MONTREAL 鈥� Lewis Hamilton has one race at the top of his list.
Nothing compares to competing at Silverstone 鈥� his home track 鈥� for the seven-time world champion.
The Canadian Grand Prix, however, ranks a close second.
"One of my favourite Grands Prix," the Ferrari driver said. "One of my favourite fan experiences."
Hamilton highlighted the up-close feel with spectators, even when he's flying around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve at more than 300 kilometres per hour.
鈥淭he grandstands are really close to the track,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou go somewhere like Austria 鈥� beautiful circuit, beautiful countryside 鈥� but if you go on the track down to Turn 4, the grandstands are so far away you need binoculars.
鈥淗ere, they鈥檙e right next to you as you鈥檙e braking into Turn 10, or coming through Turn 2 鈥� You get a different sense of that experience from a driver鈥檚 perspective. I think it鈥檚 amazing.鈥�
The 40-year-old Brit won his first-ever Formula One race in Montreal with McLaren back in 2007. He now holds a record 105 career wins, and his seven victories at the Canadian GP tie him with Michael Schumacher for the most all-time.
And Hamilton is not the only big fan of racing in Montreal. Drivers who have yet to top the podium in Canada also spoke positively about the challenging course ahead of Sunday's race.
"A track I enjoy,鈥� said McLaren鈥檚 Oscar Piastri, the current F1 leader. 鈥淚t's very, very difficult to drive around here, to not make mistakes.鈥�
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is situated on 脦le Notre-Dame, a man-made island on the banks of the St. Lawrence River with a backdrop of the city鈥檚 downtown.
The hybrid street circuit has two long straights and tricky chicanes, and is well-known for featuring plenty of overtakes. A wild race in 2024 featured 83 alone.
Also adding character: inclement weather, the 鈥淲all of Champions鈥� 鈥� an often crashed-into barrier at the final turn 鈥� and groundhogs. The furry rodents routinely risk their lives and run onto the surface.
鈥淵ou never know what you're going to get here. Groundhogs running around, causing mayhem,鈥� Mercedes pilot George Russell said. 鈥淵ou go to a race in the summer and the weather's blue skies, it's reasonably easy for us all to predict, but when you see races like here last year 鈥� that's when it's exciting.鈥�
Lightning, torrential rain and hail impacted last year鈥檚 race weekend.
In 2011, McLaren鈥檚 Jenson Button famously won the longest race in F1 history in more than four hours after climbing from last to first place amid heavy downpours.
鈥淭he weather can come into play,鈥� three-time reigning Canadian GP winner Max Verstappen said. 鈥淚t can always be a very interesting Grand Prix where a lot happens.
"I like the corners, you need to ride some curbs. It feels like a bit of a go-kart style. High speeds, big braking zones as well to master, so I always enjoy it.鈥�
Outside the track, last year鈥檚 grand prix was marked by heavy congestion, poor communication and rain flooding the paddocks.
Canadian GP organizers made several upgrades this year 鈥� including fewer road closures and new, two-story team hospitality areas 鈥� but the challenging 2024 event sparked some speculation that the Montreal race could be removed from the F1 calendar before its contract expires in 2031.
Lance Stroll, the lone Canadian on the 20-driver grid, said that would be 鈥渁 shame鈥� 鈥� and not only because it鈥檚 his home event.
鈥淚f I put that aside, it's one of the best tracks on a Sunday,鈥� Stroll said. 鈥淎 lot of these places we go to, it's a dictated weekend by Saturday, so no one likes watching the race in Monaco on Sunday, but we go every year.
鈥淪aturday's a lot of fun here, because it's a great lap, but Sunday it can rain. I think last year we had it 鈥� you're on dries (tires), you're on wets, you're back on dries. And the race is just not over until the checkered flag.鈥�
Carlos Sainz Jr., who drives for Williams, is an ambassador for the new Madrid racetrack debuting next season. The Spanish driver said it鈥檚 important for circuits to provide character, openings for overtakes and a good show for fans.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, he said, is a good example.
鈥淢ontreal is one of those cities we all love coming to,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou look at the track itself, it's just long straights and short corners, but it has character, because there's a lot of curb riding, long breakings, super tough for the drivers.
鈥淵ou look at the track on a paper and it's nothing special, but then it creates good racing, and it's fun for us.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2025.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
