They may both have temporary waterside locations, but there aren't many similarities between last weekend's Monaco event and the forthcoming Canadian round. Whilst the cars wound their way around Monte Carlo's tight and twisty seaside streets, in Montreal they will be unleashed around a riverside track dominated by long straights and low-speed chicanes. But for all their differences, they are equally popular. The drivers and senior team personnel explain why the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is such a firm favourite and discuss their prospects...
Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
"Montreal is a beautiful city with great food and an exciting nightlife. The people are very friendly and knowledgeable about F1, so that's a nice bonus too.
"Our car has been reasonably reliable over the last few races so that bodes well for this circuit, which is notorious for its harshness on the engines and especially the brakes. We have some new aero parts for this race so I hope we are a lot more competitive and experience a significant boost in our lap times. The track should suit us better than Barcelona or Turkey as it is a low-downforce circuit.
"All of the chicanes here are quite challenging and you need to use them well to extract a good lap time, but you need to be very precise as the walls are very close. There is no such thing as a small mistake here, any mistake and you're in the wall.
"To be in Formula One you must always set yourself ambitious goals, so we must keep pushing harder and harder all the time."
Vitantonio Liuzzi, HRT
2010 Qualifying - 5th, 2010 Race - 9th
"The long straight in Montreal will put our car under a lot of stress but this circuit is much better for the F111 than Monaco. My favourite part of the track is the last chicane, it's not easy because you have to run hard over the kerbs and need to make sure that you're really smooth in order to avoid oversteering.
"I think the team is heading in the right direction. We need even more belief and more effort from everybody if we are to achieve bigger goals because we are definitely capable of achieving them."
Colin Kolles, HRT team principal
"The Canadian Grand Prix is my favourite race of the year, the location and the track are fantastic, especially the last curve which is a real test.
"This should be a better weekend for us, it's an opportunity to prove our reliability and show some improvement in our performance. As in the majority of races this year, I'm sure we will see a lot of overtaking again in Montreal.
Rubens Barrichello, Williams
2010 Qualifying - 11th, 2010 Race - 14th
"Canada is always a very special event. The atmosphere is so relaxed and the racing is fantastic. It is important to get a good car set-up with a focus on managing the brakes and getting maximum traction. The minimum speed is low but traction is hard on tyres and there are a lot of hard braking areas throughout the lap. Turn One, for example, is a corner that you carry a lot of speed into and then you brake hard into the hairpin in first gear. The hairpin is probably one of the most exciting parts of the track as the fans that base themselves there are great. I really can't wait to get to Canada and to score some more points for the team."
Pastor Maldonado, Williams
2010 Qualifying - n/a, 2010 Race - n/a
"This race will be more difficult for me, especially at the start of the weekend, as I don't know the circuit. The grip level will improve over the three days and so the track will change between the sessions. I will need to adapt myself day by day as it is important to be fully ready in time for qualifying on Saturday. The track is really interesting and I think I'm going to enjoy racing on it. I'll definitely be doing my best to fight for points again. The car, the team and myself are all still improving so it is looking positive. I last went to Canada in 1998 for a karting race and I really like the country, it has a great atmosphere so I'm looking forward to going back."
Sam Michael, Williams technical director
"The Montreal circuit is a great layout for overtaking and never fails to produce an exciting race. With the new tyres and DRS on two straights, I think this year's race will be no exception. Set-up is geared towards aero efficiency on the straights and maximising traction out of the slow speed corners. We will have a new front wing, brake ducts, barge boards and modified diffuser to test during practice, as well as the obligatory new rear wing for the lower drag level required in Canada."
Adrian Sutil, Force India
2010 Qualifying - 9th, 2010 Race - 10th
"I'm really looking forward to going back to Montreal. It's a beautiful city, very international, and it's definitely one of my favourite races on the calendar. I think everybody enjoys going there. That's why I try to arrive a little bit earlier than usual to see some of the city and acclimatise to the jet lag.
"Although we've always been quite quick there, I've never really had great results in Canada. I scored a point last year, but without a puncture I know it could have been a much better result. We usually have good straight-line speed, which is very important in Montreal, but you also need a car that has good stability and grip over the curbs. I think experience is important there because it's quite bumpy and the car moves around a lot, which demands a special way of driving. It's a circuit that is good for overtaking because of the combination of straights and chicanes. And this year with the DRS I think we will see an even more interesting race."
Paul Di Resta, Force India
2010 Qualifying - n/a, 2010 Race - n/a
"This year's Montreal race will be a real adventure for me. I've never driven the circuit so the priority will be to get up to speed as quickly as possible and learn the track. On paper it looks like quite a straightforward circuit with long straights and chicanes, but you never truly know a circuit until you drive it for real.
"My preparation has included some time on the simulator. It's clearly quite an unusual circuit where you need good top speed to be competitive. That's why we run a special low-downforce package, which will be quite a new experience for me. I drove the car in this spec at Monza last year during free practice and the car feels quite different so I will need to get used to that.
"I said after Monaco that I felt disappointed. We seemed to be quite competitive in clean air and I think I missed a chance to score some points for the team. It would be good to get back in the points this weekend and that's what I'll be aiming for."Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India chairman and team principal
"Our attention now turns to Montreal, a venue where our cars have traditionally gone well. We have been busy in the wind tunnel developing the low-downforce spec of our aero platform, which will hopefully allow us to challenge for more points. There are also a few more subtle detail changes to the bodywork as we continue to extract more and more performance from the car."
Timo Glock, Virgin
2010 Qualifying - 21st, 2010 Race - DNF
"I have very good memories from Canada, but not only because I like the track but because I have had some of my best results here, with points in my Formula One debut in 2004, second in Champ Car a year later and fourth in F1 in 2008 where I also led the race for some laps. So it's always special to come here to Montreal and I love the city also. It has a really exciting vibe and everyone loves to experience time after time.
"At the beginning of the weekend the track is always dirty, as it is located in a park on an island and it's not used as a racing circuit outside of the Grand Prix. It combines long straights with chicanes and slow corners and it will be interesting to be able to use DRS at two different points of the track. It's always a challenge to drive closely past the 'Wall of Champions' without actually touching it. I hope our low-downforce package works well and we can have a good weekend."
Jerome D'Ambrosio, Virgin
2010 Qualifying - n/a, 2010 Race - n/a
"I'm really looking forward to racing in Canada. It's a great Grand Prix with so many fans and a really exciting city life. I was at the race there last year as a reserve driver with my previous team, and now I'm really looking forward to driving and discovering this fabulous track. I've driven the track on the simulator and it's one heck of a ride. Like in Monaco, the barriers are very close to the circuit so it will be another challenge, as will the two DRS zones. I'm arriving early to acclimatise and because there are a lot of great opportunities to do some pre-race training, so I'll be doing a bit of cycling on the track and rowing on the lake behind the circuit."
John Booth, Virgin team principal
"The back to back nature of the last few weeks has continued into this week as we prepare to head off to Canada for the latest flyaway. We've had just four days to play with to strip, paint, NDT the cars and rebuild them before packing them up alongside our trackside infrastructure and sending everything on its way. Canada is one of our favourite favourites though, so as tough as the week has been, everyone has done it with a very warm heart because what we can always look forward to in Montreal is a fantastic weekend of racing and entertainment.
"We have a low downforce package for this race to suit the characteristics of the circuit and we have made some good strides with our car set-up in recent races. So the challenge then becomes one of looking after brake and tyre wear and temperatures as this track is renowned for being hard on the cars. Doing a good job in these areas may provide us with a good opportunity in the race. Concentration is the key for the drivers as the barriers are very close - as is the 'Wall of Champions'! But they rose to this challenge impeccably in Monaco so I'm looking forward to seeing them in action next weekend. It's always good to be in North America and next year of course we will have two pit stops here when the United States Grand Prix returns to the calendar in Austin, Texas, and these two races will form a much-welcomed back to back.
"I'm delighted that Marussia Virgin Racing will have such a major presence in the city this weekend as Virgin Mobile Canada will be sponsoring the Crescent Street Festival, which is always the cornerstone of Montreal's Grand Prix celebrations. This is a big part of our fan programme and we'll have a car on the stage and our full driver line-up will be mixing with our loyal followers throughout the weekend."
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
"The characteristics of Canada mean that we're unlikely to see a one-stop strategy this weekend, but we're hoping that the racing will be just as close and that the opportunities for overtaking will give teams even more possibilities than Monaco in terms of race strategy. The pure performance of the PZero tyres was demonstrated by the fact that we were able to set the fastest-ever qualifying lap of Monaco, adding to our record of success, which now includes more than 50 Grand Prix wins throughout our time in Formula One."
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2010 Qualifying - 2nd, 2010 Race - 4th
"Canada is a very unique place. It's not a real track because it's on an island and also used for public roads. It's a bit similar to Albert Park in Melbourne, as it's mainly used for traffic with a second function as a race track. It's very slippery there, the asphalt is very smooth and we saw last year that tyre degradation is huge, but it's always good fun to go there. It's a great race, the atmosphere is fantastic and the fans are very special. It's the only time we go to North America to race and it's really a cool place with the city and people. It's nice to spend a week there to go racing, so I'm really looking forward to it."
Mark Webber, Red Bull
2010 Qualifying - 7th, 2010 Race - 5th
"My favourite thing about Canada is the laid-back attitude of the fans, which makes the atmosphere very good. The track has traditionally thrown up very interesting races due to the street circuit layout and because the low downforce configuration that we race in provides some good overtaking. It's always nice to get the feeling that there's a GP in town even when we're away from the track and that's certainly the case in Montreal. The track should provide all the teams with a fresh challenge this year, as it will be the first time we run the cars with a completely different aerodynamic set-up to deal with the long straights, but the RB7 should be pretty tidy. I qualified on the front row there last year, but it's a track that Red Bull Racing has yet to crack on Sunday afternoon."
Nick Heidfeld, Renault
2010 Qualifying - n/a, 2010 Race - n/a
"Canada is not as unique as Monaco but it does still stand out in its own way. It has slow chicanes and fast straights, so it is going to be a different kind of drive than the last race. We tend to have fast straight line speed which should help us. I look forward to every race, but this is a very special one because I've finished second here before. The race itself is unique - Montreal is a big city and it must be the only venue in Formula One where the city lives and breathes the sport for that week. There are postcards and souvenirs everywhere, and the support really is fantastic. It's not every day you come across an F1 venue where the whole city gets behind the race like Montreal does."
Vitaly Petrov, Renault
2010 Qualifying - 14th, 2010 Race - 17th
"Physically I'm feeling fine with no problems. I'm feeling better than I was after the race in Monaco. My ankle is fine and I don't see any problems for the race here in Canada. Last year was my first time at the track, so it's not a circuit I know that well. It's not an easy race because the tarmac is quite unusual and we had so much degradation there with Bridgestone. We hope that it will be a different story with Pirelli, but we are going to have to see because so far this year, the tyres have been a hot topic at every race. The track does have long straights, which will offer us a chance to show our quick straight line speed, but there are also slow corners so it will be important to brake well to help preserve the tyres - it's a real balancing act here in Montreal. Above all, we must get to the finish line and score some good points because we know we can do it. We are well aware that our car is very quick so we need to minimise our mistakes and the results will come."
Eric Boullier, Renault team principal
"Canada is a special case because it's a low downforce track and a street circuit too. We expect Vitaly to perform stronger than last year because he has really stepped up to the plate so far this season. We've also got a better understanding of the Canadian Grand Prix now, after what we learnt when we were there last year, so I'm pretty sure both cars should be able to finish in the top eight.
"Canada is a massive asset for the sport because it is the one race in North America. The atmosphere and the fans are just amazing. A lot of races could only dream of having the attendance Canada has, and of getting such a great level of support. It really is magical to come back because of the tremendous level of support from everyone in the city."
James Allison, Renault technical director
"The Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve is different from Monaco. It's very power hungry and has relatively few corners. The corners we do see are comparably slow, with only one above 200 km/h. Most importantly, it's the hardest circuit on the brakes we will visit all year. Montreal requires a medium-low level of downforce and this is the first circuit of the year to have this requirement. This means we will debut a new rear wing, and this will incorporate a new DRS which loses more drag when it is being utilised. In addition, we have a new front wing to complement the downforce levels of the rear and there will be various other refinements on the car, with particular emphasis on ensuring there is good airflow to assist with brake cooling.
"There are several high-speed straights into low-speed corners so the brakes receive repeated extreme use over the course of a lap. Canada is the most challenging circuit of the year from a brake wear point of view. Brake wear is largely a function of brake temperature, and so a lot of work must be done (using tools such as CFD (computational fluid dynamics), the wind tunnel and a brake dynamometer rig) to ensure adequate aerodynamic cooling of the disks and pads.
"A further complication is that our drivers prefer different brake materials from each other, which adds to our workload in terms of validating each solution to ensure that both drivers can apply the brakes in a carefree manner throughout the GP."
Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber
2010 Qualifying - 18th, 2010 Race - DNF
"Last year we were struggling with our performance in Montreal, but our current car is a big improvement and should be much better for this kind of circuit, the same way we showed an improved performance in Monaco. Therefore I'm quite positive and looking forward to this Grand Prix. Last year I made a big, big mistake on lap one. I had overtaken some cars with no problem, but then crashed when trying to catch another one. I have regretted this for a long time. However, I believe with the new devices this year there are better chances for overtaking. The track's surface is quite special and slippery, I hope we manage to find some grip there. Regarding braking stability, which is crucial in Canada as you are braking pretty hard, I think we should be okay. I hope Sergio will be back in the car and we can both score points. I believe we have the performance to do that. Also off track I like this Grand Prix a lot. Montreal is a very nice city and usually a very excited crowd welcomes us there."
Sergio Perez, Sauber
2010 Qualifying - 2010 Race
"I feel very good and fit. Of course I want to race in Montreal, but I also know the final decision is up to the FIA doctors. I have never been to Montreal and know the circuit only from watching TV. Originally it was planned I would go to the Ferrari simulator at Maranello, but this had to be cancelled after my accident. Anyway, it is not the first unknown circuit for me and I have never had difficulties adapting. I found it very hard to be just a TV spectator for the race in Monaco, and can't wait to get into the car again."
James Key, Sauber technical director
"Montreal will be the first track this year where slightly lower drag levels tend to be beneficial, although this will depend on the grip of the track surface and the tyres, which are an unknown. Last year we had some interesting strategies developing because tyre degradation was quite high. It's not clear if this will also be the case with the Pirelli tyres. It's a circuit with quite a few low speed chicanes and kerbs, so mechanical grip, good traction and kerbing is quite critical. It's also a track which is one of the hardest on braking, therefore brake stability, brake cooling and general use of the brake system will be something to watch out for. The track in Montreal is usually good for overtaking, and with KERS, DRS and the tyre characteristic it should definitely offer opportunities for this. For the first time this year we will have two DRS zones which will also add to this. Our car will have some modifications to adapt to a lower drag setting, but we will tune that according to the track grip and the conditions. We hope for a good race weekend again. Monaco was a race with ups and downs, with Kamui bringing us ten points but with Sergio not competing after his accident in qualifying. When I spoke to him he sounded very well and was looking forward to getting back to work. We are looking forward to having him back in the car."
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2010 Qualifying - 1st, 2010 Race - 1st
"Montreal is a very special place for me. It's where I took my first Formula One pole position and won my first race. I've always got on really well with the track, the layout seems to suit my driving style, and I won there last year from pole position.
"Perhaps even more importantly, the fans in Montreal and everyone in North America who makes the trip to the city are some of the best in the world. They are so positive, supportive and friendly – my trips to the city have been some of my favourite experiences in Formula One, and I'm massively looking forward to arriving in Montreal to a friendly welcome next week.
"Our car should be well suited to this track; we have a great engine, the best KERS Hybrid system in the sport and excellent traction out of slow corners. All in all, it's set to be another good weekend for us - I'll be looking for a strong result on Sunday."
Jenson Button, McLaren
2010 Qualifying - 4th, 2010 Race - 2nd
"There's a real momentum within our team at the moment - I think we had a race car good enough to win in both Spain and Monaco; with a little improvement to our qualifying, I think we can start to dictate race pace, which was something we were briefly able to show at both of the last two races.
"I'm still very pleased with my performance in Monte Carlo. It wasn't a win, but it was nice to lead the race and to be able to pull away comfortably. Even if the result didn't match it, that sort of thing is always nice to keep at the back of your mind.
"I had a good race in Montreal last year - the car was great in the race and I was able to pull off some nice moves to score our third one-two of the year for the team. I've never won in North America and I think we have the pace, the development and the momentum to have a good shot at changing that next weekend. I'm really looking forward to it."
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
"After narrowly missing out on victories in Spain and Monaco, there's still a tremendous desire and spirit within the team to get back onto the top step of the podium. Indeed, while it was disappointing to lose out on victory in Monte Carlo, we can still draw enormous encouragement from the fact that we appear to have a very competitive car - particularly in race trim - and I feel we can move forwards and once again take the fight to Red Bull this weekend.
"The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has been the scene of some very dramatic and exciting memories for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - Lewis's victories in 2007 and 2010 and Jenson's brilliant pass on Fernando Alonso to secure second last year all stick in the mind. It's been a circuit where our car and engine package has traditionally excelled, and I'm hopeful of another exciting race for the team next weekend."
Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
2010 Qualifying - 13th, 2010 Race - 11th
"Montreal is a great city to visit and the Canadian Grand Prix is always one of those races where it feels like the whole city gets involved and creates a really nice atmosphere. The circuit itself is very much a stop-and-go scenario with much of the focus on top speed and braking. We also have the two DRS zones this year for the first time, so it will be interesting to see the impact that this makes. It is really difficult to have an idea of how our car will perform in Montreal. There is no doubt that Monaco was a tough weekend for the team but, as always, we will learn our lessons, and be ready to fight again in Canada."
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2010 Qualifying - 10th, 2010 Race - 6th
"The Canadian Grand Prix is one of my favourite race weekends of the season. Montreal is a great city, with a carnival atmosphere over the weekend, and the fans are always really friendly and so enthusiastic. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a nice race track; it's also very challenging and hard on the engine and brakes. I'm looking forward to the weekend, and I hope that we can move up and be back competing where we belong. The spirit within the team is great and we will fight for a better result than in Monaco. I am confident that we will be able to do it."
Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"The Canadian Grand Prix is always one of the most popular races on the calendar, and an important weekend to showcase our sport to the North American market. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is the first real high-speed circuit of the season, where the brakes are important and engine power is a factor. All of the teams suffered with big tyre problems because of graining last year, so it will be interesting to see how the new Pirelli tyres behave next weekend. It's not easy to predict whether the tyre situation will follow what we experienced in 2010 or whether we will have a different situation. We have two DRS zones which will increase overtaking at a circuit where passing was already possible. With the combination of DRS and the tyres, this should lead to an exciting and eventful weekend."
Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Much like in Monaco where we raced last weekend, Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve mostly features slow speed corners, and we will again be using the soft and super soft Pirelli compounds; however this is where the similarities end. The circuit features long full-throttle sections that see the cars exceed 295 kph on four separate occasions. It is also one of the toughest tracks of the year for the brakes, with six major braking events per lap. In summary, this is a low downforce and low drag circuit that presents significant technical challenges. On the sporting side, we will be able to assess the impact of two DRS zones in race conditions for the first time, which could contribute to making the action even more exciting. As a team, our aim is to respond to our Monaco weekend with better race performance. We know that we can demonstrate the speed for a top ten qualifying position over a single lap; we have to ensure that we maintain the same level in the race on Sunday in Montreal."
Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus
2010 Qualifying - 19th, 2010 Race - 16th#
"Canada is one of the highlights of the whole season and I know everyone in the team is looking forward to getting out there. It's obviously not the same intensity as Monaco when you're away from the track, but the whole city buzzes when we're in town and they get behind the whole event right across the city so there's an amazing atmosphere wherever you go. The crowd are also very knowledgeable and you can see what it means to them when the race takes place in their back yard as it's packed from Thursday right through to Sunday. On track it's a good challenge. It's hard on the brakes and you need to be really precise in the braking zones to nail a quick lap. Another key is to use the kerbs as much as you can and as efficiently as possible - you can make up good time if you have a car that's set up to ride them well so that will be one of the key goals for the practice sessions. On the car I think we'll be looking to repeat the performance we showed in Spain. Monaco was an odd race for me - I couldn't get the best out of the tyres and even though there was more to come from the car we just couldn't hook it all up in the race. However, now we have so much more data on the car we can get much closer to maximising its potential and Canada's a good place to do our best to achieve that."
Jarno Trulli, Lotus
2010 Qualifying - 20th, 2010 Race - DNF
"Monaco was really busy but the final result was great for the whole team. I enjoyed myself on track and I think the performances we've put in there and in Spain show that we are progressing in exactly the right direction. Since then I've taken some time off before heading to Canada which has always been a bit of a strange one for me. I love Canada and especially Montreal - the track itself is great, a real challenge, the people are very welcoming and the city is that cool mix of Europe and North America, but the race itself has always been a tough one for me! I don't know if it's a luck thing but while I've had strong races there in the past I've always suffered with luck. Last year was a DNF so I really want that to change this year. As it's a temporary circuit the first challenge is dealing with the track surface. It improves throughout the weekend but with the constant threat of the walls it's critical not to make any mistakes and experience usually counts around there. It's a very quick lap and one of the toughest tracks of the season on the brakes, so cooling and stability under braking both play a big role, particularly in the race. It'll be interesting to see how the tyre strategies play out over the weekend and I think it'll be another great race, hopefully for us as well!"
Tony Fernandes, Lotus team principal
"Monaco was obviously a very important weekend for both Team Lotus on and off track, and Team AirAsia who came of age on Friday. This will be my first trip to Canada and I am looking forward to going to what I am told is one of the best races of the season. Off track we have some more good news to unveil and on track we will have another chance to see how much more we have learnt about the car. Monaco was not the best environment for us to make significant steps forward with the new package, but having had such good reliability recently we have a lot of data that will help us put in another good performance in Montreal. With all that in mind we will all head there in a very positive frame of mind."
Mike Gascoyne, Lotus chief technical officer
"Montreal is one of the races that is universally popular up and down the pit lane. The city welcomes us with open arms, the track is a great challenge for the cars, the drivers and the whole team and the fans create the sort of atmosphere that proves they love having us in town. On track the aim is to put in another performance that continues the progress we've shown all year. Different tracks may reduce or increase the gap to the cars ahead, but the facts are clear - we have been into Q2, we can race cars ahead on pace and we are now lapping the teams we were racing last year. Canada gives us another chance to keep moving forward and we have a new low downforce package for Montreal that we have seen some good numbers on in the wind tunnel, so I think the progress should continue."http://f1raceindia.blogspot.com/
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