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Canadian Grand Prix Overview

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Known in French as the Grand Prix du Canada, the Canadian Grand Prix is a Formula One Auto Race that has been held in Canada since 1967. The first Canadian Grand Prix was staged at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. In the beginning, the Canadian Grand Prix was alternated between Mosport Park and Mont Tremblant near Saint-Jovite, Quebec.

Safety concerns in 1971 lead to the Canadian Grand Prix moving to Mosport permanently, and in 1978, the Canadian Grand Prix moved again, this time to Ile Notre-Dame in Montreal. The first Canadian Grand Prix winner in Ile Notre-Dame was Quebec native Gilles Villenueve, who died in 1982 during a qualifying lap for the Belgian Grand Prix. The course was then subsequently named Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Also, in 1982, the Canadian Grand Prix moved from fall to spring. 1987 was the year that the Canadian Grand Prix was not on the Formula One Auto Race calendar. Currently, the home of the Canadian Grand Prix’s circuit length is 2.71 miles or 4.36 kilometers and the Canadian Grand Prix is 70 laps.

Qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix spans the entire Canadian Grand Prix weekend, with two free practices on Friday and one free practice on Saturday. Friday, from 11:00 to 12:00, for one hour, the Canadian Grand Prix drivers get to learn the circuit. From 14:00 to 15:00, the Canadian Grand Prix race teams experiment with their cars to figure out the best settings for that particular track. Saturday from 11:00 to 12:00 is just a free practice for all Canadian Grand Prix drivers.  After all practice sessions, the true qualifying session begins on Saturday at 14:00. The qualifying session is an hour; three 15 minute sessions, with seven minutes in between for a resting period. Within the first session, all 22 cars run laps at anytime. The six slowest cars (with the slowest times) take grid positions 17-22 for their starting positions during the Canadian Grand Prix. The lap times are reset for the second session, and this time, the process is done again, this time with 16 cars. The six slowest takes grid positions 11-16. The final qualifying round for the Canadian Grand Prix is a battle between 10 cars for the last 10 grid positions. The top 10 drivers must begin the 15 minute session with a fuel load that they plan to start the actual Canadian Grand Prix with. The driver that sets the fastest time qualifies at the front of the grid and on pole position for that year’s Canadian Grand Prix.

In 1999, the final corner of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve became known for catching former World Champions, i.e., crashing into a wall with the sign “Bienvenue au Quebec” (English translation: Welcome to Quebec). Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, and Jacques Villeneuve crashed into that same wall at the Canadian Grand Prix, and it became labeled the “Wall of Champions”.

For a little Canadian Grand Prix history, the only Canadian to win the Canadian Grand Prix was Gilles Villeneuve in 1978. The first winner of the Canadian Grand Prix was Jack Brabham in 1967, and currently, he is the oldest winner in Canadian Grand Prix history. Michael Shumacher is the youngest driver to win at Montreal. He won the Canadian Grand Prix in 1994. Also, the Canadian Grand Prix is the most watched Formula One Auto Race in the world. The 2005 Canadian Grand Prix was the third most watched sporting event on the planet.

On Point is an independent Canadian Grand Prix travel package and ticket broker that specializes in sports travel packages and tickets to high demand events worldwide. The sports travel packages we offer can be catered to your individual desires and are sure to be an unforgettable experience. Though we offer pre-planned Canadian Grand Prix travel packages, with the many options we have available, On Point can arrange customized Canadian Grand Prix packages that no one else in the industry can provide.

To request a quote for a Canadian Grand Prix travel package or to discover more of what On Point can do for you and your private party, contact us today at 713-227-8888 to speak with one of our executive travel consultants. You can also call our Travel Agent Hotline at 800-809-1277 or e-mail us at info@onpointevents.com.