After the excitement of Monaco and Spain, the Formula One world will shift its focus to Canada with the 2025 edition of one of the circuit’s most popular events: Montreal’s Canadian Grand Prix.
First held in 1967, the Canadian Grand Prix has become an iconic fixture in the season. It has been staged at three different tracks, but from 1978, its home has been the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, named after the legendary Canadian driver who died tragically at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1982.
This race usually delivers its share of strategic battles, high-speed action and intrigue. With this year’s Formula One season already shaping up to rival last year’s for drama and unpredictability, the Canadian Grand Prix promises to be a thriller.
A demanding circuit
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the most distinctive circuits in Formula One. Located on Ile Notre-Dame in the heart of Montreal, it features a challenging combination of tight chicanes, long straights and the famous “Wall of Champions” that has caught out many unwary drivers over the years. The layout encourages drivers to attempt aggressive overtaking, and the final chicane and Turn 1 have been the scene of some spectacular maneuvers.
The Montreal weather adds another dose of uncertainty. The race may be taking place in early summer, but sudden unexpected rain showers can change the complexion of a race in a few minutes, making tire strategy crucial. The track surface also tends to be characterized by low grip at the beginning of the race weekend, and changes throughout the three days, putting a premium on adaptability and quick thinking from both team and drivers.
Can McLaren maintain their start?
Last year, it was Lando Norris who led the McLaren-Mercedes charge, but this time around, it is co-driver Oscar Piastri who has delivered the points for the team. After seven races, the Australian was leading the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of Norris and last year’s champion Max Verstappen.
Both Piastri and Norris have passed Verstappen in the betting for the 2025 title as their odds have shortened, and if the betting markets are to be believed, it is shaping up into an intra-team contest.
But can they keep up that pace in Montreal? There are already signs that the other teams may be closing the gap, and Red Bull in particular are likely to be a big threat in Canada. Verstappen has won this race for the last three years in a row, and victory in 2025 would take him past Nelson Piquet into third place in the all-time winners’ rankings, behind Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton, meanwhile, is having a difficult start to the season at Ferrari. The car has been off the pace this season, and between them, Hamilton and teammate Charles LeClerc registered just one podium finish in the first seven races, so they have some improvement to find.
The other driver to look out for is George Russell. He registered four podium finishes in the first seven races, and Mercedes has a great record at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Last year, the Mercedes performed much more effectively in cold weather than in the heat, and the Montreal conditions could prove a lot more suitable than some of the climates the team has faced so far.
Local fans will also be looking out for the performance of Lance Stroll. Although he hasn’t had a great start to the season, he’ll get a boost from racing in front of his home crowd. Although a win looks unlikely, with a dose of luck, he might give the Montreal fans something to get excited about.
The Montreal spirit
Fans who turn up to this race in 2025 can also expect to experience the atmosphere of a unique racing occasion, as Montreal doesn’t just host a Formula One race, it throws a celebration.
From the fan zones on Crescent Street to the team showcases and the frequent pop-up events across the city, Montreal contracts a dose of Formula One fever every year and the special energy that the city generates makes this one of the most loved events on the racing calendar.
This is partly explained by the fact that the circuit is so close to the center of the city, but is also down to the spirit of Montreal, which infuses the event with the best of Canadian sports culture and community.
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