The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is a 4.361 km (2.71 mile), 14-turn temporary street circuit located on Île Notre-Dame in Montreal, Quebec. Known for its long straights and tight chicanes, the track rewards top speed, braking precision, and consistency under pressure.
Track Basics
- Length: 4.361 km / 2.71 miles
- Turns: 14
- Direction: Clockwise
- Surface: Asphalt
- Major Events: Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, World Endurance support races, Formula E (historically).
Key Corners & Sections
- Senna S (Turns 1–2): A sharp left-right chicane off the start/finish straight, a hotspot for overtakes and first-lap chaos.
- Turns 3–4: A flowing right-left chicane that requires precise curb usage.
- Hairpin (Turn 10): The slowest corner on the track, critical for launching onto the longest straight.
- Casino Straight: Nearly 1 km of full throttle, slipstream battles are common.
- Wall of Champions (Turn 14): The final chicane and legendary danger zone—one mistake and the wall ends your race.
Driving Keys
- Slipstream mastery: Positioning for overtakes on the Casino Straight defines racecraft here.
- Curb control: Chicanes demand aggressive curb usage without unsettling the car.
- Braking consistency: Heavy braking zones into Turns 1, 8, and 10 are lap-time critical.
- Patience in traffic: Limited track width makes Montreal unforgiving in multi-class racing.
Montreal is a track where precision and bravery intersect. The margins are razor-thin, and the rewards for perfect execution are immense.
