F1 Canadian Grand Prix: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Track Guide

Formula 1 returns to one of its most cherished venues as the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve hosts the Canadian Grand Prix.

Named after the much-loved maverick after his death at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, the circuit on the man-made island of Notre-Dame in Montreal has become a firm favorite since its first race in 1978, which was won by Villeneuve.

This year's event will be a sprint weekend as Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli aims to stretch his advantage at the top of the drivers' championship. Can anyone stop the Italian teenager?

Hitting up MTL this weekend 🤙

Bring on Canada! 🍁
🎨 x Juan Alcalá Lara pic.twitter.com/l43so4Kuzs
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 20, 2026

Here's all the information you need on the Canadian GP host circuit.

Canadian Grand Prix Location

Location - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Notre-Dame Island, Montreal, Canada

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve History in F1

First race - 1978

Years held - 1978-1986, 1988-2019, 2022-present

Number of races - 44

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Corner by Corner

Montreal, Quebec, Canada; McLaren driver Lando Norris | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Turns 1/2 - A tough opening to the lap that is often a magnet for drama. Turn 1 is a tight left-hander that follows a slight kink to the right, which switches direction into a looping right-hand hairpin that also has the pit exit feed out onto the track.

Turns 3/4 - A rise up a hill and another right kink leads into a tricky right-left chicane, with grass on the outside of Turn 3 and a concrete wall awaiting any errors at Turn 4.

Turn 5 - A kink to the left opens up the flat-out right-hander at Turn 5, which feeds directly into the next chicane.

Turns 6/7 - This time, to the left and then the right. Turn 6 is slower and has a larger radius than Turn 3, with the line needing to be compromised for Turn 7, which leads onto the back straight.

Turns 8/9 - Another right-left chicane which opens up on the exit. Much like Turn 4, however, a concrete wall lurks on the outside of Turn 9 to collect any cars off line and out of shape.

Turns 10/11 - An overtaking opportunity comes next at the acute Turn 10 hairpin, which once concluded the lap. This right-hander is traction critical on exit with a long straight following. Turn 11 is a kink to the left on exit that only poses an issue in the wet.

Turn 12 - A right-hand kink that leads onto the straight.

Turns 13/14 - The most iconic section of this circuit is the final chicane. A quick right-left that has the infamous Wall of Champions waiting to claim victims on the exit.

Canadian Grand Prix - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Facts

Most wins by a driver

Michael Schumacher - 7 wins

Lewis Hamilton - 7 wins

Nelson Piquet - 3 wins

Max Verstappen - 3 wins

Ayrton Senna - 2 wins

Sebastian Vettel - 2 wins

Most wins by a team

Ferrari - 11 wins

McLaren - 9 wins

Williams - 7 wins

Red Bull - 5 wins

Mercedes - 5 wins

Last 10 winners

2025 - George Russell

2024 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2023 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2022 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2019 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2018 – Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

2017 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2016 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2015 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2014 – Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

Canadian Grand Prix fastest lap

In the circuit's current guise, Sebastian Vettel holds the outright lap record with his 2019 pole position time of 1:10.240s. Valtteri Bottas' lap of 1:13.078s is the fastest record race lap time.

Add us as a preferred source on Google