The Canadian Grand Prix has been a highlight race on the Formula 1 schedule since its debut in 1967 having led to some unforgettable moments, so here are five of the best.
F1 first visited the Great White North in 1967 after acquiring the name of the Canadian GP. It was originally run under sports car and later CAN-AM rules. But it has solely been an F1 race since 1967, and has also taken the pinnacle of motorsport to Ontario, Quebec and Montreal.
Montreal has also seen Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton dominate the Canadian GP over the years. The Formula 1 icons have both enjoyed fabled success on Ile Notre-Dame as the most successful drivers at the Canadian GP. Jack Brabham won on F1’s first visit in 1967.
Canada initially welcomed Formula 1 to North America in 1967 as the country celebrated its 100th anniversary, as well. Its race has since been a staple of the calendar after producing a wealth of unforgettable memories, so here are five famous moments from the Canadian GP.
Home hero Gilles Villeneuve won the 1978 Canadian GP
The Canadian GP moved to Montreal in 1978 and saw home hero Gilles Villeneuve claim the top step of the podium. He handed Ferrari glory on Ile Notre-Dame as snowflakes fell on the artificial island. But the cherry on top was that it was also Villeneuve’s first win in Formula 1.
Villeneuve produced a masterful race to become the first Canadian driver to win their home Grand Prix. He even pulled away from Jody Scheckter and Carlos Reutemann despite having a broken gear linkage. The Quebec native also went against the Michelin technicians’ advice.
With the 1978 Canadian GP taking place on October 8, Villeneuve gambled on using a softer tyre compound than Michelin recommended after qualifying in third place. He later took P2 on Lap 25 and the lead on L50 when Jean-Pierre Jarier retired due to his brakes overheating.
Nelson Piquet stole the win from Nigel Mansell at the 1991 Canadian GP
Nigel Mansell only ever won the Canadian GP in 1986 whilst racing with Williams but should have also taken to the top step of the podium in 1991. Yet a much-debated incident cost the Briton his shot at glory whilst celebrating a victory around Ile Notre-Dame one lap too soon.
Riccardo Patrese proved unable to deny Mansell the lead after a strong start from P2 on the grid. But after opening a nearly unassailable lead on Nelson Piquet while leading for 68 laps, Mansell suddenly slowed exiting the hairpin a few hundred yards shy of the chequered flag.
Officially, Mansell decelerated after his Renault engine went into neutral as he shifted down from fifth to fourth gear. Yet it was also whispered that Mansell let his engine revs drop too much while he waved to the crowd, prematurely celebrating winning the 1991 Canadian GP.
Piquet punished Mansell regardless of the actual cause for the Williams driver’s brief loss of pace. The Briton’s old nemesis swept through to steal the win from the 1992 F1 champion in Montreal. Stefano Modena and Patrese also snuck in front of Mansell to get on the podium.
The Wall of Champions was born at the 1999 Canadian GP
The Canadian GP in Montreal is renowned for the Wall of Champions thanks to not one, not two but three Formula 1 title-winners crashing at the final corner at the 1999 meet. Damon Hill was the first champion to hit the wall, followed by Schumacher plus Jacques Villeneuve.
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, as it has been since 1982, took its first victim on Lap 14 when 1996 champion Hill lost the rear of his Jordan exiting the chicane. Another 15 laps passed before Schumacher, by then a two-time champion, grazed his Ferrari whilst in a battle for the lead.
Michael’s brother, Ralf Schumacher, had also tasted concrete at Turn 13 during qualifying at the 1999 Canadian GP. But the final corner still had another champion to claim on Lap 34 as home favourite and 1997 drivers’ champion Villeneuve ploughed nose-first into the barrier.
Villeneuve was already familiar with the Turn 13 barrier after crashing there in 1997, as well. Ricardo Zonta was also the first driver to crash at the Wall of Champions just three laps into the 1999 Canadian GP when the corner got its nickname having been at its most merciless.
Lewis Hamilton crashed into Kimi Raikkonen in the pit lane at the 2008 Canadian GP
The 2008 Canadian GP was an unforgettable weekend for Formula 1 in many ways and made Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve chiefs react. Not for the first time, the track surface broke up due to harsh conditions over the winter weakening the tarmac at Turn 2, T6, T7 and especially T10.
F1 had already witnessed the track surface break up during the 2007 Canadian GP but it was an even bigger issue in 2008. So, after patching the track with quick-drying cement between qualifying and the race, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve was resurfaced before its next race in 2010.
The quick-drying cement botch job was an ugly look for the Canadian GP. Yet Hamilton took some of the spotlight away during the race when he rammed Kimi Raikkonen in the pit exit. The Briton failed to see the red light at the exit of the pit lane in time to avoid the Finn’s car.
One year earlier, McLaren saw Hamilton achieve one of the best moments of his Formula 1 career by winning for the first time at the 2007 Canadian GP. But he left the marshals to pick up bits of his MP4-23 and Raikkonen’s F2008 Ferrari along with sweeping the track in 2008.
The stewards neutralised the race with a safety car after Adrian Sutil’s Force India caught fire upon retiring with a gearbox issue. But Hamilton did not see the exit of the pit lane was shut and rammed the rear end of Raikkonen’s stationary car before Nico Rosberg hit his McLaren.
Hamilton’s blunder even allowed for another unforgettable Canadian GP moment as Robert Kubica went on to win his first and only Formula 1 race. The Pole led Nick Heidfeld home for a BMW-Sauber one-two finish, just 12 months on from his big high-speed crash in Montreal.
Jenson Button won the longest Formula 1 race at the 2011 Canadian GP
Jenson Button won a truly unforgettable Canadian GP for McLaren in 2011 when Formula 1 witnessed its longest Grand Prix in history. Four hours and four minutes passed between the five red lights going out and the chequered flag waving to conclude a chaotic day in Canada.
The FIA even tweaked F1’s rules due to the 2011 Canadian GP to give all races a three-hour firm total time limit. But the wait was worthwhile for Button as the 2009 drivers’ champion ignored six trips through the pit lane to overtake Sebastian Vettel on the last of the 70 laps.
Button even ran last with 30 laps remaining due to his regular visits through the pit lane. He first stopped on Lap 7 after suffering a puncture from contact with his teammate, Hamilton. The Briton also got a drive-through penalty for speeding under the yellow flags they caused.
McLaren soon welcomed Button back to the pits to put him back onto full-wet tyres, having changed to intermediates. But the intensity of the rain continued to increase to cause a red flag, after which Button was back in the thick of it as he had contact with Fernando Alonso.
Button picked up yet another puncture in an incident which left Alonso beached on the kerb in his Ferrari. But a safety car period negated much of his 100-second deficit to Vettel. It also offered Button the chance to gamble on slick tyres, which let him charge through the order.
The McLaren ace gained position after position as the track continued to dry before putting race leader Vettel under pressure. It was pressure that the Red Bull racer could not stomach as the German dipped a wheel off the drying line and spun at Turn 6, gifting Button the win.
The post Five unforgettable Canadian GP moments from Button’s win to Hamilton and Raikkonen’s crash appeared first on F1 Oversteer.