#F1 Pirelli #CanadianGP 2025 Preview.
Formula 1 AWS Grand Prix Du Canada 2024 Race Start, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Image credit to Mark Thompson/Getty Images. 2025 Canadian GP Preview, Canadian Grand Prix Preview, F1 Canadian GP Preview, Formula 1 Canada Preview.
2025 Canadian GP Preview – After Oscar Piastri scored victory at a dramatic Spanish GP to be 10 points clear of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in the World Driver’s Championship standings, round 10 of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal this weekend for the Formula 1 Pirelli Grand Prix Du Canada 2025. This will be the 59th running of the Canadian Grand Prix and the fifty-fourth time as a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship since the sport began in 1950. Also, it is the 44th time that the Canadian Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
2025 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 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.
2025 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 W15 racer. The Briton posted a 1:12.000. You can watch the footage right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAQe0i2rzKg
2025 Canadian GP Preview – The Last Five Winners
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. 2018: Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari.
2025 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 C4 white-branded Hard compounds, the C5 yellow-marked Mediums and the C6 red side-walled Soft rubber along with the green-coloured Intermediates and blue-branded Full Wets in case of rain.
Drivers will have eight sets of the softs, three sets of the mediums and two sets of the harder compounds as with all events.
2025 Canadian GP Preview – DRS Zones
There will be three DRS 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 DRS activation point is 155 metres before turn 12 and the third 70 metres after turn 14.
2025 Canadian GP Preview – Pitlane Speed Limits
Pitlane speeds will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.
ICYMI: Piastri takes victory in dramatic Spanish GP
Oscar Piastri extended his championship lead with victory at a dramatic Spanish GP, leading team-mate Lando Norris home in another McLaren one-two as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the top three. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was demoted to tenth following his tangle with Mercedes’ George Russell.
This was Piastri’s fifth victory of the season and the gap over Norris in the World Driver’s Championship sits now at ten points (186-176).
When the 66 lap Spanish GP began, pole-sitter Piastri got a solid start off the line as behind him Norris, Russell and Verstappen ran three abreast on the rundown to the opening corner as Verstappen made a bold past around the outside of Norris to snatch second place.
Russell fell two places to sixth behind as his team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli ran into the escape road and was behind him in seventh.
At the beginning of the second tour, Piastri’s lead was at 0.500 seconds clear of Verstappen with Norris third, Hamilton fourth, Leclerc fifth as the two Mercedes of Russell and Antonelli were sixth and seventh respectively.
On the third lap, Russell was complaining of his F1 W16 racer moving under braking as Team Boss Toto Wolff told him to concentrate.
That battle for tenth ended with Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg taking the place away from Aston Martin’s sole driver Fernando Alonso, which won’t have pleased the Spaniard’s home crowd. The race was long though – but Sauber did show decent pace throughout practice. He was chasing Isack Hadjar, trying to put some distance between himself and the Aston Martin.
On lap seven, Piastri’s lead over Verstappen increased to 3.145 seconds with Norris a further 1.288 seconds in third, Hamilton fourth as Leclerc had a look on his Ferrari team-mate into turn one, but Hamilton covered the Monegasque driver.
Williams’ Alexander Albon who suffered front wing damage from his incident at the start from Lawson who clipped the back of Alonso at the start, that sent those two wobbling and let Hulkenberg through. Who then clipped Albon – The Thai Briton driver came in for a new front wing and another set of the softs and emerged at the rear.
On the ninth lap, the battle for fourth between the Ferrari drivers was heating up as Leclerc had another look on Hamilton, but the latter who was struggling managed to keep the former behind once more.
Ferrari then ordered both drivers to switch on the following tour as Hamilton let Leclerc through into fourth place.
Early stops were coming in – as home favourite Carlos Sainz suffered a slow stop, making that disastrous for the Williams driver who was stationary for over 10 seconds.
Hulkenberg (on Mediums) also in, as was Tsunoda (pitted for Softs) and Bearman (on Mediums). Those mediums did not last long for Tsunoda who started on the C2 yellow-marked compound.
On lap 12, Verstappen’s softer rubber was starting to wear heavily as Norris attempted to pass the Red Bull, but the former kept the Briton behind.
However, lap 13 saw Norris with DRS assistance and into the slip-stream of the Red Bull made short work of Verstappen passing the reigning world champion on the inside before reaching the opening corner to move up into second place.
Third-placed Verstappen came in for another set of softs and emerged in seventh place behind Hadjar as Norris already took out half-a-second out of McLaren team-mate Piastri’s lead, which was down to 4.1 seconds.
On the 15th lap, it was looking possible that the early stoppers could be on a three-stop strategy, due to the level of tyre deg out there. Interestingly, Verstappen was the only driver in the top 10 who had already pitted at this stage of proceedings. Alonso was noted for rejoining the track unsafely after his detour through the gravel trap.
Lap 17 saw Hamilton pit from fourth to try and prevent the undercut and the Ferrari driver put on a set of the C2 yellow-marked mediums and came out in ninth place behind Lawson.
A lap later, it was Leclerc’s turn to box as the Monegasque driver put on a fresh set of mediums and rejoined behind Hadjar in seventh place. Whilst the Ferrari driver was about to pit, Verstappen passed Antonelli around the outside through the sweeping turn 12 right hander to move up into fourth place.
Lap 20 saw Piastri’s gap over team-mate Norris at 4.9 seconds with Verstappen up into third after passing Russell into turn seven, Antonelli was fifth as the two Ferrari’s of Leclerc and Hamilton completed the top seven runners.
Russell pitted on the 21st tour for a fresh set of the mediums and returned in seventh place behind Hamilton.
Second-placed Norris then pitted for mediums along with Antonelli as both drivers came out in third and eighth respectively.
Race leader Piastri then stopped for his fresh set of mediums and came out behind Verstappen as the undercut worked for the Dutchman.
On lap 24, Antonelli made his way past Alpine’s Pierre Gasly on the rundown to the opening corner with DRS to take seventh place as behind him, Hadjar snatched ninth place over Hulkenberg.
Lap 26 saw Verstappen’s lead over Piastri at 5.7 seconds with Norris third, Leclerc and Hamilton both fourth and fifth whilst Russell and Antonelli completed the top seven.
Hadjar had picked off Hulkenberg – his tyres were 10 laps fresher. And then Antonelli overtook Gasly, 15 laps difference between that duo in terms of tyre wear.
Further back, Lawson, Alonso and Albon were battling hard, as Lawson made contact with Albon! Albon suffered front wing damage – for the second time in the race. They were all fighting for P12, P13 and P14 respectively.
The next tour saw Albon handed a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. He then pitted for his penalty but re-emerged with that broken front wing. It sounded like he was serving the penalty to make sure it doesn’t carry on to the Canadian Grand Prix – but then the Williams driver retired a lap later.
Race leader Verstappen pitted for a fresh set of mediums on the 29th tour and came out just in-front of Hamilton in fourth place.
At half-race-distance on lap 33, Piastri’s lead over team-mate Norris was at 5.538 seconds with Leclerc third, Verstappen fourth, Hamilton fifth with both Russell and Hamilton sixth and seventh respectively.
Verstappen was enjoying the mediums and was absolutely flying – and closing in on third-placed Leclerc. But the Red Bull driver was complaining about his upshifting – he was not happy in his RB21. If he does pit again, he’ll be charging in the closing stages of proceedings, which would make things very interesting later on.
On lap 36, Verstappen with fresher mediums than Leclerc breezed his way past the Ferrari just before turn one to take third place.
The 37th lap, saw Piastri leading the race by 3.6 seconds from his team-mate Norris, but he does not have clean air as he was lapping Gasly’s Alpine. Verstappen was now 5.8 seconds behind Norris. So Verstappen would lead here when McLaren pit again – but everyone was assuming the Dutchman will also stop once more. Behind them, Hamilton was quite far back from team-mate Leclerc, but Russell was in touch with Hamilton as he was told to close the gap to his former team-mate.
Lap 38, Norris was pushing and eating into Piastri’s lead, helped by Piastri slowing for lapped cars as the gap dropped further. Leclerc was trying to hang with Verstappen, as Russell is closing down the gap to Hamilton as well.
On lap 39, Norris on his medium rubber was catching Piastri fast like a rate of knots. This one was not done yet for the win either. Just 2.7 seconds between the McLaren team-mates at this stage, as they try and extend this stint to try and have as much rubber to play with later on as possible against what should be a fresher-tyre running Verstappen.
Leclerc pitted on the 41st tour from fourth for another fresh set of the mediums and emerged in sixth place as Verstappen was told: “McLaren are perceiving the threat now they are pushing on.” The Dutchman was still closing up to Norris, just 4.6 seconds back.
Russell then pitted a tour later, for a fresh set of C3 softs for his final stint and came out in seventh place behind team-mate Antonelli.
Race leader Piastri was trying to make his laps count at this stage of proceedings until he catches up to the next lot of tailenders and losing more time in dirty air – and crucially, more tyre wear. Norris behind was trying to put his team mate under pressure, whilst he can before his mind turns to a potential defence from Verstappen. The gaps held steady the next time around, the heat oppressive, as the drivers were beginning to tire.
With 20 tours remaining, Piastri’s lead was at 4.384 seconds over Norris as both McLaren’s were in clear air for the time being with Verstappen third, Hamilton fourth, Leclerc fifth as Antonelli let team-mate Russell past to take sixth.
Hamilton then pitted from fifth for a fresh set of C2 softs and suffered a slow 4.9 second stop and ended up down in seventh behind both Mercedes.
On lap 48, Verstappen stopped from third for a fresh set of softs and came out behind his lapped team-mate Tsunoda who then just let the Dutchman. The Japanese driver then yielded a few corners later to let his team-mate through as second-placed Norris was told to box.
Norris then came in for a fresh set of red-branded C3’s and emerged just in-front of third-placed Verstappen as race leader Piastri then was told to come in.
Lap 50, Piastri pitted for his fresh set of softs and came out 4.755 seconds clear of team-mate Norris was Verstappen was close behind the second-placed MCL39 entry and in DRS range.
On lap 51 – Mercedes’ Antonelli and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto both pitted – so everyone had been in for their second stop at this stage. Up-front Verstappen had fallen back a tenth or two as Norris’ tyres were up to optimal temperature, as the Dutchman started to complain about his car being broken. Race leader Piastri had to lap some cars too.
A tour later – Piastri was 2.3 seconds ahead of Norris – but Norris and Verstappen were trying to lap Bearman and Lawson, who were fighting for position. Lawson attempted an overtake, as Bearman was forced onto the escape road at turn one, and Verstappen was furious behind.
On lap 53, Verstappen was not impressed with that – as Lawson seemed to get in-front of Bearman the next time around, whether the Haas man gave the place back to avoid a penalty. Either way, Alonso was opportunistically up to P12 ahead of Bearman as the Briton got noted for the incident.
On lap 55, Antonelli went straight off into the gravel trap at turn ten due to a power-unit issue as the safety car was brought out.
The 56th tour saw both Piastri and Norris pit for McLaren for another set of softs along with Verstappen who only had a set of hards left whilst Leclerc, Russell and Hamilton also put on the C3 softs.
Majority were all on softs, other than Verstappen (hards) and Ocon (mediums).
On the 59th lap – there was no update on when the safety car was coming in, but the track was clear so it would be imminently. Piastri was leading from Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell and Hamilton. Hadjar was on course for some good points in P7 at this stage, in-front of Hulkenberg, Gasly and Lawson. The lapped cars could then overtake.
When the safety car came in on the beginning of the 61st tour, race leader Piastri bolted out of the penultimate corner to pull clear from Norris as behind them Verstappen fish-tailed out of the final corner as Leclerc overtook Verstappen down the main-straight to snatch third place.
Russell was then on the inside of Verstappen and the Dutchman takes to the escape road! The Dutchman came out ahead of Russell.
On the 62nd lap, DRS was enabled and Piastri has Norris all over his rear wing. Bearman had been handed a 10-second penalty for the earlier move on Lawson before the safety car deployment, and Verstappen and Russell are under investigation – as both made a tiny bit of contact in that first corner move.
Piastri gets out of DRS range of second-placed Norris on lap 63 in the fight for the win. Leclerc now had some company in third, as Verstappen was getting his harder rubber up to temperature. The contact with Russell changed everything, Verstappen doesn’t need to give the position back if he was genuinely pushed off, which replays showed the Dutchman was.
The following lap, Verstappen was told to let Russell through, and as Verstappen argues it, Russell tries a move and the two collide again! The investigation immediately investigation the incident.
On the penultimate tour, fourth-placed Russell had damage, as Hamilton struggled losing sixth place from Hulkenberg but up front – Piastri was leading by 2.3 seconds and heading for the win.
Piastri reached the chequered flag to take victory at the Spanish GP as team-mate Norris followed in a McLaren one-two as Leclerc completed the top three as Verstappen was hit with a ten-second penalty for his collision with Russell.
Russell thus was up into fourth and ahead of Hulkenberg who took an impressive fifth, Hamilton sixth.
RB’s Hadjar placed seventh and in-front of Gasly who took eighth as Alonso and the aforementioned Verstappen rounded out the points-paying positions.
The incident between Leclerc and Verstappen is currently under investigation by the stewards.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was unable to compete in the Spanish Grand Prix due to an injury.
2025 Canadian GP Preview – The Situation
The European part of the season takes a hiatus as the Formula 1 circus heads over to Canada for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend at the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has featured on the F1 calendar since 1978 and is one of the sport’s most-established North American venues, with plenty of brilliant races and dramatic moments also.
Reigning world constructor’s champions McLaren holding unassailable leads in both championships after their second one-two result in Barcelona.
Piastri returns to Montreal sitting on top of the World Driver’s Championship with 186 points and a 10-point lead over team-mate Norris who is second on 176 points whilst Verstappen is third on 139 points and a further 49 points behind the Australian after the latter received a penalty for colliding with Mercedes’ George Russell.
Montreal will be a crucial weekend for Verstappen – the winner of the last three Canadian Grands Prix – if the Dutchman is to remain in a realistic title touch, whilst Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton will hope a return to the circuit where is the joint-record holder with seven victories will help to kick-start the seven-time world champion’s season.
McLaren Formula 1 Team comes to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on top of the World Constructor’s Championship with 362 points and a 197-point advantage over nearest rivals Scuderia Ferrari who are second on 165 points whilst Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team are a further 203 points behind the Woking based-outfit in third on 159 points.
2025 Canadian GP Preview – Formula 1 Reveals 2026 Calendar
On June 10, Formula 1 and sport’s governing body, the FIA, revealed the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar, with drivers and teams set to embark on another 24 race schedule as a new raft of technical regulations and 100% sustainable fuels come into play.
The season will begin with the Australian Grand Prix on the streets of Albert Park from March 6-8 and conclude with the Abu Dhabi GP from December 4-6.
Next year, Ramadan will be from February-March meaning the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will be held in April.
The calendar also sees an improvement for the geographical flow of Grands Prix, including the Canadian Grand Prix following the Miami GP in an earlier slot from May 22-24, delivering significant freight efficiencies as some equipment can be moved directly from one to the other.
This change creates a solid European leg of the season across the summer months, beginning at the famous Monaco Grand Prix from June 5-7 and ending in Spain, where Madrid will debut on the Formula 1 calendar from September 11-13.
The championship then returns to Asia for the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix, ahead of a triple header in the Americas, before Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi close out the campaign.
The 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Calendar
| Date | Country | Venue |
| March 6-8 | Australian Grand Prix | Melbourne |
| March 13-15 | Chinese Grand Prix | Shanghai |
| March 27-29 | Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka |
| April 10-12 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Sakhir |
| April 17-19 | Saudi Arabian Grand Prix | Jeddah |
| May 1-3 | Miami Grand Prix | Miami |
| May 22-24 | Canadian Grand Prix | Montreal |
| June 5-7 | Monaco Grand Prix | Monaco |
| June 12-14 | Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix | Barcelona-Catalunya |
| June 26-28 | Austrian Grand Prix | Spielberg |
| July 3-5 | British Grand Prix | Silverstone |
| July 17-19 | Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps |
| July 24-26 | Hungarian Grand Prix | Budapest |
| August 21-23 | Dutch Grand Prix | Zandvoort |
| September 4-6 | Italian Grand Prix | Monza |
| September 11-13 | Spanish Grand Prix | Madrid* |
| September 25-27 | Azerbaijan Grand Prix | Baku |
| October 9-11 | Singapore Grand Prix | Singapore |
| October 23-25 | United States Grand Prix | Austin |
| October 30 – November 1 | Mexico City Grand Prix | Mexico City |
| November 6-8 | Brazilian Grand Prix | Sao Paulo |
| November 19-21 | Las Vegas Grand Prix | Las Vegas |
| November 27-29 | Qatar Grand Prix | Lusail |
| December 4-6 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | Yas Marina |
| *Subject to FIA circuit homologation |
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali stated: “2026 will be a new era for Formula 1 where we will witness a brand-new set of regulations for our sport, the cars and the engines that will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel. We are excited to welcome Madrid to the calendar, and to see huge automotive brands like Audi, Cadillac and Ford join the Formula 1 grid. It promises to be an unforgettable season, where once again we will come together at 24 amazing global venues to watch the best drivers in the world push themselves to the limit and produce incredible wheel to wheel racing for our millions of fans watching around the globe. I want to thank all our fans for their passionate support and the FIA, with all the volunteers, marshals and officials, as well as the promoters, partners, sponsors, host cities and the local motor racing federations for their commitment and support in delivering this schedule in what I know will be another historic year for Formula 1.” Domenicali concluded. Credit to F1 for the quote.
Click here for the 2025 Formula 1 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings.
The Formula 1 Pirelli Grand Prix Du Canada 2025 weekend kicks off Friday June 13 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday June 14 and the 70 lap Race Sunday June 15.
