Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a 4.361 km (2.710 miles) semi-street circuit on Ile Notre-Dame, an artificial island in the St. Lawrence River. Its 14 corners span a 70-lap race distance of 305.270 km. The track has hosted the Canadian Grand Prix since 1978 and is named after the legendary Quebec-born driver who died at Zolder in 1982. Valtteri Bottas holds the lap record at 1:13.078, set in 2019.
The layout features long straights connected by tight chicanes and hairpins, giving the circuit a stop-start character that is brutal on brakes. Two DRS zones on the main straight and the back straight create strong overtaking opportunities. The infamous Wall of Champions at the exit of the final chicane has claimed multiple world champions, including Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve all in the same race weekend in 1999. Turn 6, a tight left-hander after the long back straight, is another key passing point.
Montreal has produced legendary races throughout its F1 history. On 12 June 2011, Jenson Button delivered one of the greatest drives in F1 history, winning from last place after multiple penalties and pit stops in a rain-interrupted race lasting over four hours. On 10 June 2018, Sebastian Vettel won for Ferrari in a strategic masterclass. The 1981 race on 27 September saw a tragic accident that claimed the life of a marshal. Gilles Villeneuve himself thrilled the home crowd with his fearless driving here before his untimely death.
The timezone is America/Toronto at EDT (UTC-4). A 15:00 local start is 19:00 GMT and 21:00 CEST, giving European fans a comfortable evening watch. Asian viewers face an early Monday morning start. The sprint race at 12:00 local pushes the European window to 16:00 GMT. Check Canada time and Montreal time for conversions.
Late May in Montreal can be unpredictable, with temperatures swinging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius within the same weekend. Rain is always possible, and the island setting makes the circuit accessible by metro, surrounded by water and parkland. The city’s restaurants, nightlife, and cultural scene draw fans who treat the Grand Prix as a full weekend event rather than just a Sunday afternoon.
See the full race schedule and session times at the Canadian Grand Prix page.