Formula 1 crossed the Atlantic again in 2025, leaving behind its European venues—if only briefly—for one of the sport’s most iconic transatlantic stopovers: the Canadian Grand Prix. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, nestled on Montreal’s Île Notre-Dame, played host to Round 10 of the 2025 F1 World Championship. As the intensity of the title fight rolled on, Canada continued to offer the perfect mix of old-school appeal and modern era drama, as seen in 2024. With its high-speed straights, unforgiving walls, and unpredictable weather, Montreal remains a firm favourite—and this year, it welcomed the F1 Academy alongside the main event.
This North American visit is a detour from the Europe-heavy stretch of the calendar, offering a time-zone twist for global viewers and a unique challenge for the teams. Last year, Max Verstappen won with Red Bull, but with McLaren as the new championship contenders, Montreal could deliver a reshuffle in the pecking order. Elsewhere in motosports, it was a packed weekend with endurance and oval racers also in action—but all eyes were on the Île Notre-Dame as Formula 1’s travelling circus touched down for a short but exciting North American intermission on the European leg.
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 13 June 2025 – 15 June 2025
Race date: Sunday, 15 June, 2025
Race start time: 14:00 local time
Circuit: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.361km
2024 winner: Max Verstappen
| ThePole position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | TBC | TBC | |
| Time | TBC | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | TBC | TBC | |
| Time | TBC | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | TBC | TBC | |
| Second | TBC | TBC | |
| Third | TBC | TBC | |
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is built on Montreal’s man-made Notre Dame Island, created as a fast, flowing street-meets-permanent hybrid track and named in honour of national hero Gilles Villeneuve—father of 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve—a track famous for its high-speed sections, heavy braking zones, and ever-present risk. Its layout encourages overtaking but punishes complacency, a place where the walls are never far away.
At just over 2.7 miles, this semi-street circuit places immense strain on a car’s braking systems, with key zones like the opening chicane, the tight Turn 10 hairpin, and the final chicane at the end of the backstraight demanding absolute precision. But perhaps the most infamous feature is saved for last: the Wall of Champions, lurking on the exit of the final corner, has claimed some of the sport’s greatest names. The nickname was cemented in 1999, when world champions Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill, and Michael Schumacher all met an unceremonious race end there. Even today, it remains a brutal reminder that in Montreal, the track doesn’t just test speed—it tests nerve.
Circuit statistics
The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix was the 54th edition of this historic event, which first joined the Formula 1 calendar back in 1967. Over the decades, the race has carved out a unique legacy across three Canadian venues: it began at Mosport Park near Toronto, made a brief stop at Mont-Tremblant in the Quebec mountains, and has since settled into its now-iconic home on Montreal’s Île Notre-Dame at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. A track that has witnessed some of F1’s most historic and memorable moments.
When it comes to success in Canada, few have matched the feats of Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. Before the 2025 race, both sat tied with seven wins and six pole positions. Schumacher also led the all-time podium count with 12 appearances, while he and Kimi Räikkönen shared the record for fastest laps at four. McLaren stood as the most successful team on Canadian soil with 13 victories, closely followed by Ferrari (12) and Williams (7). And who could forget the chaotic 2011 race? The longest Grand Prix in F1 history stretched over four hours and featured six Safety Cars, torrential rain, and a red flag that didn’t stop the race clock—culminating in a legendary win for Jenson Button, who came from last on lap 37 to claim victory for McLaren.
Weekend schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 13 June 2025 | Free Practice 1 (FP1) | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm local time |
| 13 June 2025 | Free Practice 2 (FP2) | 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time |
| 14 June 2025 | Free Practice 3 (FP3) | 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm local time |
| 14 June 2025 | Qualifying | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm local time |
| 15 June 2025 | Race | 2:00 pm local time |
In Saturday qualifying…
Come Sunday’s race…
Championship background
As the 2025 F1 World Championship headed to Montreal, the balance of power in Formula 1 had shifted decisively toward McLaren. Fresh off their second 1-2 finish of the season in Spain, the team arrived in Canada with growing control in both title fights. Oscar Piastri continued his standout campaign with a fifth win that stretched his lead over team-mate Lando Norris to 10 points. Meanwhile, reigning champion Max Verstappen found himself 49 points adrift after a costly penalty in Barcelona following a clash with George Russell.
In the 2025 Constructors’ Championship, McLaren’s dominance was even more emphatic. Their lead now stood at a commanding 197 points over Ferrari, who had leapfrogged both Mercedes and Red Bull to take second place for the first time in 2025. That made Montreal a pivotal round for Verstappen, who had triumphed at the Canadian Grand Prix three years running but now faced a make-or-break moment in his title defence. For Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, the race offered a return to one of his most successful circuits—before the weekend, he shared the all-time record with seven wins here—and a chance to reignite a quiet season. Adding to the weekend, the F1 Academy resumed with a triple-header in Montreal after weather washed out its Miami round, giving the all-female series another chance to shine on the world stage.
Race entries
The lineup of drivers and teams remained the same as the 2025 season’s entry list, apart from:
- A driver swap at the sister teams, Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, where Yuki Tsunoda moved up to the parent Red Bull team and Liam Lawson headed in the opposite direction back to Racing Bulls, for round three at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.
- Jack Doohan stepping out of the race seat at Alpine (post Miami), beginning with the following round, the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The team confirmed that former Williams and Alpine reserve driver, Franco Colapinto, would take his place alongside number one driver, Pierre Gasly.
Aside from these changes, all the drivers from the start of the season took to the track during FP1, FP2, FP3, Qualifying, and the Grand Prix.
Tyre choices
For the third time in the season, teams would have to work with the softest trio of Pirelli compounds. The C6 tyre made its third appearance of the season—after Imola and Monaco—joining the C5 as the Medium and the C4 as the Hard. A shift from last year’s selection, which ranged from C3 to C5. With its mix of slow corners and long straights, Montreal puts particular emphasis on traction and braking, while lateral tyre loads relatively modest.
The track’s smooth, low-grip surface—used exclusively for the Grand Prix—adds another layer of complexity. Drivers can expect graining to rear its head during Friday’s free practice sessions, especially before the circuit rubbers in, but those issues usually fade as grip improves rapidly over the course of the weekend. While teams now had two rounds’ worth of C6 data to lean on, Montreal’s ever-unpredictable weather remained the biggest unknown. Sudden showers and dramatic temperature swings have disrupted countless Canadian GPs in the past.
FIND OUT MORE
Free Practice
In FP1…
During FP2…
In FP3…
Free Practice 1 Classification
FP1 was held on 13 June 2025 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm local time.
Free Practice 2 Classification
FP2 was held on 13 June 2025 from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm local time.
Free Practice 3 Classification
FP3 was held on 14 June 2025 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm local time.
Qualifying
In Quali…
Full Qualifying Report
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying was held on 14 June 2025 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm local time.
2025 Canadian Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying session.
What happened in the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix?
Race report…
2025 Canadian Grand Prix race results
The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix Race was held on 15 June 2025 at 3:00 pm local time.
2025 Canadian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
2025 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings for Drivers’ and Teams after the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix.
2025 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
2025 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings
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