Presentation – Canadian GP: Lance Stroll heads for familiar territory
The seventh round of the season celebrates a rookie in his own backyard and a symbolic date in Canada's history with Formula 1... It remains to be seen which driver will take the biggest slice of the cake, right at the top of the podium!
« For me, running in Montreal will be fantastic. I grew up twenty minutes from the track: as a child, I attended the race every year. The circuit is cool, unique, old-school: the fans are really close to the track, the run-offs are not very wide. I love that and I hope nothing will change! »
It could hardly be otherwise: Lance Stroll is the mascot of the Canadian Grand Prix this year. And for good reason, the 2016 European F3 champion will be the first local driver to participate in the event since a certain Jacques Villeneuve in 2006. The center of attention, the young Quebecer (18 years old), still with zero points on the board, will try to kick-start his season, in the figurative sense of the term.
The Williams driver will be able to count on his supporters, who will crowd the stands from the first trials. The Stroll effect will be clearly visible as the organizers announce an attendance increase of around 15% compared to last year. In a giant fair-like atmosphere, the main city of Quebec will duly celebrate the 50th anniversary of Formula 1 in Canada. The first race in the country’s history took place at the Mosport site on August 27, 1967, before moving to Île Notre-Dame, on the outskirts of Montreal, in 1978, never leaving it since.
An atypical and charismatic circuit
Located in the heart of Notre Dame Island, along the Saint Lawrence River, the circuit is named after Gilles Villeneuve, father of Jacques, who died in Zolder in 1982 and was the winner of the very first Grand Prix held at the venue.
Measuring 4,361 kilometers, this track is distinguished by its high speeds, large corners, and low aerodynamic downforce. In fact, 72% of the lap is spent in acceleration! The challenge is enormous and the margin for error is tiny: the run-off areas are never far away. Even in the case of going wide, the penalty can still be fatal. Enthusiasts remember some spectacular accidents: the Massa vs Pérez collision in 2014 at turn 1, or the even more horrific crash of Robert Kubica in 2008, at the exit of turn 9 are etched in all memories.
Another challenge at the very end of the lap, the final chicane, and its Wall of Champions on the outside of the track. It was renamed after three crashes by three world champions during the 1999 edition. Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, and Damon Hill all ended up crashing in this iconic corner.
Take our virtual tour around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve ahead of this weekend’s #CanadianGP 🇨🇦
VIDEO> https://t.co/kf0X44kzcz pic.twitter.com/gWCeNp0KPr
— Formula 1 (@F1) 7 juin 2017
Will the red of the maple leaf bring good luck to Ferrari?
It was no longer just an open secret, but now it’s clear: Scuderia Ferrari is truly back at the top of Formula 1! The recent Monaco meeting was definitive proof, with the team’s first one-two finish in nearly seven years.
So, on Île Notre-Dame, will the Italian single-seaters shine as much as in the Principality?
To do this, followers will closely watch Kimi Räikkönen’s morale. Always very impervious to emotions, will the Iceman be able to bounce back after his disappointment in Monaco? Well on his way to win after his first pole in ages (the 2008 French Grand Prix), the 2007 world champion lost his lead after the pit stops, skillfully used by his teammate, bordering on suspicion. As for Sebastian Vettel, this latest victory is a sign of some comfort. The four-time world champion arrives in Montreal with a 25-point lead over Lewis Hamilton, equivalent to one full victory.
Here more than anywhere else, the Brit is the king. No other race on the calendar suits the driver carrying the number 44 as well, a five-time winner on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit. A nostalgic moment in passing since the first victory of the triple world champion was also achieved on this track ten years ago, almost to the day.
The duo formed with his team, however, does not arrive with the highest confidence. It’s an understatement, the last race did not meet expectations with a fourth (Bottas) and a seventh (Hamilton) place under the checkered flag. Struggling with major setup issues, it will also be important to watch the Englishman’s comeback, as he will attempt to make a big impact starting from the qualifications by joining Ayrton Senna in the number of poles achieved (65).
The third contender of the season, the other fundamental question will be whether Red Bull can continue to close the gap on the two leading teams. On a track where the engine will play a bigger role than on the Monaco circuit, the challenge also lies in the chassis performance. Daniel Ricciardo will need to ride the positive momentum created by his recent podium finish. Opposing him, Max Verstappen seeks revenge after feeling disadvantaged in the strategy game.
A little further back in Monaco, the Force India team will want to do everything to get back into the points zone. Let’s remember that their nice series of double points finishes (since the start of the season) was interrupted, notably due to a disjointed race for Sergio Pérez. In theory, the Gilles Villeneuve circuit should suit the Indian cars quite well, which seem to perform well on these high-speed tracks.
Within the Sauber ranks, the developments introduced in Monaco can finally be tested in more “classical” conditions. After finding himself upside down against the barriers, Pascal Wehrlein will be fully recovered and will definitely take part in the seventh round of the season.
Finally, McLaren will reintegrate Fernando Alonso, the best Rookie of the Indianapolis 500 Miles, into its ranks. Let’s hope that this time, his Honda engine leaves him in peace, as it has also acted up during the legendary American event… Present at the press conference this Thursday, the double world champion, however, stated that he would not make any decisions about his future before September.
What happens next: @alo_oficial on his future#F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/3O8k9YWbRq
— Formula 1 (@F1) 8 juin 2017
To (really) know everything…
As in Monaco, Pirelli will offer drivers the softest tires in its range due to the relatively low abrasiveness of the Montreal track. The ultra-soft tires with purple bands, super-soft tires with red bands, and soft tires with yellow bands will be available.
On the weather side, Friday should be quite cloudy with temperatures between 19 and 21 degrees, and a small chance of rain as well. Saturday will be even more unstable with storms expected during the qualifications. On Sunday, clouds and clear spells will alternate, and rain is expected but outside the time reserved for the race.
Unlike other tracks on the calendar, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has only one DRS detection point. It is located at the entrance to turn 9, leading to the slow hairpin of the following turn. The first activation zone is in the final straight, between turn 12 and the Wall of Champions chicane. The second activation zone is just after the exit of the chicane, on the start/finish straight.
Don’t forget the TV schedule!
