FORMULA 1

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CAMILLERI: WE SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO LECLERC

Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri has done what few Scuderia bosses have ever done, namely apologise to a driver in red, in this instance to Charles Leclerc after the Monaco Grand Prix.

The team’s strategy blunder during qualifying confined the Monegasque to the wrong end of the grid and thus compromised his home race which ended in an early DNF and, of course, huge disappointment.

The Reds totally messed up by not sending their young driver for a second run late in Q1, erroneously believing he was safe. Leclerc even questioned the decision from within the car but, by his own admission, got no proper response from a ‘frozen’ pitwall.

Needless to say, he was left fuming and seeking answers after his team’s latest in a series of gaffes which have, until this point, cost him dearer than his teammate Sebastian Vettel.

In the wake of Ferrari again letting down Leclerc, Camilleri told Sky Italia, “We sincerely apologize to him. The general line is to not repeat blunders of that type.”

“Unfortunately, these things happen, but the important thing is not to make the same mistakes again. It was a team mistake and we figured out what didn’t work. Now we have to forget what happened and work to reduce the gap we have to Mercedes,” added Camilleri.

Ferrari trail Mercedes by 118 points in the championship, while Leclerc is fifth but already 80 points adrift of Lewis Hamilton at the top of the standings heading to round seven of the championship in Canada.

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Sebastian Vettel yet to feel fully comfortable with 2019 Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel says he has yet to feel fully comfortable with Ferrari’s 2019 Formula 1 challenger, as his title hopes took another blow in Monaco.

Vettel has not taken a win since last August’s Belgian Grand Prix – a run of 14 grands prix – and has already slipped 55 points behind Lewis Hamilton in this year’s title battle.

No driver has ever recovered from such a deficit to become World Champion in the same season.

“I’ve had some difficult moments this year where I’m fighting the car,” said Vettel, who finished second in Monaco on a weekend in which he crashed in FP3 and hit the wall twice in qualifying.

“I’m not really entering yet to the level where I feel a lot more comfortable and I feel comfortable to squeeze out more performance from the car but I think it’s linked to the fact that we struggle to put our car in the right window.

“Once it is there, it is feeling better and you’re able to build up on that but it doesn’t happen very often but it’s a combination of things.

“I think first we are lacking overall performance and that overall performance would help us probably to put the tyres more often in the window they would like to be in.”

Vettel added that Ferrari needs to get itself into a position to at least be able to put Mercedes under pressure during races.

“I think it’s not been the easiest and straightforward ride so far but I feel that there’s more potential in this car, there’s more potential in the team,” he asserted.

“We need to stick together, we need to work hard and even if it would be nice to flip a coin and turn things around, probably for everybody’s sake except those two guys [Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas], it’s not going to happen overnight.

“We need to work hard and pay a lot of attention to small things, to details, in order to get closer and once we are matched I think we can put a lot more pressure on them.

“I will have a lot closer races but currently we are sitting too far away, behind Mercedes and probably a match on average with Red Bull is not where we want to be.”

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Mercedes reveals Hamilton clipping airgun delayed Bottas stop

Mercedes has revealed that a mistake at Lewis Hamilton’s pitstop in the Monaco Grand Prix delayed the subsequent stop of Valtteri Bottas, consequently leading to the Finn's pitlane collision with Max Verstappen.
Mercedes planned a double-stacked stop for Hamilton and Bottas when the safety car came out early in the Formula 1 race, and the Finn backed off to give himself a gap and delay Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, who were behind him.

However, Mercedes strategy director James Vowles has revealed that on leaving the pits Hamilton hit an airgun, and recovering from that triggered a slight delay in Bottas’s stop.

“If you can stop under a safety car in Monaco, it really is the best of all worlds,” said Vowles in a team video. “From lap 11 we knew we could take the tyres to the end of the race - we believed the medium, but the hard would’ve easily made it as well and our competitors Vettel and Verstappen knew this too.

“That’s why they came in. When you come in for a double-stack safety car [stop], what’s really important is making a gap between your cars, so that the first car can be serviced in the pitlane and the second one can slot straight in. And Valtteri did that perfectly on track.

“Lewis had his pitstop, drove out, and you would’ve seen Valtteri came straight back in again. And now it’s a straight race between Vettel, Verstappen and Valtteri for a pitstop.

"Unfortunately as Lewis left, he clipped one of the guns and it took just a few seconds for them to reset properly and the cost to us was a couple of tenths. That’s it, but that’s all you need.”

Bottas lost the race out of the pits to Verstappen, who subsequently received a penalty for an unsafe release.

Mercedes has also showcased a picture of the right front wheel that Bottas damaged when he was edged into the pitwall barrier by the Red Bull driver, this leading to an instant loss of pressure that was detected on the out-lap.

Bottas was thus forced to come straight back in for new tyres on the next lap, losing only the one position to Vettel, as the field had not bunched up.

“We had a couple of tenths loss on Valtteri’s pit stop, Red Bull had a very, very good pit stop, one of the best of the year for them, and those extremes meant that as the cars went out and were in the pit lane, Verstappen came alongside, hit the left-hand side of Valtteri’s car, pushing the right-hand side into the wall and damaging that front-right wheel, which is what you can see in this picture.

“Now, this image is obviously post-race, live we can see tyre pressures and we had a quick look at them to see what was going on. And after a few corners, when Valtteri was back out on track, it became evident that we had a problem and we were starting to lose pressure.

“We had to react then and there to bring Valtteri straight back in. If we waited any longer, Valtteri would’ve been last. We brought Valtteri back in the pit lane, fitted the hard tyre, which was the best of the tyres [but] not known at the time, and then he re-joined back in P4.”

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Debate: Should Monaco corner-cutting approach be changed?

Sergio Perez believes that drivers who cut corners in Monaco should have to take a detour before rejoining the track in order to avoid gaining an advantage.
Following the pit stops, the Racing Point driver spent the majority of the race behind Haas' Kevin Magnussen, eventually finishing behind the Dane.

He did attempt a pass up the inside of the Nouvelle chicane, and when both tried to turn the corner, Magnussen bailed out of the corner and cut across it.

The result was a five-second time penalty for the Haas driver, who was judged to have gained an advantage by cutting the corner and preventing a loss of position.

Instead of investigating the incident straight away, the stewards elected to find a solution after the race, meaning Perez was forced to follow Magnussen to the flag.

Perez said that the decision to punish Magnussen after the race came far too late and lost him the opportunity to make further progress.

“I tried a move on Magnussen. He cut the chicane and just got a warning.

"It wouldn’t have changed anything, but it’s very disappointing because you only have one move in Monaco. You do it, the car cuts the chicane and he’s aware that you’re there.

“They [the stewards] took far too long [to make a decision]. Even if they take the decision that I get the position back from Kevin, it doesn’t really help me. If I had moved up a position, it could’ve changed my whole race.”

He added that forcing corner-cutting drivers to go around an extra chicane or detour might further discourage them from preventing a loss of position.

“It’s definitely something we’ve got to speak about. In all fairness to the car ahead [Magnussen], he gave space, but then has nowhere to go.

“I think there has to be a little chicane or something so that the people who cut the chicane should be losing some time, but it’s something we have to review in the coming races.”

Making drivers rejoin a circuit by going around cones or bollards isn't new in Formula One. At the  Spanish Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean was forced into cutting turn two several times, where drivers have to return to the track after passing a cone, instead of potentially rejoining on the racing line.

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Ricciardo: Renault have 'real' qualifying mode now

Poor power unit reliability has dogged Renault all season, so much so they've had to, at times, turn down settings and therefore limit power in order to avoid any more failures. But following an upgrade in Spain, the French manufacturer have been able to turn things up again – and that means they now have access to a 'real' qualifying mode…

While Monaco isn’t the best circuit to judge engine power improvements, given it is laced with low-speed corners, both Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg felt an extra boost in qualifying.

“Both Nico and I complimented the Renault boys and our qualifying mode felt pretty strong,” said Ricciardo, who started sixth in Monte Carlo. “My reference from last year, I am pulling an extra gear before some apexes. So definitely a year on it is a lot better. We actually have a real qualifying mode this year.”

Hulkenberg praised the way the technicians at Renault’s French engine base in Viry reacted to the problems suffered early on in 2019.

"They found solutions very quickly, redesigned, re-engineered, and brought the fixes to the track,” he said. "That was quite impressive, and [in Monaco] you can feel again that the engine has come back to life and we can fully fight again. So that's very positive.”

Renault lie eighth in the constructors’ championship, having scored in Monaco for the first time since China courtesy of Ricciardo’s ninth place. Next up is Canada, a circuit where added grunt from the engine can pay dividends. Is Ricciardo excited about heading to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, where he scored his maiden F1 win in 2014?

“Yes,” he said. “I feel that it is in the right direction now, and the nice thing is there is still more to come. The reliability is what is going to hold us up from going that step further.

“That is what is going to hold us back from going that step further, but we could squeeze a bit more this weekend. Even on a low power circuit you could feel it. So there are some positives.”

[Baldy]

On 5/26/2019 at 2:56 PM, skalls said:

I was hoping for some rain to spice things up.  Bottas' race got compromised with that pit lane contact.  Good race on LH part nursing those tires till the end.

Indy 500 was such a better race today.

Monaco is always the most boring race on the calendar.  Qualifying and the start is the only "racing" otherwise, unless it's raining or a mechanical, it's a procession. 

Politics and F1 goes hand in hand.  I hate this about F1.  Anyone but Max would have gotten a drive thru penalty.  Giovinazzi's punishment was more severe for a less severe or potentially severe incident. 

[Lotusguy]

Monaco is always the most boring race on the calendar.  Qualifying and the start is the only "racing" otherwise, unless it's raining or a mechanical, it's a procession. 
Politics and F1 goes hand in hand.  I hate this about F1.  Anyone but Max would have gotten a drive thru penalty.  Giovinazzi's punishment was more severe for a less severe or potentially severe incident. 

I’m glad I only watched the recap...

That clearly should have been a drive-through penalty. Ridiculous.

The season is over. Wake me next year.

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BROWN: WITH SEIDL AND KEY, I’VE GOT WHAT I WANT

McLaren chief Zak Brown is confident that newly appointed team principal Andreas Seidl has the experience and credentials to lead the once might team back to the top of the Formula 1 pecking order.

Brown told his PR network, “I think we now have total clarity on the team and the leadership with Andreas. He is very clear in his direction and, as you know from where we have been, where maybe there have been too many chefs in the kitchen so to speak, now we have got one.”

“So everything now I see, I like. We have a great working relationship. I am excited for the future. What Andreas ends up doing with the racing team is up to Andreas, and he has my full support.”

“From my leadership standpoint, I’m done. I’ve got what I want and am very pleased with. I landed everyone I wanted to land, I don’t feel like I got second-best in any of the areas.”

“I’ve known Andreas for some time, he is a racer and he is technical, he is focused and he is dedicated,” added Brown of the former Porsche boss, as if anyone at that level of the sport is not a “racer”…

Seidl, 43, is highly rated with an impressive CV that includes time at the helm of Porsche’s WEC programme and also spearheaded BMW’s successful return to DTM.

Now, in the top flight with a great team, Seidl’s mandate is to make McLaren an F1 force again as Brown explained, “It’s his racing team to run. He’s a consultative team member type of individual. He’s got free rein to do what he wants. He’s got 100 percent of my support in that.

“But he is the type of individual who is going to consult and brainstorm and work with his team, not just do things and find out about it the next morning.”

“It’s always been the plan to bring in dedicated, exclusively-focused leadership on the Formula 1 racing team. We need someone waking up every day and making sure the car goes as fast as possible.”

“My job is a much broader remit to run the business, grow the business, so nothing really changes for me. I’m just happy that between Andreas, James Key, the promotions we’ve made, the other people we’ve brought in, that I now feel from a personnel standpoint we’ve got our team in place.”

“I’m sure Andreas, once he gets stuck into it, will make his mark if you like. I’m really pleased with the team we have on the field,” added Brown.

McLaren have not won a race since 2012 when Jenson Button triumphed for the team at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, now a distant memory as the past seven years have been painful for the sport’s second most successful team.

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BRING ON THE FIGHT CHARLES, THE TIME IS NOW!

He may have endured a dismal race last time out in Monaco, but the mission for Charles Leclerc is clearer than ever: become Ferrari’s number one driver.

It had to happen eventually. Charles Leclerc, golden child of the Ferrari driver programme, had a… wait for it… bad race.

Shocking news, I know, and yes his Sunday in Monaco wasn’t all his fault – well, unless he put sleeping pills in the pit wall’s coffee on Saturday – but there’s no escaping the disappointment of his performance.

Still riding high off the adrenalin of some audacious passes into the hotel hairpin and rascasse, the Monegasque decided to go for it again at the latter, where Nico Hulkenberg wasn’t willing to play along, instead giving him a friendly nudge into the barrier.

One puncture later, Leclerc was doing exactly what you’re not supposed to when on three wheels, frantically speeding back to the pits, discarding half of his floor in the process. His race ruined by his own impatience.

Of course, it wasn’t like a podium was ever a possibility, but it was still a costly tantrum given he could’ve scored points Ferrari desperately needed.

And yet here’s the thing: as underwhelming as Leclerc was in Monaco, it’s given him a tremendous opportunity heading into Canada. An opportunity to seriously redefine his position within the Scuderia.

Unless Mercedes decide to swap chassis with Williams, the 2019 constructor’s title is done and dusted, and that means Leclerc should no longer feel beholden to any sort of deal that protects Sebastian Vettel’s position as the team’s number one driver.

We already saw in Bahrain and Baku that Leclerc can be quicker than Vettel, and with the German similarly removed from a shot at the driver’s title, team orders should no longer stop them from having a straight fight.

Furthermore, having made two big errors in the past three weekends, Leclerc can use Montreal to prove his own ‘bounce-back-ability’ after a rough patch – something Vettel seriously lacked as the team leader last year.

After all, it’s almost a guarantee Mercedes will have a strong package again next year, and if Ferrari are to win a close fight, they’ll need a lead driver who doesn’t let past disappointments get to him.

In that respect, Leclerc would do well to follow the blueprint laid out by Max Verstappen in the past year. Even more than Leclerc, there was never any doubting his ability, but six mistakes in six races to begin last season had many asking whether he was ready to be the number one at Red Bull – flash forward to now and it’s no longer a question.

Just as the Dutchman did, if Leclerc can keep his self-belief while being honest about his shortcomings, he’ll be able to take the fight to his teammate, with a very real possibility of beating him.

And no, Vettel isn’t going to roll over, but he shouldn’t expect any more favours in those “50-50” situations, as Mattia Binotto has called them. If Leclerc finds himself in a similar position to the one he did early in the race in Barcelona, he should just go for it, and let Binotto and co. deal with it later, if they must.

This is no longer a season about winning, this is a season about building for the future, and that means it doesn’t matter whether one driver is ten years older, or has four world championships, if the other is faster, he should take number one status.

Bring on the fight, Charles – the time is now!

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HOW HÄKKINEN RECOVERED FROM ADELAIDE CRASH

Two-time F1 World Champion and Unibet F1 insider Mika Häkkinen reminisces his tough and long recovery process after his life-threatening crash during the 1995 Australian Grand Prix.

Against all odds, Häkkinen was back on track just a couple of months after his crash and later became a two-time F1 World Champion. He tells the story in the video above.

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MERCEDES SET TO COMMIT TO FORMULA 1 UNTIL AT LEAST 2025

Daimler AG under new boss Ola Källenius is set to confirm their commitment to Formula 1 and Formula E as the handover from his predecessor Dieter Zetsche is not expected to affect the Silver Arrows programme which has reaped huge rewards in terms of marketing and brand image for the company.

Writing for Corriere dello Sport, Fulvio Solms reports: “Mercedes will stay in F1 beyond the 2020 and until at least 2025. The decision was taken by the new president of Daimler AG, Ola Källenius, based on the programs drawn up by his predecessor Dieter Zetsche, who he took over from on May 22nd.”

“The German team will, therefore, not embark on a Le Mans program, and will continue in Formula 1 while embarking on a Formula E venture. Their commitment will now have a direct impact on commercial, technical and sports agreements negotiations for 2021. The current Concorde Agreement runs out at the end of 2020.”

The report also hints that the season to be a coinfirmed commitment from Stuttgart HQ will also go a long way to pacifying team chief Toto Wolff who is being courted for a role within Formula 1, perhaps even Chase Carey’s successor. While their star ‘asset’ Lewis Hamilton might well be swayed to remain in silver amid suggestions Ferrari are hankering for his services.

Hamilton will be 40-years-old in 2025

Mercedes once famed for making robust cars for farmers and taxi drivers now is up there in terms of sexiness on four wheels. Always reliable, now sportier and faster is what years of Formula 1 have earned them in terms of reputation.

In his report, Solms quotes numbers claiming Mercedes log $3-billion in mileage for the $600-million they spend per season on their team. A great return on investment if those figures indeed are for real. Having said that, be assured if it did not make financial sense the bean counters would pull the plug.

Mercedes’ re-entry to Formula 1 in 2010 followed decades as a successful engine supplier in the top flight. But the team (spawned from the former Honda works team that became Brawn GP for a year) paid their dues as success was not instant despite having lured Michael Schumacher out of retirement to join Nico Rosberg in the team.

The Schumacher experiment nearly worked but when Merc decided to get serious they moved Schumi aside to make way for Lewis Hamilton. A year after that the new hybrid turbo dawned and the rest is now history. They have dominated the sport ever since.

Since 2010, in 183 starts the team have racked up 84 wins, 98 pole positions, 174 podiums and ten world titles, two more beckon.

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Kimi Raikkonen: 2021 rules won't determine Formula 1 stay

Kimi Raikkonen says whatever Formula 1 decides with its 2021 regulations will not be the determining factor in whether he extends his career in the championship.

Raikkonen is contracted to Alfa Romeo through the end of 2020, by which time he will be 41, and ostensibly the driver with the most grand prix entries to his name.

“Obviously I have a contract for next year, and after that, we’ll see how things go and if I’m interested,” said Raikkonen.

When asked whether the 2021 rules will impact that choice, the Finn said: “No, no. Because in the end, [when] we make a big rule change, you never know [what will happen].

“Generally, the big teams are still there, because they have the research to do a lot of different things and figure out the best way to do it.

“Maybe it would be nice that if everything got much closer, for the sport, not just for the drivers, but for the sport. But honestly, it’s very unknown.

“We can guess, but it has zero impact on driving. In the end, who knows.”

Raikkonen has slipped down the midfield standings in recent races while Alfa Romeo is now ahead only of Williams, albeit just four points down on fifth-placed Racing Point.

Raikkonen, though, stressed that the team’s overall development, rather than pure results, will determine whether 2019 can be regarded as a success.

“I don’t have something that 'oh we need to be here then I’m happy, if we are five points away from that, I need to be unhappy',” he said. “They’re numbers.

“As long as we have the feeling at the end of the year that we’ve done all we can and we keep going forward, we can be proud.

“I think we started the year okay. I think we could have started better with the first races and then [Spain] was definitely difficult for us. That’s how it goes sometimes.

“We just need to look into our own things and not really look as much at what happens around.

“Obviously we can see the numbers and we are where we are in the championship, but as long as we keep understanding and improving, I think that’s the aim, and obviously taking the team step by step forward.

“If I’m last, I’m last. If I’m 10th or whatever, it’s not really… Once the last race is over, life is no different after that.”

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Hamilton expects Mercedes engine upgrade for Canada

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes' first Formula 1 engine upgrade of the season is among the improvements he expects to see for the next race in Canada.
Mercedes has dominated the start of the 2019 season, winning all six races and scoring two podium finishes at every grand prix.

Hamilton won the previous race in Monaco after surviving race-long pressure from Red Bull's Max Verstappen, though his task was made harder by Mercedes later admitting it had put him on the wrong tyres.

The five-time world champion said he and Mercedes still had room to improve ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in two weekends' time.

"A lot of analysis will be made, particularly towards trying to understand the tyres better and deliver better in terms of our processes," said Hamilton.

"And on my side, [I am] trying to work even better with my engineers to try and extract more from my car.

"That means Bono [Peter Bonnington, Hamilton's race engineer] and Marcus [Dudley, performance engineer] and a lot of the engineers trying to extract more information from the energy recovery system, and positioning the information in the right way so I can deliver more from this car.

"And I know the guys back at the factory are working on developments. We will probably have a new engine by the next race, so the car will continue to move forward as we will."

Mercedes intended to bring its upgraded engine to the Canadian Grand Prix last year but postponed that by one race to France after a quality issue.

It is the only engine manufacturer still to introduce its first upgrade of the season, and thus Mercedes is on a conventional schedule.

Honda was the first to do so, bringing forward its 'Spec 2' engine for reliability reasons at round four in Azerbaijan.

Renault had a new-spec engine on reliability grounds for the following race in Spain, where Ferrari introduced its own upgrade in the pursuit of greater performance.

If a driver uses more than three engines in a season they will begin to incur grid penalties, with Mercedes arguably now best-placed to avoid that scenario.

Despite that, and its commanding position atop both drivers' and teams' championships, Hamilton insists Mercedes will not relent in its quest to improve.

He said his rivals were "as close as they could be" in Monaco but praised his team for a race performance that "generally was very, very strong".

Hamilton added: "Obviously we were on the wrong tyres, so strategically we could have done a better job, without a doubt. We don't always get that perfect and I think we'll definitely learn from it. What doesn't break you only makes you stronger."

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Porsche built engine for possible F1 2021 entry

Porsche has built and tested an engine that would have been Formula 1 compatible and formed the basis of a 2021 entry had it committed to joining the world championship.
The German manufacturer was known to be considering an F1 programme, its first for almost three decades, as it joined the process establishing new engine rules for 2021 and beyond.

However, Porsche's F1 prospects ended when the parent Volkswagen Audi Group opted to cancel its World Endurance Championship/LMP1 project in favour of a Formula E entry, and the prospect of simplified and cheaper F1 engines stalled.

Porsche's head of motorsport Fritz Enzinger told Motorsport.com that prior to its exit from LMP1 – which it had dominated with a two-litre, four-cylinder engine – Porsche had started work on a six-cylinder engine that was F1 compatible.

"In 2017 there were signals from Formula 1 that the regulations were to be changed and that energy recovery from the exhaust gases [the MGU-H] was no longer required," he said.

"As of 2017, Porsche was a member of the FIA Manufacturers Commission and was involved in the discussions about the future drive strategy in Formula 1 from 2021 and represented at the meetings.

"On the one hand we took part in these working groups. On the other hand the guys developed a six-cylinder for the WEC in parallel. Of course, we thought about what would have to change if the engine were to be used in Formula 1. Such things can be done in two ways."

Porsche had a 40-person team from its LMP1 project to develop the six-cylinder engine.

In 2017 it became clear this would not be used for a WEC programme because Porsche committed to leaving that championship once the rules shifted and the series failed to find a replacement for Porsche's sister brand Audi.

Though a move to FE, where Audi was also present, was an "obvious idea", Enzinger said the six-cylinder engine concept was still pursued because an F1 engine without the MGU-H would "also be interesting for a super sports car".

"At the end of 2017, we received a concrete order from our parent company to further develop a highly efficient six-cylinder engine, despite its LMP1 withdrawal," he said.

"Not only on paper, but actually as hardware and with the idea that this engine will be put to the test in 2019. That was the order from the board to us."

Porsche has not competed in F1 since its failed engine programme in 1991 with the Footwork team.

Enzinger said its six-cylinder engine "is complete and running on the test bench" as a team of "20 to 25 technicians" use it "for analyses and further orders with regard to series relevance".

"The possible use for this six-cylinder engine was completely open," he said. "If it had been decided to send Porsche 2021 to Formula 1, we would have made it the way we did in 2018."

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FERRARI: NO CHANGES ON THE CAR FOR CANADA

This Sunday sees the fiftieth running of the Canadian Grand Prix. The race first appeared on the calendar in 1967, when Jack Brabham won in a car bearing his own name.

The event has been held at three circuits: Mosport Park, 8 times, Mont Tremblant twice and Montreal 39 times, making it one of the classics of the World Championship.

A dozen. Scuderia Ferrari has won twelve times in Canada, the first time securing a one-two finish in 1970 at Mont Tremblant. Jacky Ickx was first past the flag in the 312B followed by team-mate Clay Regazzoni.

In Montreal. Eight years later, the race switched to Montreal on a track made up of the perimeter roads of the artificially constructed Ile Notre Dame, using the excavations of the structures used for Expo 67. It is a low downforce track, which is very hard on brakes.

That first race in ’78 will always be remembered for the victory that went to Canadian Gilles Villeneuve in the Ferrari 312 T3. The fallout from this win was amazing, being the first for a Canadian, especially as Gilles himself was a Quebecois.

In 1982, Villeneuve was killed at Zolder and the Montreal track was named after him. A year later, Scuderia Ferrari won again thanks to a great performance from Rene Arnoux. In 1985 another win came courtesy of Michele Alboreto.

The best birthday present. In 1995, at the wheel of Ferrari number 27, Jean Alesi, whose 31st birthday it was, got the best present possible. Michael Schumacher had to pit from the lead in his Benetton to have his steering wheel changed and the systems reset and, for once, Alesi managed to shake off the bad luck that had dogged him for too long and was first past the chequered flag.

There’s a large Italian population in Montreal and a track invasion duly followed and not wishing to run anyone over, Jean abandoned his 412 T2 and hitched a lift, wearing the Italian flag, on Schumacher’s car.

Dominant. Six of Scuderia Ferrari’s Canadian wins have come courtesy of the aforementioned German. The first came in 1997, the second, the following year was somewhat controversial as the Ferrari man came out of pit lane and pushed Heinz-Harald Frentzen and his Williams off the track. Michael was given a stop and go penalty but still managed to take the win.

Wall of Champions. The walls are a feature of this track and one in particular, on the outside of the final corner leading onto the start-finish line, has claimed several world champions, which has led to it being known as the “Wall of Champions.”

Jacques Villeneueve, Damon Hill, Rubens Barrichello and more recently, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel, the latter on Friday in 2011, have all left their “signature” on the wall.

Michael Schumacher couldn’t avoid it either, ending his 1999 race there while in the lead. However, he is the undisputed master of this track with a total of seven wins including those in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

Sebastian. Actually, that 2004 victory was the last for a long time for Scuderia Ferrari. It had to wait until last year when Sebastian Vettel won in Montreal, beating Bottas and Verstappen. In fact, the chequered flag was waved one lap too early by Canadian fashion model Winnie Harlow, following a communication mix up between the race directors and the marshal in the gantry.

Mattia Binotto, Team Principal: “Thinking of Canada, there are so many memories of past seasons that come to mind. This track has usually produced some exciting and unexpected racing. The long straight and the big braking zone before the chicane that leads onto the start-finish line is the place to overtake and to see some good fights.”

“We know we’re not competitive enough right now and, for the time being we haven’t got any more changes coming on the car that will have a significant effect on the problems we have encountered since the start of the season.”

“However, the Canadian track characteristics present another different challenge, given that top speed, braking efficiency and traction are the main considerations. We arrive here ready to do our best and to put the mistakes of the last few races behind us.”

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WOLFF: CANADA WILL BE A HUGE CHALLENGE FOR US

With his team cleaning up in this year’s Formula 1 World Championship Toto Wolff remains wary of the forthcoming Canadian Grand Prix, where he fears that his mighty cars will be challenged at the power-friendly Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

In his preview of the race weekend in Montreal, Wolff said, “Canada is the seventh race of the season and we are beginning to see more clearly the strengths and weaknesses of our car.”

“In the past six races, we were very strong in the corners but lost time on the straights. This will make Canada a huge challenge for us as the track characteristics could favour our opponents – there are many long straights, and fewer corners in which to make up lap time.”

“But we’re looking forward to the challenge; we’ve seen some great races in Canada in recent years and expect another action-packed weekend in Montreal.”

Although Lewis Hamilton won in Monaco, Valtteri Bottas was third and thus ended their remarkable record-breaking, five-race one-two streak.

Sadly the weekend at the Principality was overshadowed by the passing of F1 legend and Silver Arrows chairman Niki Lauda, which invariably took its toll on the World Champions.

Wolff revealed, “Monaco was not an easy weekend for the team. On the one hand, winning in Monte Carlo is one of the best things an F1 team can experience – especially if it is such a tight race with a nail-biting finish.”

“On the other hand, the loss of Niki hit us hard. But we think he would have been proud of the performance we delivered in the circumstances.”

After six races, Mercedes already have a considerable lead in the F1 constructors’ standings while Hamilton and Bottas top the F1 drivers’ table, thanks to the formidable W10 which s proving to be a handy piece of kit no matter where it unleashed.

Some believe the point-and-squirt nature of the track on Ile Notre-Dame might tilt the playing towards Ferrari, however, the Merc seems happy through slow corners as well as the fast stuff. Bet against them at your peril.

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TORO ROSSO: OUR CAR IS CONSISTENT AND WORKS THROUGH ALL CORNERS

Toro Rosso drivers preview the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Round 7 of the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.

Alex Albon: “This will be my first time racing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and based on the last couple of Grands Prix, I am hoping for a strong performance and more points. The Monaco race weekend finally delivered the results we’ve been longing to get, after most other races when there’d always been a slight hiccough along the way. In the last race, we really nailed it and the team worked very well.”

“Although I’d raced in Monaco before, the F1 weekend was a different ball game with all the distractions outside of driving the car; so many people to meet, all the celebrities in the Energy Station. It was a very cool event and I can see why people go there. Getting into Q3 for the first time was pleasing. We had the pace all weekend, which is encouraging, and finishing P7 and P8 puts us in a confident mood for Montreal.

“I’ve never been to Montreal before, but I’ve heard great things about it and, in a way, the last few races kind of build you up to it, as the circuit seems to have a bit of Monaco, but also Barcelona. I’m excited to go to a new track and it looks really cool. It seems like a true driver’s track, where you «play» with the walls and every driver loves that. I enjoyed learning the track on the simulator and it looks very technical.”

“In terms of setup, the compromise is a bit like Baku as you need the speed down the long straights, but the corners are slow and require plenty of downforce. It’s the sort of track for which I will need to do my homework. It is very bumpy and there are lots of tricks you need to know to get a fast lap, making good use of the kerbs. I’m excited!

“I’ve also been told that the city itself has a fantastic feeling to it, so I’m looking forward to discovering that too. I believe we can have another good result here. I’ve finished between eighth and eleventh in 5 of this year’s 6 races, which means our car is consistent and works through all types of corners, on different kinds of tracks, and even different track surfaces.”

“It means we have a good basis on which to build on with this car, we are now unlocking its potential with our race pace especially looking pretty good. From my side, I am also getting a better understanding of how to set up the car to suit my driving style, so everything is moving in the right direction.”

Daniil Kvyat: “I think we can look forward to the Canadian weekend in a positive frame of mind because of the way things have been going in recent weeks. In Monaco, we scored good points after qualifying and the race both went well for us. All in all, there were many positive things from the last race. The car was also quite competitive in Barcelona, as well as in Monaco, which are two very different tracks so it’s a good thing for the future that we know we can perform on a variety of circuits.

“I think the team has done an excellent job of developing the car since the start of the year, in terms of understanding what the car needs to go quicker and in finding the correct setup approach. From my side, I have learned how to get more out of the package, and all these elements combined means the car is performing better now.

“As for the Montreal circuit, it’s a very fast track, obviously. Lots of straight line performance is needed there. Then, there are a few chicanes in the middle. They’re all change of direction kind of corners. The road surface is quite dirty there on Friday because the track is not used during the year, so you need to understand where the track goes during the weekend and how it evolves.

“It’s a very classic event and it’s an enjoyable track to drive. The long straights and the big braking zones mean the racing there has always been quite exciting, as you can fight with other cars and the DRS zones mean there is plenty of overtaking, which make it interesting for the spectators. With long straights and slow corners, you always need some kind of compromise with the car’s aero and mechanical setup, so you spend Friday trying to understand what works best for the car and where are the limitations to work on those.

“I like the atmosphere at this circuit and I hear they have made changes to the facilities, so it will be interesting to see what they have done. Montreal, to be honest, is one of my favourites in terms of the place, the circuit location, and the track itself. It’s very high on my preferred races list. It’s a very cool city to be in. Very alive, very good food and a great atmosphere.”

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WILLIAMS: LET’S SEE WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS WEEKEND

We are ready to hop across the pond to North America for round seven of the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship.

Montreal has the unique privilege of breaking up the European leg of the season and a city that grinds to a halt over the race weekend as fans from around the world descend on Quebec.

Robert looks forward to driving in Canada once again, a race he has had previous success at having taken victory there in 2008. George, meanwhile, makes his first appearance in Montreal, having never previously driven the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Finally, the team’s Reserve Driver, Nicholas Latifi will drive the FW42 once again, this time during FP1 in front of his home crowd.

Dave Robson, Senior Race Engineer: “For round seven of the Championship, we leave Europe once again and head to Montreal for one of the most enjoyable races on the calendar. Situated on the Notre Dame Island, alongside the rowing lake built for the 1976 Olympic Games, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve always leads to some exciting and close racing.”

“Overtaking is easier than at many circuits and the weather and tyres often play a significant part in the race strategy. In contrast to Monaco, most cars will run lower downforce to increase their straight-line speed and therefore their race pace. However, this can come at the expense of qualifying laptime as well as tyre management. As a result, we can expect to see a range of set-up solutions.”

“Following his successful testing appearances in Bahrain and Barcelona, our Reserve Driver Nicholas Latifi will drive Robert’s car during FP1. This is Nicholas’s home race and we look forward to some strong local support on Friday.”

“Nicholas will be involved fully in our race preparations, and alongside George will conduct some important testing of new components during FP1. For FP2 onwards Robert will return to the track and refamiliarise himself with the circuit which played host to his maiden Formula One victory in 2008.”

Robert Kubica: “Montreal is a great city and one of my favourite Grands Prix. Although it was a long time ago, I have good feelings there and I am excited to return. It is a unique track, very demanding and can be quite tricky. I am looking forward to racing once again in Canada, let’s see what we can achieve this weekend.”

George Russell: “I am really looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix as I hear that it is an amazing place. I enjoy driving new circuits and it looks like a very fun and unique place to drive. Off the back of a few positives in Monaco we are hoping to continue our momentum getting closer to the rest of the field.”

Nicholas Latifi: “I’m really excited to take part in my first FP1 session with the team. The fact that it’s at my home GP will definitely add an extra bit of excitement but nonetheless the goal still remains the same.”

“I want to do a good job for the team and give them the feedback they need to guide them going into FP2. I feel really well prepared after the three days of in-season testing I have had, along with all the work I have conducted at the factory this year, I can’t wait to hit the track!”

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PIRELLI: EXPECT A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES IN MONTREAL

Like Monaco, Canada isn’t a conventional racing circuit, and once more the three softest compounds in the P Zero Formula 1 range have been selected: the hard is the C3, the medium is the C4, and the soft is the C5. But that’s where the similarities end.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – named after Canada’s most celebrated driver – holds a unique challenge, on only the second appearance this year for the softest C5.

Track Characteristics

Montréal is a semi-permanent track with smooth asphalt, using roads in the Parc Jean Drapeau that are open to the public for recreational activities during the rest of the year. This means that it’s especially ‘green’ and slippery at the start of the grand prix weekend, with a high degree of track evolution as the surface gets rubbered in.

Canada is all about traction and braking, so getting heat into the front tyres is part of the challenge. There is no much run-off, so safety cars are a reasonably common occurrence, which of course can affect strategy.

Weather is variable, but cool temperatures and rain are quite common at this time of the year (in 2011, red flag interruptions because of rain let to the longest grand prix in F1 history, lasting more than four hours). As a result of the cool weather and track conditions, some degree of graining can be expected, especially at the start of the weekend.

Unlike Monaco, there’s plenty of opportunity to overtake in Canada, with a much higher average speed, long straights, and plenty of heavy braking areas. This makes it a very tough circuit on brakes: something that the teams always have to look out for.

There was a mix of strategies used last year, with most drivers choosing a one-stopper, also influenced by an early safety car. The top two at the end (and on the grid) didn’t start the race on the softest available compound, and that might be the case again this weekend. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) began on the ultrasoft – the approximate equivalent of the current C4 – before switching to the supersoft, which has been deleted from this year’s line-up.

Mario Isola, Head of F1 & Car Racing: “Broadly speaking, our nomination for Canada is about the same as last year, when the hypersoft also made its second appearance of the year after Monaco.”

“The main difference is that the hardest compound available this weekend is a bit harder than last year, and there is no equivalent of the supersoft in the 2019 range, so the choices are more spread out.”

“While we have the same nomination as Monaco, a few of the teams have compared Montréal more with Baku – where we made a harder selection – because of the higher speeds, longer straights, and the challenge of balancing tyre temperatures across the front and rear of the car.

Montréal is also a race that contains plenty of variety, in terms of strategy, on-track action and weather. The teams always go into it not knowing quite what to expect, so it’s especially important to accumulate as much tyre data as possible in order to be able to make an informed reaction to changing circumstances”.

Other Pirelli news:

Unlike Monaco, when the teams stocked up on the softest compound, the harder compounds have also been selected for Montréal. In particular, Ferrari has chosen five sets of the medium tyre: more than any other team on the grid. This could indicate that some teams are planning to use these in Q2 and to start the race.

Canada is one of Pirelli’s two grand prix title sponsorships this year, alongside France. The Italian firm will also be present at the official Formula 1 Fan Festival, which takes place in Chicago.

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MCLAREN: WE HEAD TO CANADA ENCOURAGED BY MOMENTUM

The Canadian Grand Prix has been on the Formula 1 calendar since 1967 and the race has been staged at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal since 1978.

The track is located on the Ile Notre Dame, a man-made island in the St Lawrence Seaway, and this year marks a sea-change in the venue’s infrastructure because there is a new pit and paddock area to welcome the teams.

The race is F1’s first trip of 2019 to North America and it’s also the first high-speed challenge of the season for the teams and drivers. The cars exceed 300km/h (186mph) on four occasions around the lap, rewarding aerodynamic efficiency and engine power.

Carlos Sainz: “After three races in a row scoring points we’ve got some good momentum and we will try to extend that in Canada. Monaco was a strong weekend for me personally, but it is already in the past and we know the car has margin to improve, so now is the time to push even harder if we want to maintain our position in the Championship. Getting overconfident would be a huge mistake at this point.

“Canada has offered some great racing in the past and the layout of the track is interesting. It shares characteristics with the street circuits, but it also has some high-speed sectors which are fun to drive with these cars. Montreal is a cool city to visit and the atmosphere is always very welcoming. I look forward to getting the weekend started.”

Lando Norris: “I’m very excited to head to Canada and Montreal. It will be my first time there and the track is one I’ve always liked driving on the sim. It definitely looks like you can overtake and have a bit more fun there.

“The racing can be a bit unpredictable at this circuit and the weather often plays a part. My focus, as always, is on making sure I’m in a position to take any chances I can for both myself and the team and gaining as much experience of a new track as possible.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “We head to Canada encouraged by the momentum of the last few races but also completely focused on ensuring we are still moving forward. We keep developing the car and are bringing new parts to Montreal

“The execution of our race operations has made the difference when points have been on offer this season, so it’s crucial that we maintain our high standards. Strategy, pit-stops and race execution from the drivers and the team are key areas in this respect.

“The circuit in Montreal offers some unique challenges. It is in essence a street circuit, but at very high speed. Safety cars and changing weather have often determined the result here, so we must be prepared for any eventuality.”

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RED BULL: CANADA MAY BE A BIT MORE DIFFICULT

Red Bull drivers preview the Canadian Grand Prix, Round 7 of the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.

Max Verstappen “Montreal is always a nice city to go to. The track is actually pretty challenging even though it looks like there are quite a lot of straights. The chicanes and how you ride the kerbs is important as it can compromise you a lot if you make a mistake.”

“It’s all connected, left to right or right to left, if you make a mistake on one of them, then your whole sequence is destroyed. It’s a fun track, at least you can overtake if needed and I always enjoy going there. I expect Ferrari to be more competitive in Canada, so for us it may be a bit more difficult, but as always we will try and maximise the result.”

Pierre Gasly “Canada is a great place and the fact people speak French there also makes life a bit easier for me! It’s a good track with a lot of history and it usually produces some decent racing with its long straight. I’ve only been to Canada once before so I don’t know much about Montreal but I’m happy to be going back and it’s a track that’s usually good for the Team.”

“Max finished third there last year and Daniel got his first win with the Team in Montreal so it’s always been pretty successful for Red Bull. I think you always relate a track with your previous performance there and I was P11 in 2018 so it was ok but this year I will be aiming for much better.”

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MEKIES: PERFORMANCE-WISE WE ARE BEHIND EVERYWHERE

Ferrari have yet to win a race this season and betting on them doing so any time soon would be brave, no surprise as the team lags behind Mercedes an all fronts according to Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies.

Sadly for tifosi, Sebastian Vettel’s fortuitous second place in Monaco is the team’s best result in sixth tries so far this season as the SF90 is proving no match for the mighty Mercedes W10.

Former FIA man turned Ferrari sporting boss, Mekies told Auto Hebdo, “We have not progressed as much as we would have liked since the end of the winter tests.

“In terms of absolute performance, we are behind everywhere. We need to improve in the way we manage our aero along with the mechanical grip and our tyres.”

“The interaction between what the car does and what the tyres do is one of the main keys to performance. They are different from last year and there is potential for development. We’re still in an exploration phase.”

Despite Ferrari being shown up in the first six races of the season, Mekies sees the positives, “We were not good in Australia, very good in Bahrain, average in China, pretty good in Baku, struggling in Spain and Monaco… We are at 6/0 but we could be 4/2!’

“Ahead of us we have a very strong team (Mercedes) and we have to be perfect everywhere to hope to beat them,” he added.

Next up is Canada, a power circuit where Ferrari are expected to be more in their comfort zone than they were in Monaco.

Mekies acknowledged, “Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is more like Baku and Bahrain where we were better, but we must remain cautious because things are moving quickly as we have seen since the beginning of the season.”

Heading to Montreal for round seven of the F1 World Championship, Ferrari trail Mercedes in the constructors’ standings by a daunting 118 points.

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SEIDL: WE ARE MISSING IS 1.5 TO 2.0 SECONDS

It did not take long for McLaren’s new team principal Andreas Seidl did not take long to establish what the paddock already knew, namely that the gap to the pace-setting Mercedes team is around two seconds per lap when all the ponies are set free.

After taking stock at recent races, Seidl concluded, “What is obvious, we are missing is 1.5 to 2.0 seconds. This means that if you put it into perspective with the budget we have, with the infrastructure, we have to do better overall. That’s the mission right now.”

With a full mandate from team CEO Zak Brown, who declared recently: “It’s his racing team to run.”

Seidl’s task to reduce the gap to the top is clear, “I first need to understand the organisation entirely. Then make my mind up how to structure this project in the future.”

“It’s important also to get the 2021 regulations because they will affect the overall set-up of the team for the future. Then it’s down to me, together with Zak, to work out this mission and how we want to approach these next years.”

43-year-old  Seidl has pedigree with big racing organisations having headed Porsche’s impressive WEC programme after a spell in charge of BMW’s DTM project. Each time the German made champions of the teams he led.

He acknowledged, “For sure I can use the experiences I have made in different categories. I think the fundamental points that you need to have in place in order to have a successful organisation are the same, it doesn’t matter if it is a GT racing programme, an LMP programme or F1.”

“Overall, the projects I have been involved in the past, they were also ‘works’ programmes. Big programmes with big budgets. So I am convinced I can bring a lot of experience towards McLaren and apply them.”

“At the same time, it is also important to take my time now and respect what is in place. There are a lot of good things. People are committed, there is a lot of talent,” added Seidl.

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Why Williams can finally see light at the end of the tunnel

Williams has had a forgettable start to the 2019 Formula 1 season, but recent races have shown that the first signs of recovery are emerging.
The F1 team showed improvements in both the Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix and has major upgrades planned for the remainder of 2019.

Edd Straw and Scott Mitchell join Glenn Freeman to discuss the positive signs that suggest Williams could be back on the right track.

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NFL, motorbikes and Schumacher fandom - Getting to know the real Lance Stroll

A parking lot, a few cones and a “little blue kart off the shelf” he got for his birthday. That was Lance Stroll’s first taste of motorsport. Just 12 years later, he found himself in F1, a few months after that, he became the second-youngest driver to finish on the podium with third in Baku. Ahead of his home race, get to know Canada's favourite a little better…

For Lance Stroll, his introduction to racing was provided by his father, Lawrence, a billionaire who made his money in the fashion industry, had a passion for motor sport and even took to the track himself. “I got the bug straight away,” admits Stroll, who would watch his father race while also getting up early on Sunday mornings in his native Canada to catch F1 Grands Prix while eating breakfast.

For his sixth birthday, he was given a kart. “I spent the summer driving around the parking lot with cones,” he says, as we chat after he completes a marathon two-hour photoshoot. “I don’t remember what make it was, but it was very basic, bottom of the shelf, just something to get round the cones!

“I remember just whizzing around the parking lot for the whole summer – I loved it. I loved the speed and the flow. The pleasure driving has to offer is very unique and that’s what struck me from day one. The next summer, I got into a more advanced kart, I went to a few tracks around Montreal that held competitions. I started to go regularly to these tracks, and drive with some of the kids who raced at the times. By the time I was eight years old, I was racing.”

Inspired by Michael Schumacher – “I looked up to him, he was my idol” - he started taking karting seriously, winning the Federation de Sport Automobile du Quebec rookie of the year award in 2009. But it wasn’t until he entered the FIA Euro F3 Series with Prema, a team owned by his father, that he started to think racing could genuinely be a career. He made the most of the opportunity, and the machinery at his disposal, to win 14 races on his way to the Euro F3 title at his second attempt, an accolade which preceded promotion to F1 with Williams the following season.

“I never looked that far down the road, I just played it by ear,” he says. “It brought me to where I am today. F3 is when I started to take it seriously, when I could envisage F1 down the line. You never know what the future holds, so it was about embracing the present.”

From the age of 13, he was home-schooled. “My mother didn’t let me off the leash, that’s for sure,” he says with a smile. “She made sure I finished High School and made sure I did all my homework. There was a lot of work to do on the side of racing, fitting it in on the way to the track or in between sessions at the track. It was never my cup of tea, but it had to be done.

“I enjoyed maths, it triggered my brain. Everything else was OK. I didn’t really mind any of it. But I was more interested in spending time in a go-kart. Obviously after High School, racing has taken over my life.”

Celebrating his surprise third place in Baku in 2017

His first two years in F1, with Williams, were highlighted by his third place in the chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017 and his superb drive to fourth in wet conditions in Italian Grand Prix qualifying, which became second on the grid following penalties to rivals.

He then moved to Racing Point, which is owned by his father, for this season, but it’s been challenging. At the last race in Monaco, he extended his run of failing to get out of Q1 to 10 times in a row, but he has gone on to score points on two occasions from six attempts in 2019.

When he’s not at the track, he likes to follow the NFL. “In the couple of months before the start of the F1 season, I’m on the couch watching football on a Sunday,” he says. “I’m a New York Giants fan. I don’t get to many games these days, but I’ve been two Super Bowls. In fact, they were the two Super Bowls that the Giants won, in 2008 and 2012. They don’t win much anymore unfortunately!”

You won’t find him kitted up on an American football pitch, but he’s clearly an outdoors kind of person. “I played tonnes of sports when I was younger and I still do. I did a lot of mountain biking growing up and I was and am a big skier. I played a lot of [ice] hockey too and now play tennis, play golf and surf. It’s basically what I spend my time doing. When I’m not on track, I’m very active and I just like to live it up.”

Celebrating his ninth place finish at home with the fans in 2017.

When Stroll signed his deal with Williams, the announcement of which had to be delayed until he turned 18 because the team’s title sponsor at the time was alcohol brand Martini, he hadn’t passed his driving test. That has since been rectified, but its two-wheels rather than four that he gets about on.

“I don’t really drive much on the road, to be honest,” he said. “I catch a cab or whatever time to time. I ride bikes. Motorbikes, it’s easier through traffic. I have got a bike [at his home] in Switzerland. I love ripping round on a bike. I have an XSR700 Yamaha. I blast through the mountains on that, it’s a lot fun. I do enough driving on the track! So anything under F1 isn’t that exciting. It’s just so much better through traffic and so much more convenient.”

This weekend, he’ll contest his third home race at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, having scored points on his first appearance with Williams in 2017. It’s a circuit he knows well, the Montreal-born racer attending several Grands Prix there as a fan. “I can’t remember what year I first went, but it was back in the Schumacher days, in the early 2000s,” he says.

“I love racing in Canada. The support is great, everyone is passionate about F1. It’s always great to see the energy that goes on around Grand Prix weekend in Montreal. Canadian fans really get into it. I’m so grateful and thankful for the support. They have got my back and it’s great to represent my country on the grid.”