Grand Prix 2018 Canadian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Montreal is the world’s second largest majority French-speaking city, appropriately enough after Paris. It is also the second largest city in Canada, after Toronto. It is not the capital of Quebec nor of Canada. Is it always a bridesmaid?

Well, maybe in an F1 sense it is appropriate that this city’s circuit be named after Formula One’s ultimate bridesmaid, Gilles Villeneuve. And I’m sure many of us had Jarama on the mind as Ricciardo slowed in Monaco...

However, this circuit has spurned many a bridesmaid down the years in favour of Lewis Hamilton, who seeks to match Michael Schumacher’s remarkable seven wins at this circuit. Hamilton has always shown a great affinity for this circuit and will surely go well again.

It is still to be seen, however, if this is still a Mercedes circuit. While the silver arrows flowed beautifully through the fast curves of Catalonia, the fastest circuit yet encountered (Baku) saw Vettel on pole and Räikkönen putting all the sectors in if not on the same lap. Maybe Baku’s closest twin will deliver another fast day for Ferrari. Then again, Hamilton somehow won that race.

Max Verstappen, fresh from failing to win in Monaco when in the only healthy version of the fastest car, is suffering some reputational damage for the first time in his short career. Personally, I expect famine or feast in Montreal.

As for the others, well, it’d be nice if there was a chance for any of them. They’re all fighting for 7th though.

Who’ll be truly Montrealais this year, and finish 2nd? Time will tell!
 
This track is about managing the brakes because of the long straights and fast corners followed by some twisty sections.

There is bound to be a safety because someone tends to stack it into the wall

Hamilton is so supreme on this track , I don't see anyone getting near him

There is local interest in Lance Stroll who might find it a tall order to get points this time around with an even worse Williams this year
 
I have always enjoyed the Canadian GP. But it really needs to be exciting this year. I see no reason why it shouldn’t be.
 
The last two Canadian Grand Prix have been dull as. It's always been preceded by everyone (including me) saying how great the races at Canada are.
 
The last two Canadian Grand Prix have been dull as. It's always been preceded by everyone (including me) saying how great the races at Canada are.

In words of meatloaf you took the words right out of my mouth. Thank God it wasnt while you were kissing me.

But yes Canada i love. Great circuit full of history. & used to produce entertaining races. But last few years been terrible. I remember its was rately highly in race of the year which confused me because i couldn't remember it. What year was lewis risky 2 stop & drive from 4th to 1st in final 10 lap. Last good one
 
What made Canada a great race was i) the weather - the rain really threw things up ii) the unexpected happens when the safety car gets called out
 
All circuits produce the occasional good race (perhaps with the exception of Valencia). Whether a race is good or not is also very subjective, witness the number of 10's a race will score depending on which driver wins. Canada has thrown up the odd good race, mainly (as Il_Leone mentioned) weather influenced or the strange year when the tyres went soggy after 10 laps.

I shan't be holding my breath on this one, suspect a Hamilton pole and lights to flag victory with Vettel struggling to keep up in second. The only real battle will probably be over third with both the Red Bulls and Kimi being in with a chance against Bottas. I also suspect many fascinating TV images for "THE BATTLE FOR 11TH", or some other such inconsequential nonsense.

Sorry, Monaco has made me super grumpy as no car with 2/3rds of an engine and 75% of a gearbox should be winning a race. It did, however, look pretty - if that is what you want from motor racing!
 
After Monaco I am hoping for a better race, whether we'll get it is another matter. I guess there's always Champions Wall to keep an eye on, see how many people hit it or just about avoid it.

As a Vettel fan I am aware this circuit usually favours Mercedes but with motorsport you never know what will happen. This will be a highlights only race for me, I don't mind too much (it's better than not seeing it at all) the worst part is trying to avoid the result until I've seen it.
 
10 or 20 years ago Canada could be fairly guaranteed to give a good race, but things seemed to have changed quite a bit recently - maybe to do with the car design regulations (power units, aero etc.?) and those circuits that traditionally gave good races are often quite disappointing whereas some of the once-poorer circuits seem to provide decent races now. Even Spa seems to have been dull in recent years.
 
In my head Canada seems to have given us a lot of first time winners. More than other tracks. I'd be interested to see the stats on whether that is true or not if anyone has the time.
 
Recent history shows that this is where Hammy starts to pile on the points again and I see no reason why Mercedes won't be strong again here. Hope for an upset although anything will be better than Monaco so bring it on.
 
I'll take your word for it mush. I've tried to delete all knowledge of F1 in Valencia from my brain as the race only existed to further line the pockets of a large Italian gentleman.
 
In my head Canada seems to have given us a lot of first time winners. More than other tracks. I'd be interested to see the stats on whether that is true or not if anyone has the time.

in the 40 years we have been racing at the notre dame circuit, we have had 6 1st time winners.
G Villenueve - 1978
Boutsen - 1989
Alesi - 1995
Hamilton - 2007
Kubica - 2008
Riccardio - 2014

i didnt go all the way back to 1950 because i thought it was more relevant to measure it in the same period of time since we have been racing at the circuit gilles villenueve, it does have the record, as no other country has more 1st time winners. in the 40 years this is the record (including European Gp's happened in that country)

6 - Canada
4 - Monaco, Germany, Hungary
3 - Spain
2 - Britain, France, USA, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, San Marino, Italy,
1 - Brazil, Swiss, Mexico, Japan, Malaysia, Turkey, China, Russia
 
It really depends if teams have managed to sort out their brakes because Canada is the place to knacker them

Last year's race could have been exciting but was actually ruined by Perez not yielding to Ocon so Ricciardo got away from being challenged
 
I always expect it to be good, because somewhere in the mist of time it was. What happened to that.
 
Interesting fact ive found through one of the journalists on twitter. That next weekend is alonso 300th gp entry but providing everything goes well. It would be his 297th gp start because DNS's in beligium 2001 indy 2005 & russia 2017
 
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