Canadian Grand Prix: Podium Example

The Canadian Grand Prix returns to the calendar after a three-year hiatus. The last stage on the artificial island of Ile Notre Dame took place in 2019, even before Covid-19, when the cars were different and the world around them.

In 2020, Formula 1 was not allowed to go abroad and spent the pandemic season in Europe, in 2021 it was impossible to meet the requirement of the local authorities for a mandatory two-week quarantine and did not want to make exceptions for the stage. This year alone, Formula 1 returns to Montreal, breaking its European streak with trips to Azerbaijan and Canada. After Montreal, we will wait until mid-September for a long European series of seven Grands Prix.

Formula 1 loves the hospitable Montreal, this love is mutual, but this relationship was not without problems related to asphalt, finances and weather. The Canadian leg has always been special in every way.

After the 1999 stage, when Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve took turns crashing into the barrier exiting the last corner, it was given its own name “Wall of Champions”. It will be interesting to see how the new generation of heavy and wide machines will handle it this week.

How unbelievably the situation in the championship has changed over the past five stages. Charles Leclerc won 46 points from Max Verstappen after the Australian Grand Prix and is already 34 points lower before the Canadian Grand Prix. In terms of dropouts, the two title contenders are now tied: two each. Although why two – now Sergio Perez is in second place in the championship and Leclerc is only in third place.

In fact, the alignment of forces was like this from the very beginning. Leclerc’s advantage in the first Grand Prix was due to Max’s two retirements, then the situation stabilized and Charles’ two retirements allowed Verstappen to take the lead. And it is very likely that he will not give up leadership.

The secret of Red Bull’s success captured by Helmut Marko is busy, always and everywhere. Last season he brought success against Mercedes, now he is helping in the fight against Ferrari. Anyway. On the track and next to it. The opponent must always feel the maximum resistance. Hamilton battled with Verstappen for the position last year and was on his guard every moment. This season Max leaves more room for his rivals, but only because his car is much more competitive and if there is a spare there is no need to take any risks.

At Red Bull they fill the full information background, comment on every situation. At Britain’s Sky Sport F1, which can be seen on monitors in all motorhomes in Formula 1, Christian Horner even takes to the air during the sessions and gives detailed interviews after each session. On the German Sky Sport F1 constant Helmut Marko. In Schumacher’s successful times, Ferrari acted this way, and now the Scuderia’s speakers are almost invisible, even on Italy’s Sky.

You get the impression that everything is easy for Red Bull – and this puts psychological pressure on the rivals. Pole guarantees nothing more. With new cars it’s easier to overtake, and if you celebrate a win on Saturday, you’ll be a target on Sunday. And in this situation Ferrari seems doomed to fail, as if realizing that because of strategy, reliability, speed advantage on the straights, or for some other unknown reason, the rivals will still lead the way and win the race.

Ferrari’s success is much needed for Formula 1, not to mention the fans of the Scuderia. But for that, a fast car and great racers are not enough. This year Ferrari can win the title, but for this you have to put everything together, and there is essentially nothing to assemble from. They are a little behind in everything. And Red Bull is a bit ahead and putting everything together at every stage.

The Italian press considers one of the reasons for the lack of a strong leader such as Luca Montezemolo. Intelligent Mattia Binotto is a talented engineer, but winning at any cost is not his forte. He already missed once, when the Scuderia sitters’ manipulation of the fuel gauge led to a confidential agreement between the FIA ​​and Ferrari in 2019, after which the Maranello engines lost power abruptly and definitively.

Since then, the situation has changed. Maranello sacrificed last season to build a truly competitive car. But due to a combination of factors, she only came in second. And turning the tide over the season on a budget is nearly impossible.

In 2011, the Canadian race [подробное описание] lasted more than four hours, updating the previous record. It had been raining since early Sunday morning, but under Charlie Whiting, race management was not so careful in making decisions, allowing riders to fight even in difficult conditions.

And the conditions were incredible! Rains of varying intensity replaced each other, the track condition was constantly changing, the riders switched from wet tires to medium tires and then back to wet tires. The drainage system couldn’t handle it, the race was stopped with red flags to drain water, then they started again.

During the break, lightning struck one of the pillars next to the paddock – Nico Rosberg was giving a live interview on Sky Sport at the time – and got really scared.

The fate of the race was already decided at dusk and on slicks, when Jenson Button, who had pitted six times and been given a pitlane penalty, overtook Sebastian Vettel on the final lap.

According to the Moscow time, the race ended after one o’clock in the morning and after five o’clock in the morning, having described what we saw, we went home completely satisfied. This only happens at the Canadian Grand Prix.