Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is laid out on the Île Notre-Dame in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. It is a semi-permanent track — access roads form the basis of the layout, with barriers and pit facilities installed for race weekend. The circuit is a stop-and-go power track dominated by heavy braking zones, chicanes and a long straight ending at the notorious "Wall of Champions".

Montreal consistently produces unpredictable races. The circuit is hard on brakes and rear tyres, safety cars are common in the narrow chicane sections, and the Wall of Champions has claimed laps and results from some of the sport's biggest names. Fuel economy, tyre degradation and strategy frequently outweigh outright pace as the decisive factors.

The circuit is named after the late Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve, who won the inaugural event in 1978 at the wheel of a Ferrari. His son Jacques won the 1997 race on the same circuit as his championship pursuit peaked. The Canadian Grand Prix has remained a calendar staple since 1978, with only occasional contractual absences.