Circuit info
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Interesting facts
The track runs on Île Notre-Dame, an island in the Saint Lawrence River that isn't natural at all: it was built from an estimated 15 million tonnes of rock excavated for Montreal's 1967 World Expo. It opened as the Île Notre-Dame Circuit on 6 October 1978, and in a rare, symbolic beginning, young Gilles Villeneuve won it on home soil in a Ferrari. It was renamed in 1982, the same year Villeneuve died in a crash at Zolder, in memory of the Canadian driver. The wall at the exit of the final chicane has been called the 'Wall of Champions' since 1999, when Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Gilles's son Jacques Villeneuve all hit it in the same race, three past or reigning world champions on one weekend. A new chicane was added here after Ayrton Senna's fatal 1994 crash at Imola to cut top speeds, then removed again between 1996 and 2001. The 2011 Canadian Grand Prix became the longest World Championship race ever run, lasting over four hours because of a lengthy rain delay; Jenson Button won it after being taken out earlier by his own teammate and then passing for the lead on the final lap. You'll find it in Montreal, Canada. On the calendar since 1978, this circuit has hosted 45 races, the latest in 2026. Gilles Villeneuve took the inaugural win here in 1978. Andrea Kimi Antonelli won here most recently, in 2026. The most successful driver at this circuit is Michael Schumacher, with 7 wins. Ferrari is the dominant constructor at this circuit, with 11 wins. Valtteri Bottas set the fastest lap here, 1:13.078 (Mercedes, 2019). The highest speed measured over a race weekend here was 354 km/h.