FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX HEINEKEN DU CANADA 2018 Montréal
Race 7 of the 2018 FIA Formula 1 season takes place this weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada for the 'Grand Prix du Canada'.
First held in 1967 the weekend marks the 39th Canadian F1 GP on the Île Notre-Dame circuit. Montreal, in the French speaking province of Quebec, is Canada’s second largest city (pop 4.1m). The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on Île Notre-Dame Island in the middle of Saint Lawrence sea-way to the east of the city centre. The annual F1 GP is the single largest annual sporting event to take place in Canada with over 300,000 spectators attending the three days of the GP.
The only permanent structures are the 1988 single storey pit building (expanded to 50 garages in 2007) and the control tower. The team facilities are in the narrow paddock area behind the pits and supported partly over the edge of the rowing basin by temporary scaffold platforms. Montreal plans to spend $60 million rebuilding the garages, paddock, control tower, media centre and the Paddock Club. The circuit itself will not be modified. Spectator capacity is 100,000 and temporary grandstands are erected for the GP. The federal, provincial and municipal governments’ agreement to fund the GP runs until 2024.
Circuit – the 14-turn 4.361km clockwise circuit is described as a power circuit basically made up of two long straights (with chicanes) linked by two hairpin turns. 60% of the lap is run at full throttle including a 15s section (1,064m 345kmh Droit du Casino) between Turns 10 and 13. Overtaking can be difficult, with only two passing opportunities on the two straights, into the third gear Turn 10 L’Epingle hairpin (80kmh) and back up to the final chicane at Turns 13-14. The lap record is 1:13.622 (ave 213.246 kmh) by Rubens Barrichello in 2004.
Previous Winners – of the Canadian GP at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve include Michael Schumacher (7 wins), Nelson Piquet (3), Ayrton Senna (2) and Alan Jones (2). Of the current F1 drivers Raikkonen (2005), Alonso (2006), Hamilton (2007, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017), Vettel (2013) and Ricciardo (2014) have won at Montreal.
Setups – typically, in Montreal the teams deploy fresh new power units and introduce their season first low downforce setups. The combination of the long straights and chicanes makes Circuit Gilles Villeneuve a low to medium downforce stop-and-go circuit. Aero setups favour low drag for maximum straight-line speeds. Low downforce makes the cars skittish under braking and in the low speed sections. The circuit is very demanding on brakes with four 5G braking points from over 300kmh and another two from 250kmh. Rear tyres, gearboxes and transmissions are also stressed from acceleration from the chicanes.
Strategies – One-stop: 22 'hypersoft' + 48 'supersoft' laps; Two-stop: 15+20 'hypersoft' + 35 'ultrasoft' laps. Pirelli has nominated one step softer tyres for this weekend – the 'hypersoft', 'ultrasoft' and 'supersoft' (same as Monaco). Tyre wear will be high due to the traction demands, low downforce and a smooth track surface. Those outside of Q3 could reverse their strategies. Last year's 21 race pit stops averaged 29.69s and Hamilton won on a one-stop 'ultrasoft+soft' tyre strategy.
DRS Zones – should be the same single detection 'back-to-back' zones as last year – the first is on the longest straight from Turn 10 hairpin to the Turn 13 chicane and the second zone is on the following start-finish straight.
The Race – Monaco is often won and lost on a Saturday and so the top six on the grid finished the race in the same order. It was great to see Ricciardo on the top step. In Montreal expect Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull to fight for the podium, followed by Renault and McLaren. Force India, Toro Rosso and Haas remain close, but Sauber and Williams have much work to do. Like Monaco, Montreal has close barriers and minimal run-off areas, so it is almost certain for the safety car to make an appearance and if it rains the GP will become a 'right-tyre-right-time' lottery. The circuit does not drain well and if the rain becomes a downpour the race may be red-flagged.
Penalties >
New Power Units Used > Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Gasly, Hartley, Grosjean, Magnussen, Ericsson, Leclerc (2); all others (1)
Gearboxes > Hulkenberg, Gasly, Hartley, Grosjean, Vandoorne (2nd race); Bottas, Ricciardo, Ocon (3rd race); Hamilton (5th race); Magnussen, Ericsson (6th race); all others (1st race); Leclerc, Hartley and Alonso had a DNF in Monaco.
Pirelli Tyres > Supersoft; Ultrasoft; Hypersoft (Q3); (Soft; Supersoft; Ultrasoft – 2017)
Team Tyre Selections > 
Canadian GP > https://www.gpcanada.ca/en/
Programme > https://www.gpcanada.ca/en/schedule/#vendredi
Circuit map > https://www.gpcanada.ca/en/informations/circuit-map/
FOM page > https://www.formula1.com/en/championship/races/2018/Canada.html
FIA page > https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-championship/season-2018/eventtiming-information-5
Google satellite > https://goo.gl/maps/VjeYvM9iiVF2
2017 Highlights > https://www.formula1.com/en/championship/races/2018/Canada.html
Weather forecast > http://www.bbc.com/weather/6077243 > Sunday – sunny intervals 21deg
Saturday 09 June
00:00 – 01:30 – Practice 1
04:00 – 05:30 – Practice 2
Sunday 10 June
01:00 – 02:00 – Practice 3
04:00 – 05:00 – Qualifying (Q1 18min; Q2 15min; Q3 12min)
Monday 11 June
04:10 – 06:00 – Race (70 laps x 4.361km = 305.270km)
(race starts 14:10 local)
(all times are AEST – https://www.formula1.com/ > scroll to black band for Canada and click on 'convert to your local time')
TEN / TENHD / ONE (Sydney times – check local guides)
Monday 11 June > 21:30 – 22:30 > highlights – ONE
FOX Sports (Sydney times – check local guides)
Friday 08 June > 23:45 – 01:50 > Practice 1 LIVE – 506
Saturday 09 June > 03:45 – 05:55 > Practice 2 LIVE – 506
Sunday 10 June > 00:45 – 02:15 > Practice 3 LIVE – 506
Sunday 10 June > 03:00 – 05:45 > Paddock / Qualifying LIVE – 506
Sunday 10 June > 05:45 – 06:15 > F1 Show – 506
Monday 11 June > 02:30 – 07:15 > Paddock / Race / Post Race LIVE – 506
Monday 11 June > Queen's Birthday public holiday (all except QLD and WA)