this will of course depend on the team providing a good package and equally strong reliability. We will be bringing a number of updates to the car, both on the power unit and aerodynamic side, so it should be an interesting weekend. Montreal is a fantastic venue that provides great racing, good weather and a lively atmosphere thanks to some very enthusiastic fans. Overall we're excited about the weekend ahead."

Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 20th
"The track in Montreal requires a high top speed as well as good mechanical grip. The surface is quite slippery there, so the tyre compound will be important. The way the tyres warm up is especially significant, because we have to keep in mind that they have a lot of time to cool down on the long straights. The track itself is a combination of a street and permanent circuit. There is a lot of history behind the Canadian Grand Prix, and it is a traditional race. Overall, it is a nice event. We have to approach the race weekend with a positive mindset. The whole team is pushing very hard to improve our current situation."

Adrian Sutil
2013 Qualifying - 8th, 2013 Race - 10th
"I am looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix. It is a nice track and I like racing there. Because of the many long straights, you can easily overtake. That's why the races there are mostly quite exciting. On the other hand there quite a few schicanes as well. That requires a relatively smooth car set-up, as you need to ride the kerbs. Generally the engine power and brake balance are important. The weather also comes into play, as in the last couple of years it has occassionally started to rain during the races. I hope this track suits us better than the ones before."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is the first track on the calendar where specific wings are used with the objective to reduce the drag at the cost of some downforce. It will be extremely interesting to see how the teams will balance the higher efficiency requirements with their 2014 power units. The alternation between long straights and low speed corners makes a demand for sheer speed, braking stability, quick change of direction and good traction, as well as smooth riding of the bumps and kerbs. The C33 will get some fine aerodynamic upgrades and, of course, a specific rear wing. The soft and super soft compounds allocated by Pirelli may offer some interesting scenarios on the race strategy side."

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - DNF
"Monaco was not our strongest track, or our weakest track, but we still brought the car home for a great result - it's my best run of results in Formula One and I'm really enjoying the racing. I've said many times that consistency is our strength and we showed that again. It's difficult to say how we will perform in Montreal. In theory it should be one of the better tracks for us, but things change from race to race. It's good that we have the soft and supersoft tyres again because I think the softer tyres are more suited to our car. As an overall event the Canadian Grand Prix is one of my favourites because of the buzz around the city and the unusual track. To get a quick lap you need good top speed, a car that can attack the curbs and you also have to be brave enough to get close to the walls."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 12th, 2013 Race - 11th
"I have very good memories from Montreal. In 2012 I started at the back of the grid and managed to finish in third place. It was an amazing race and my one-stop strategy worked perfectly. It was my second podium in Formula One and a great feeling - one I hope to experience again soon. It's another track where you need good top speed and traction from the slow corners. You also have to maximise the limits of the track to be quick and get really close to the walls, so it's easy to make a mistake. After a very disappointing race in Monaco, I just want to get back in the car and get the best possible result for my team. Points will be the target."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"We are now a third of the way into the season and we've shown that we have a car that can constantly deliver whatever the track. We've been in the points in every race, which is very motivating for everyone in the team and helps pump us up even more. There are some strong teams behind us, but we are holding our own and will continue pushing hard. [Canada] should be a good one for us. However, gone are the days when you can hope to have results simply based on what tracks should suit you. This game has changed too much. There are so many variables in racing that we don't take anything for granted."

Williams
Felipe Massa
2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - 8th
"We aim to be more competitive in Canada and hopefully we can have a good performance. The top speed of the car is good and this will be our main strength. Montreal has hosted some great races in the past and this has a lot to do with the weather, so we need to be prepared as it can rain and often without warning. The city is a very relaxed place to be so it's nice to go back there every year."

Valtteri Bottas
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - 14th
"I have some great memories from Canada last year as I qualified my career best position of third. The track is such a contrast from the last race in Monaco, and I think it plays to the strengths of the car, such as good straight line speed. We are aiming to continue our record of points in every race so far this season. It's a special track not only in the fact that it's technically a street circuit, but that there are a lot of big braking zones and few fast corners."

Rob Smedley, Williams head of vehicle performance
"Canada is a very special circuit due to the long fast straights and slow corners. We will take the same compounds as Monaco so we know how these tyres work from the last race. If the weather is cool we could suffer from tyre heating issues and if it's hot then there is the chance of thermal degradation. Tyre issues are something we are aware of and so will be a focus throughout the weekend. Kerbing is also important in Montreal as being able to ride the kerbs over the two chicanes is key to a quick lap time. Our car is aerodynamically efficient which is vital on the long straights in Canada so we feel we are in good shape."

McLaren
Jenson Button
2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 12th
"I really enjoy the Canadian Grand Prix - it's one of those races where everything just feels right. The city is fantastic, the fans are friendly, loyal to the sport and incredibly supportive, the track is intense, and the racing is usually pretty hectic. It's a place that simply produces great Formula One.

"It was a positive for the whole team to put some points back on the board at Monaco after a difficult few races; we're obviously still far away from where we want to be, but it's important that we maintain our aim of continuous development throughout the whole season. Although we're still a long way from the leaders, we've matched the general rate of development since the start of the season, which is a positive.

"In Canada, the weather can always play a key role - the forecast currently looks good, but you never know when you pull back the curtains in the morning whether you're going to be faced with blue skies, or grey clouds and pelting rain. We'll probably get a bit of both next week."

Kevin Magnussen
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"The Canadian Grand Prix is one of those races I'm really looking forward to: I've always watched it on TV, and it's always looked like one of the very best, most enjoyable, and most dramatic events of the season.

"The track looks like a lot of fun; it's got a good blend of corners, and it's the kind of place where you want the car nicely hooked up and beneath you because, apart from the back straight, it's pretty much always changing direction. So it's a bit like Monaco in that respect, but a lot faster.

"It would be nice to have a straightforward weekend after a couple of disappointing technical problems. Things didn't quite go my way in Spain or Monaco - through no fault of my own - so I just want to get my head down, work with my engineers and work on delivering a good result, with no mishaps. I think it'll actually be interesting to see what we can achieve without encountering a problem that sets us back."

Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"In recent years, the Canadian Grand Prix has really developed into one of Formula One's showpiece events. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the purest racetracks on the calendar, and one that invariably produces an unusual and unexpected result.

"At McLaren, of course, we fondly remember the 2011 race, when Jenson enjoyed one of his greatest, most memorable victories there. Despite our current lack of pace, Jenson continues to be an absolutely fantastic ambassador for the team. Not only is he a fantastic driver, but he's also somebody with the feel and experience to steer the team and give it direction for development. His input has been invaluable, and he remains a tireless contributor.

"Kevin, equally, has been a fantastic asset so far this season. He'll be keen for a problem-free weekend after a couple of niggling technical issues in the past two races. That's a shame, because they've robbed him of a couple of potentially strong points finishes, but he'll surely have a weekend less beset with undeserved mishap soon. And when that happens, I think people will be impressed by his pace, in both qualifying and the race, because it's clear that he's the complete package and that good results will inevitably therefore come in time.

"Overall, it's still difficult to gauge exactly where we are: both Monaco and Canada are very particular types of circuit, and don't really offer a true reflection of our current state of development. It would be nice to get some more points on the board, but I don't think we'll get a clear idea of how much we've progressed until we go back to Europe."

Caterham
Kamui Kobayashi
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"Race seven is Montreal in Canada, one of the most popular races of the year and one where the weather can play a very big part in the race. At the moment the forecasts look dry For Friday, Saturday and Sunday but if that changes it could definitely be in our favour and we need to make sure we're ready to take anything that comes our way. I was in the factory last week to start preparations for Canada and even though Monaco didn't end for me as we'd planned, despite us doing everything we could, everyone is still fighting harder than ever. Crazy races like we had last week don't come too often, but when they do we need to be ready and after talking to a lot of the team last week I know that they are all focused on making progress, not looking back at what might have been.

"On track Canada is a good place to go racing. The local fans are very passionate and knowledgeable - seeing the whole track full on a Thursday with people really excited about F1 being back is great as it shows just what it means to them to have us race in their home town, and that's good for everyone in the sport. I've had a couple of points finishes in Canada in 2011 and 2012 and it would obviously be cool to have the same again this year - as I say, that will probably take a crazy race but if that happens I'll be prepared ready, as will the whole team."

Marcus Ericsson
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"This will be my first race in Canada and after everything I've heard about Montreal and the track I can't wait to get started. Even though there were obviously mixed feelings in the team after Monaco, I have to say I was pretty happy with how it went for me. After starting from the pit lane I finished my first ever F1 Monaco GP in 11th, equalling the team's highest ever position and, even with what happened ahead, that could be really important later this season. That sort of finish, in a race where a lot of cars didn't make it to the flag, is all part of my continuing development as an F1 driver, and I'm sure that experience will help me in Canada and for the rest of the season as we keep battling.

"The actual Canada circuit looks like it'll be a good challenge. It's quick, especially for what is almost a street circuit, we run pretty low downforce as there are several high speed sections and one of the main things we'll be working on in the free practice sessions is braking - we need to make sure the brake cooling is optimised throughout the weekend, and watch brake wear, especially in preparing for the race itself. After Monaco I'm definitely ready to get back to work, and it'll be good to start again at another new track and one which everyone tells me is going to be an amazing race weekend."

Alexander Rossi, Caterham reserve driver
"FP1 in Montreal will be my first drive of the year in the 2014 F1 car, but after the amount of laps I've done in the sim with CT05 I'm already pretty familiar with how it'll be inside the cockpit! Obviously it's not quite the same as actually being out on track, but I have a lot of F1 mileage under my belt with the various FP1s and test days I've completed and having driven in FP1 in Canada last year I know I can go straight to work and help the team complete its plan for the session.

"I'm grateful to Caterham for their continual support with my development as an F1 driver, in the F1 car again in Canada this weekend and Austin later this year. The chances for young drivers like me to be in current-season cars on track are very limited, and obviously every lap counts over a race weekend but the fact the team sees that I can add value from the work I do in the car, and they can keep helping me to learn, shows great support and how committed they are to developing young talent. Now I'm focused on Friday morning. The weather should hopefully be dry so if that stays true we should have a full session run and be out as the green lights come on - if it rains then so be it, I'll still be focused 100 percent on the job the team asks me to do."

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 6th
“The Gilles Villeneuve circuit is definitely very hard on the cars. I had a very good Grand Prix there last year and I will be trying for a repeat performance this time, although finishing sixth, like I did in 2013 will not be easy. It is very demanding on the brakes, because of the hard braking areas after fast sections and you also need good top speed because of the long straight down the back. So you run less aero there.

“I’m looking forward to the weekend, as I like going to Montreal, which is a really cool city and this event is on my personal podium for the best races of the year. People say the track is dangerous and maybe that’s part of its appeal. I find the circuits where the barriers are a hundred metres away from the track a bit dull. Taking a corner flat out, right on a knife edge, with walls to your left and right is a completely different feeling to going flat out where you know that if you go off you have several hundred metres of run-off.

“The last corner here before the pit straight is a good example. It’s a nice corner, as it’s quick and you have to jump two big kerbs, so it feels a bit like going back to one’s karting days, throwing the car around at high speed. It’s a work of art getting it right.”

Daniil Kvyat
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
“The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit is another one on the calendar where I have never raced before and Canada is another country that will be new to me. In preparation, I watched a few Canadian Grands Prix on television, especially the on-board footage and a few days ago, I spent several hours in the simulator preparing for it. My first impression is that it’s going to be an interesting weekend. The track has a lot of stop and go sections, as well as the hairpin and chicanes. It’s going to be challenging and as always, it’s going to be about finding the right rhythm and putting the lap together. It’s a bit like Monaco, as there is not much run-off area, but after my first experience of Monaco nothing seems difficult now! All I know about Canada is that it’s a beautiful place and like us Russians they are mad keen on ice-hockey, so I hope to visit the Montreal hockey stadium if I have time.”

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 19th, 2013 Race - 13th
“I have very good memories (of Montreal) from 2012 when I went from seventh on the grid to my first second place in Formula One. It was a really great day and it was really a strong team result as we used a one-stop strategy to get on the podium after a disappointing qualifying session the day before. Last year wasn’t so good and we struggled with the wet weather and conditions but the place itself? Montreal is a wonderful city to visit. There are obviously a lot of French speakers so it’s like another home race for me, and the fans are so welcoming and knowledgeable. There are also some very good restaurants in Montréal which is always a bonus.

“The track is in-between a normal circuit and a street circuit. The walls are very close in some places, while other parts are similar to a European circuit. It’s definitely unique and we normally bring a different downforce package for that reason, which adds another unknown factor to the weekend. The circuit is not used for the rest of the year so the grip will change a lot - something we’ll have to adapt to - and the weather can also be tricky. Hopefully it’ll be nice and sunny because it’s a race I really like - and it’s my favourite circuit to race on the Xbox. The last chicane is a notable feature and overall it’s a good track.

“I enjoy the sensation of being close to the walls. Montreal is different from Monaco as there are some long straights and some big braking moments. The track surface can also present challenges as we’ve seen in other seasons, so it will be interesting to see what the grip level is like this year and that will certainly be on your mind as you take to the track for the first time over the weekend.”

Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 13th, 2013 Race - 16th
“Top speed and slow corners are probably the weakest points of our car now and unfortunately Canada has long straights followed by low-speed corners… It could be a difficult weekend for the team, for sure. We are not expecting to be at the top, simply because of the type of track and how we understand our car and its performance strengths and weaknesses. It’s not very aggressive on the tyres either, so we’ll see how it is when we head out to track. Anything can happen and our guys are all working very hard to adapt the car to find more traction in the slow corners and squeeze out some more top speed.

“Do I like the Montreal track? It’s amazing and I always enjoy being there. Canada is a great race not only because of the track but because of the people who come to support it. There is a great atmosphere all weekend and the city is quite close to the circuit which means there is a great vibe all round. There is also a lot of history to the Grand Prix as well and it has been around for a while - it is one of the great Grands Prix during the season.”

Federico Gastaldi, Lotus deputy team principal
“We’re looking forward to heading to an event which is a real favourite for many people and one which historically gets a lot of attention and great television viewing figures. Montreal is a superb city and we really experience a fantastic welcome from everyone when we visit. It’s a race where we have many guests and it’s our first visit to North America of the season. In a commercial sense this is a strong event. On track, it could be something of a challenge for us as it doesn’t look to be a track which plays to our current strengths, but whether that is the case or not we will soon find out.”

Nick Chester, Lotus technical director
“Will Canada suit the E22? It’s probably going to be a bit of a tricky one. On the one hand we’re going to have the soft and supersoft tyres, which should be better for us. On the other hand Canada’s got long straights, which we feel might not be great for us. There are also some big braking points and at some races this year we’ve felt our braking isn’t as good as it should be. So for the E22 it’s a balance between performing quite well on the softer tyres and maybe losing out on power and braking. We’re going to do all we can to improve those areas before we go.

“With such long straights followed by big stops into low speed corners, getting the braking performance right is critical in Canada. Obviously this year with all the energy recovery systems there is quite a lot of tuning that can be done to enhance performance. It’s definitely an area we are looking at and we’ve got some things we want to test on the Friday to hopefully improve the braking.

“We’re bringing a new medium downforce package and we’ve also got a few new mechanical parts, one of which will hopefully improve the grip of the chassis. There’s also a small update to the cooling package which will give us a little more downforce.

“There can be a lot of variables at Montreal like rain, reliability and incidents. Romain and Pastor are exactly the kind of drivers you want on your side to exploit any opportunities. However, we hope to be able to challenge for a good points finish irrespective of any of these variables.”

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“We’re expecting the tyres to be worked a lot harder in Canada than they were in Monaco, with a lot more energy and greater forces going through them due to much higher speeds. This should lead to the maximum possible mechanical grip, which is certainly what’s needed in Montreal. There’s a high degree of track evolution and we frequently see a lot of sliding - especially with reduced downforce this year - which obviously puts an increased amount of stress on the tyre. But we are still expecting to have contained wear and degradation this weekend, even on the two softest tyres in the range. Canada always tends to be an unpredictable race where strategy can make a real difference, also because of the high probability of safety cars. As we saw in Monaco, taking the right strategy opportunities when they present themselves under unusual circumstances is a key element to success at any circuit that falls outside the usual mould, with Canada being a prime example. Historically, there’s a reasonable chance of rain, in which case judging the crossover points - sometimes without previous data, if each previous session has been dry - becomes crucial.”

Marussia
Jules Bianchi
2013 Qualifying - 20th, 2013 Race - 17th
“I’m very excited for this weekend. The car seems so good at the moment that it feels we can go to every race feeling optimistic for a positive outcome. It has been such a fantastic week or so since Monaco and it has been nice to celebrate with the team after all the hard work it has taken to get this far. I don’t know if we can get two points again in Canada, but we need to consistently demonstrate that we can keep pace with the Saubers and have a good race, and this I think we can do. I think the points success will live with us for a very long time, but equally we have to switch focus to the next races to ensure we keep moving forward, as it is still a long season ahead and the Montreal circuit is by no means a straightforward challenge.”

Max Chilton
2013 Qualifying - 21st, 2013 Race - 19th
“I’m really excited about the Canadian Grand Prix. After such a positive test in Barcelona, and a very positive qualifying in Monaco off the back of that, I am hoping that we can piece together all of the positives into a more competitive result in Montreal. I am really encouraged by the work we have done and the obvious progress that we are making with the car. I think the whole team loves coming to Montreal. It’s such a great venue for the race and the fans are so enthusiastic. After a successful team result last time out, it’s shaping up to being busier than usual. I can’t wait to get back down to the racing.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“As you might imagine, we head to Canada with a definite spring in our step after achieving our first points finish in Monaco. It was an important milestone for everyone in the team and provides an important affirmation, internally and externally, of the positive trajectory we are taking in pursuit of our longer term ambitions. Canada is one of our favourite racing destinations, although not necessarily a track that has suited us in the past. It will be interesting to see how well the set-up developments that worked so well for us in Spain and Monaco will translate to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. While we are not expecting to replicate our success in Monaco, we are hopeful that we can further underline our recent performance increment with another strong race for both drivers.”

Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari Engine & Electronics Deputy Director
“After the splendid results of Monaco there is a great desire to get to Montreal to see further confirmation of the progress shown in the last races, in terms of competitiveness and, finally, the results. The Canadian Grand Prix is traditionally quite challenging with regard to the use of the engine and it will be even more so this year, given the complexity of the power unit. The final part of the track is marked by a long straight and will therefore be very important to not only the management of energy, but also acceleration, driveability and engine torque are aspects that will be followed with particular attention on this circuit. Another delicate point is the fuel consumption, given that this track is one of the most demanding from this point of view. It is also true that safety-car periods are frequent, but one cannot rely on such uncertain circumstances to manage such an important parameter."

Ferrari
Fernando Alonso
2013 Qualifying - 6th, 2013 Race - 2nd
“After Monaco I felt a good atmosphere in the factory. Everyone is very motivated and hungry for good results. We are realistic and well aware of where we are at the moment, but from now on, we want to be in a position to get better results and enjoy our race weekends a bit more and everyone is working in one direction to improve the car.

“We have been improving the car on the aero side, while in the simulator, and we have done a lot of work on the set-up with the aim of arriving in Canada with a better car. We can’t make any predictions because our improvement has to be seen in relation to what our competitors come up with. We need to match them and then find a plus.

“(The track in Canada) has only six or seven corners, but each one has something special. They have an element of danger and getting them right brings you a lot of lap time. There is definitely no room for error, as all the walls are very, very close. You can feel the city of Montreal has a lot of passion for the race and everyone gets involved in some way. I won here which definitely provides good memories and I also remember that big storm a couple of years back which meant the race was stopped for hours and we were waiting on the grid. There have been ups and downs in terms of results and hopefully this year will be a good one.”

Preview Data courtesy of the FIA, formula1.com, and f1broadcasting.wordpress.com

losthorizon

Fantastic Preview and Canada would be my second favourite race of the season.

christy c

Thanks for the preview. I hope Chilton gets taken out on the first corner, really bugs me every time I see his record for consecutive finishes

Jordan 199

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMiZWBQvh5Q

Mike Litoris

Cant wait for this one. This track rarely fails to deliver a good race.

Zcott

Must say, I'd almost put money on Hamilton winning this one.

Frank Bullitt

Zcott wrote: »

Must say, I'd almost put money on Hamilton winning this one.

Same here, although how great would a DNF be for the championship!

losthorizon

Zcott wrote: »

Must say, I'd almost put money on Hamilton winning this one.

Actually I would be the opposite. I would go for Rosberg. He has the measure of Hamilton at this stage imo.

Zcott

losthorizon wrote: »

Actually I would be the opposite. I would go for Rosberg. He has the measure of Hamilton at this stage imo.

Button said that when Lewis had a bad weekend, he'd go away, talk to himself and come back at the next race and destroy everyone. With Hamilton owning Montreal I can't see Nico getting a look in, but if he does, he'll be in a great place to take the fight to Lewis.

_rebelkid

Still puzzling what happened to McLaren so far this season.

Jordan 199

Blast from the past:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XBFQFmr5js

christy c

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Blast from the past:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XBFQFmr5js

So much has changed, I'd guess about 15 drive through penalties if we applied today's rules

Zcott

Lot of Mercedes cars propping up the top ten in practice, only the Red Bulls stopping them.

Ghost Train

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Blast from the past:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XBFQFmr5js

Murray Walkers tone and pitch really suited the old engines

SnowDrifts

Zcott wrote: »

Lot of Mercedes cars propping up the top ten in practice, only the Red Bulls stopping them.

Ferrari seemed to have taken a step forward this weekend so hopefully there will be a race for the last podium position. Mercedes will be untouchable on this track.

Zcott

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Ferrari seemed to have taken a step forward this weekend so hopefully there will be a race for the last podium position. Mercedes will be untouchable on this track.

I think Alonso was running a new floor in FP2 and it might have been switched over to Raikkonen's car for FP2.

supremenovice

For those who like a punt.... Raikkonen is 15/2 to be on the podium on paddy powers.
He was going great before a puncture in Monaco and Ferrari have an upgrade for this race. That price is very tasty all things considered!
Get on before qualifying though

johnnysmack

Button sounds drunk on the team radio

_rebelkid

FP3

bnt

Montreal weather forecast for both days is in the high 20s, with Saturday a bit sunnier than Sunday. Nice for spectators. :cool:

Jordan 199

That turbo-charged Renault on the BBC coverage is some car.

Rainwaterman

Jordan 191 wrote: »

That turbo-charged Renault on the BBC coverage is some car.

McNish is a much better driver in that car and Damon Hill was when he went out in the old turbo F1 car for Sky Sports F1.

bnt

Great shot from that camera showing that Raikkonen did graze the wall - hope they show that again.

Had that camera been any lower, it would have been mashed. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have the actual camera sticking out, I would use a mirror instead - maybe two mirrors i.e. a periscope.

Frank Bullitt

Fair play Rosberg, getting pole over hamilton on a track where he is known to be on it, its getting tasty now.

mickdw

Ferrari seem to be using massive old style brake ducts. Don't see them on the other cars.

Rainwaterman

Why does hamilton keep on wearing those stupid sunglases?I dont see vettel or rosberg wearing any sunglasses.Is it to hide hamiltons now infamous sulking?
Gonna be a great race tomorrow,thats for sure.

Ghost Train

Rainwaterman wrote: »

Why does hamilton keep on wearing those stupid sunglases?I dont see vettel or rosberg wearing any sunglasses.Is it to hide hamiltons now infamous sulking?
Gonna be a great race tomorrow,thats for sure.

I say its a sponsership thing. Same with the watches they have to put on as soon as theyre out of the car

Rainwaterman

I want to see rosberg and hamilton go wheel bashing tomorrow.Gloves off and let them go at it all race long on a really great track.Im a slight fan of Lewis but part of me wants to see him get beaten tomorrow,just to see if he throws a hissy fit and complains on the radio to the team about this that and the other.

Zcott

I'd say the odds of Rosberg claiming pole in both Monaco and Montreal were extremely low. I didn't see qualifying but I can't imagine Hamilton was too happy with that...

Terrontress

Ghost Train wrote: »

I say its a sponsership thing. Same with the watches they have to put on as soon as theyre out of the car

Out of the car? Hamilton and Rosberg have transfers of the watches on their racing gloves!

Zcott

Terrontress wrote: »

Out of the car? Hamilton and Rosberg have transfers of the watches on their racing gloves!

I saw that at the last race...had to laugh! Looks terrible...

Mike Litoris

Zcott wrote: »

I'd say the odds of Rosberg claiming pole in both Monaco and Montreal were extremely low. I didn't see qualifying but I can't imagine Hamilton was too happy with that...

I reckon he fired a Xanax down his neck when he got out of the car as he didn't have that mad head on him this time. Both seemed uncomfortably OK with each other. He locked a wheel in one of the chicanes which more then likely lost him pole...he didn't even mention it at the press conference which seems a bit out of character.

Jordan 199

I would love to see Felipe join Lewis on the podium.

christy c

Jordan 191 wrote: »

I would love to see Felipe join Lewis on the podium.

Very possible. Known for good starts, Merc power on straights and according to Crofty- had very good long run pace

Slutmonkey57b

Really great to see Nico beating Lewis again. Lewis was reasonably restrained (by his standards) in his "I'm the best, this is my track, nobody can beat me" waffle this week, but I still enjoy his ego getting punctured.

Brilliant driver, horrible man...

thewheel2.0

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

Really great to see Nico beating Lewis again. Lewis was reasonably restrained (by his standards) in his "I'm the best, this is my track, nobody can beat me" waffle this week, but I still enjoy his ego getting punctured.

Brilliant driver, horrible man...

Horrible is a bit far, however, he is cringy and embarrassing off the track. I do enjoy his racing though.

am i bovvered

Hamton is very talented. I try my best to like him but he makes it difficult. He acted like a victim in the last race. His only redeeming feature is the fact that what you see is what you get, he cannot hide his feelings, it's a weakness but does make for interesting viewing.

supremenovice

supremenovice wrote: »

For those who like a punt.... Raikkonen is 15/2 to be on the podium on paddy powers.
He was going great before a puncture in Monaco and Ferrari have an upgrade for this race. That price is very tasty all things considered!
Get on before qualifying though

I guess thats another twenty quid down the drain. He'll need a lot of mistakes from those in front in order to get on the podium from as hes 0.7 slower than the Red Bulls and Williams.:(

Pity Ricciardo isn't right behind the Mercs, they didn't look unbeatable last time out with tyre wear but the Williams have had their own issues with that already this year.

SnowDrifts

That was some look Nico gave Lewis when Lewis leaned on his shoulder. Ice cold!

Jordan 199

Those pants DC is wearing :eek:

Lapin

Eddie is having great fun with that microphone !

Ghost Train

Good circuit for overtaking so I'm hopeful there might be a good battle up front, DRS might be big help for chasing driver

Mike Litoris

Lets Go!

bnt

George Lucas in the pits? May the Force (India) be with you ... :pac:

finnharpsboy

safety car

finnharpsboy

huge damage to marussia

Peanut Butter Jelly

YESSS!!!!! CHILTON IS GONE!!! NO MORE STUPID RECORD CRAP!!!!!

Sparks43

Chilton record gone

lolie

Wonder will rosberg get a penalty for forcing Lewis off track.