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2026 Canadian GP Preview – After Andrea Kimi Antonelli cruised to a comfortable victory at the Miami International Autodrome to extend his lead in the World Driver’s Championship and reigning world champion Lando Norris took the honours in the Sprint, round five of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal this weekend for the Formula 1 Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada 2026. This will be the 60^th running of the Canadian Grand Prix and the fifty-fifth time as a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship since the sport began in 1950. Also, it is the 45^th time that the Canadian Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. This will also be the third Sprint event of the 2026 campaign.

2026 Canadian GP Preview – A Look at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and has been held there since 1978 when it was formerly known as the Circuit Ile Notre Dame.

The circuit is located in a part of the city of Montreal known as Parc-Jean Drapeau. The park is named after the mayor of Montreal who was responsible for the organization of Expo 67.

The circuit lies on Ile Notre Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River most of which was originally built up for the Expo 67. Also, the neighbouring island Ile Sainte-Helene had been artificially enlarged for the fairgrounds and a prominent remnant of the fair, the Biosphere can be regularly seen during television coverage of racing events. Almost half of the track from the hairpin turn until after the pit area runs alongside the Bassin Olimpique, a huge rectangular basin which was created for the rowing and canoeing events of Montreal’s 1976 Summer Olympics. Barriers run close to the circuit and many experienced drivers have been caught out by them.

A particularly famous part of the circuit is the wall on the outside of the exit of the final chicane before the start/finish straight. During the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix the wall, which bears the name Bienvenue au Quebec (“Welcome to Quebec”) giving it the nickname “Mur du Quebec” (Quebec Wall), ended the race of three Formula One World Champions, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve along with FIA GT champion Ricardo Zonta. Since then the wall has been nicknamed “The Wall of Champions. In recent years 2009 world champion Jenson Button (2005) and 4-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel (2011) have also fallen victim to the wall.

Before the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve became Canada’s permanent home of Grand Prix racing, the Canadian Grand Prix was first staged Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario in 1961 as a sports car event before it alternated between Mosport and Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Quebec after Formula One took over the event. After 1971, safety concerns led to the Grand Prix moving permanently to Mosport. In 1978, after similar safety concerns with Mosport, the Canadian Grand Prix moved to its current home on Ile Notre Dame Circuit (which was renamed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve since 1982 weeks after Canadian Gilles Villeneuve tragically lost his life at Zolder in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix) in Montreal.

Canadian native Gilles Villeneuve was the first winner at the circuit for Scuderia Ferrari in 1978 and is the only Canadian driver to win a Canadian Grand Prix.

The circuit runs in a clockwise direction and is 4.361km (2.71 mi) in length with 14 corners.

Race distance is 305.270km (189.694 mi) with 70 laps in total.

Valtteri Bottas holds the fastest lap record from the 2019 event with a 1:13.078 set in his Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team F1 W10 EQ Power+ racer.

Michael Schumacher and Sir Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most Canadian Grand Prix victories with seven each to their respective names.

Scuderia Ferrari is the most successful Constructor at the Canadian Grand Prix with 14 victories to their name.

2026 Canadian GP Preview – Onboard Lap of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Here is the onboard pole position lap of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve at last year’s event, set by George Russell in his Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team F1 W16 racer. The Briton posted a 1:10.899. You can watch the footage right here at the link: George Russell’s Pole Lap | 2025 Canadian Grand Prix | Pirelli

2026 Canadian GP Preview – The Last Five Winners

2025: George Russell, Mercedes AMG F1. 2024: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2022: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2021-20: Not Held. 2019: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1.

2026 Canadian GP Preview – Tyres

Sole tyre supplier Pirelli will be bringing with them to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the softest tyre compounds in their range, the C3 white-branded Hard compounds, the C4 yellow-marked Mediums and the C5 red side-walled Soft rubber along with the green-coloured Intermediates and blue-branded Full Wets in case of rain.

Drivers will have six sets of the softs, four sets of the mediums and two sets of the harder compounds as with all events.

2026 Canadian GP Preview – Straight/Overtake Mode Zones

There will be three Straight/Overtake Mode Zones in Canada. The first detection point will be 15 metres after turn five and the activation point 95 metres after turn seven. The other two detection zones are shared 110 metres before turn nine. The second activation point is 155 metres before turn 12 and the third 70 metres after turn 14.

2026 Canadian GP Preview – Pitlane Speed Limits

Pitlane speeds will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.

ICYMI: Antonelli fends-off Norris to take victory in dramatic Miami GP

Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed his third consecutive Formula 1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix after recovering from another poor start and using a perfectly timed undercut strategy to beat McLaren’s Lando Norris in a dramatic and action-packed race. Oscar Piastri completed the podium for McLaren after a late charge through the field.

Charles Leclerc initially grabbed the lead at the start after Antonelli and Max Verstappen ran wide into Turn 1, while Verstappen spun after contact with the Ferrari at Turn 2. An early Safety Car, caused by separate crashes for Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly, shuffled strategies and set up a tense battle at the front between Leclerc, Antonelli and Norris.

After the final round of pit stops, Antonelli emerged ahead of Norris and controlled the closing stages despite late pressure from the reigning World Champion. Behind them, Verstappen attempted to hold onto third place on heavily worn tyres before Leclerc and later Piastri fought past the Red Bull driver in the closing laps.

A dramatic final lap saw Piastri overtake Leclerc for the final podium spot before the Ferrari driver spun and hit the wall, allowing George Russell and Verstappen through. Antonelli ultimately won by 3.2 seconds over Norris, with Piastri securing third.

Post-race, Leclerc received penalties for multiple track limits violations and unsafe driving following his collision and spin, while Verstappen was penalised for crossing the pit-exit line under the Safety Car.

You can read the full race report and the post-race penalties article at the links below:

F1: Antonelli fends-off Norris to take victory in dramatic Miami GP.

F1 Miami GP 2026: Leclerc and Verstappen hit with penalties.

2026 Canadian GP Preview – The Situation

Formula 1 returns to action this weekend with another Sprint weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal where young-gun Andrea Kimi Antonelli looks to continue his stunning winning form.

The Bologna-born Italian has won the last three races to build a 20-point lead over Mercedes team-mate George Russell in the Driver’s Standings.

It’s a big chance for Russell to bounce back at a circuit he enjoys in the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and is the defending Grand Prix winner but from what Miami has shown Mercedes’ rivals could be now a genuine threat.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris pushed Antonelli hard for the victory last time out in Miami as McLaren’s upgrade brought them almost level to the Silver Arrows.

Both teams have new upgrades coming for Montreal too, so the pecking order may change and it will be interesting to see if Ferrari or Red Bull can stay towards the front of the pack.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has been the happiest he’s been so far this campaign in Miami, whilst Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to find some good form after two difficult races.

Hamilton took his maiden pole position and F1 victory at the 2007 event in Montreal with McLaren and has won the Canadian Grand Prix seven times.

Antonelli returns to Montreal sitting on top of the World Driver’s Championship with 100 points and a 20-point lead over team-mate Russell who is second on 80 points whilst Leclerc is third on 59 points and a further 41 points behind the Italian.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team comes to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on top of the World Constructor’s Championship with 180 points and a 70-point advantage over nearest rivals Scuderia Ferrari who are second on 110 points whilst Mastercard McLaren Formula 1 Team are a further 86 points behind the Woking based-outfit in third on 94 points.

Click here for the 2026 Formula 1 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings.

The Formula 1 Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada 2026 weekend kicks off Friday May 22 with Free Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying, followed by the 100km F1 Sprint Race and Qualifying Saturday May 23 and the 70 lap Race Sunday May 24.