The Gilles Villeneuve circuit debuts a sprint format and a date moved forward to May, Mercedes seeks to prolong its streak under the threat of McLaren and Ferrari. Logistics aside, Montreal prepares for a possible coincidence with the race for the Stanley Cup.
The Gilles Villeneuve circuit dresses up from May 22 to 24 to host the fifth round of the 2026 championship. For the first time, the historic Canadian track will adopt the sprint format, which adds an extra layer of unpredictability to an already complex weekend, the new schedule includes a single practice session on Friday, followed by sprint qualifying, the short race on Saturday afternoon and traditional qualifying before Sunday's Grand Prix. The main race is scheduled for 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT), a tight schedule to avoid overlapping with the Indianapolis 500.
Inaugurated in 1978 on the man made Notre Dame island, the circuit was renamed in honor of Gilles Villeneuve, the legendary Canadian driver who died in 1982. The 4.361 kilometer track is a temple of speed where engine power plays a crucial role, its long straights, tight corners and the famous "Wall of Champions", located at the exit of the last chicane, have witnessed countless feats and errors. The lap record is held by Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) with a time of 1:13.078 in 2019.
In the history of the race, two legends share the record for wins with seven each, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. The latter, curiously, achieved his first win in the category in Montreal (2007). Among active drivers, Max Verstappen has won the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions, while George Russell, current Mercedes driver, won last year. The historic list of winners includes Fernando Alonso (2006) and Verstappen himself.
Mercedes arrives as the big favorite, George Russell will seek revenge to close the gap with his teammate Kimi Antonelli, championship leader, however, McLaren arrives with renewed momentum after their spectacular double podium in Miami, while Ferrari urgently needs to score heavy points to not lose pace in the fight for the title. The unpredictability of the weather in Montreal, where temperatures can range between 4 and 32 degrees, and the narrowness of the circuit add a risk factor that can level the balance.
The 2026 edition presents an extra challenge, the move forward of the date to May, this has caused that, for the first time, the Grand Prix coincides with the heat of the NHL playoffs, where the Montreal Canadiens could be competing for the title.
Sandrine Garneau, the event director, admitted that the coincidence would pose a logistical challenge (as security and assembly services are shared), although she assured that "we are ready" for any scenario, despite the doubts, the grandstand tickets are already sold out, which reflects the enormous expectation for the return of F1 to Canadian soil.
