The next race on the Formula 1 calendar sees the paddock cross the Atlantic Ocean once again and head to Canada.
After eight race weekends, Max Verstappen and Red Bull have competition in both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship.
However, 25 years ago, Formula 1 headed to Montreal with both championships even closer.
One of the most famous races in Canadian F1 history took place with the first two drivers crossing the line within a second of each other.
Speaking after the Grand Prix, via Atlas F1, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher was among those who shared his thoughts on the race.
One particular incident he was involved in helped coin a phrase that’s still used today.
Michael Schumacher comments on the Canadian Grand Prix
Formula 1 has raced at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve since 1978 although it was named after the former racing star in 1982.
The current track layout has been used since 1996 when a small kink in the back straight was straightened out.
The Canadian Grand Prix was always one of Michael Schumacher’s favourites, with the German having won the race on seven occasions.
That record has only been matched by Lewis Hamilton, although Ferrari are still the most successful constructor at the circuit.
However, in 1999, Schumacher recorded a DNF with his closest rival and that year’s eventual champion Mika Hakkinen winning the race.
There were plenty of big talking points that day and three in particular stood out to those watching 25 years ago.
Schumacher, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve all crashed coming out of the final corner – as well as BAR driver Ricardo Zonta.
The wall they all hit was thus christened the ‘Wall of Champions’ and has since also ended Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button’s races at future Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
Michael Schumacher comments after hitting the Wall of Champions in Canada
Speaking after his crash, Schumacher said: “I lost control of the car because I went off the racing line and got on the dirt and ended up in the wall.
“This was clearly my mistake. I usually make one mistake a year. I hope that this incident was the last for the season.”
Fellow retiree Jacques Villeneuve added: “It was my mistake – I was simply going a little bit too fast. There was a lot [of] dirt down on the track at that point, it was easy to make a mistake.”
Meanwhile, eventual Mika Hakkinen commented: “It was a fantastic race. I really enjoyed it and I am really pleased to have changed my luck at this particular circuit.
“I felt very comfortable with the car and I was able to match Michael’s pace and at the same time look after my car.
“Then to my surprise, I saw him go off and I just concentrated on maintaining the right pace to win the race.”
Mika Hakkinen pipped Eddie Irvine to the title in 1999
Michael Schumacher’s retirement at the Canadian Grand Prix was his penultimate race before he suffered a serious injury at Silverstone.
A rear brake failure caused a crash that saw Schumacher break his leg and all of a sudden Ferrari’s hopes of winning the championship rested on Eddie Irvine.
He was four points ahead of Hakkinen heading into the final race of the season in Japan – but the Finn won the Grand Prix in Suzuka while Irvine could only finish third.
Schumacher had returned at this stage and split both drivers on the podium and if he had ceded his place to Irvine, they would have finished the championship level on points.
The Canadian Grand Prix has always been one of the best races on the calendar and is a fantastic mixture of high-speed straights and jeopardy-inducing corners – as Schumacher and others found out.
McLaren will once again hope they can challenge Ferrari as Hakkinen did in 1999.
Frederic Vasseur has admitted that the team have had to make a sacrifice with their upgrades ahead of the Grand Prix.
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