The Canadian Grand Prix In Pictures
After a thoroughly entertaining Canadian Grand Prix weekend, eventually dominated by reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel, it’s time to review the race weekend with a look back at some of the best images taken. These range from stunning action shots of the cars on track, to images of the drivers outside their cars or on the podium. Enjoy…
Picture(s) Copyright © McLaren F1 Team, Mercedes AMG Petronas, Lotus F1 Team, Sauber Motorsport AG, Force India F1 Team, Williams F1 Team, Caterham F1 Team, Marussia F1 Team & Pirelli
Tempers Rose Within Force India Camp After Qualifying
Reports have emerged from the Formula 1 fraternity suggesting that a fight allegedly broke out within the Force India camp after Paul di Resta’s woeful qualifying performance ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. Varying newspaper reports suggest that the incident could well have involved the Scotsman’s trainer and a team mechanic.
After a yet another frustrating qualifying performance for the 27-year-old, Paul di Resta found himself a lowly 17th on the grid whereas returning team-mate Adrian Sutil managed to progress to the top ten shootout and qualify a promising 8th. Although Paul di Resta eventually managed to out-perform his German team-mate throughout the 70-lap Canadian Grand Prix, tempers allegedly rose to breaking-point shortly after the all-important qualifying hour.
During the morning period leading up to the race on Sunday, rumors were rife within the paddock that a fight had broken out between members in the Force India camp. After his poor qualifying performance, Paul di Resta’a anger was clearly evident as he slated his team’s performance during the session. Although his comments were extremely negative, reports within the paddock suggest that theses comments weren’t necessarily the catalyst for the argument which allegedly broke out.
However, any issues which arose after qualifying were quickly quelled with a stellar performance from both the team and Paul di Resta during the race. After starting way down in 17th, the Scotsman mastered a one-stop strategy to eventually finish a strong 7th and ahead of Adrian Sutil. Despite this positive result, Paul di Resta will unquestionably be hoping for a more competitive qualifying performance on home soil next time out at the British Grand Prix.
Picture Copyright © Force India F1 Team
FIA Confirm Death Of Canadian Grand Prix Marshal
The FIA has issued a statement confirming the tragic death of a Canadian Grand Prix marshal, who was struck by a mobile crane after the race as Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber was cleared. As the marshal assisted the crane carrying the Mexican’s stricken car, he tripped and was subsequently hit by the recovery vehicle.
Medical staff were immediately on the scene, and the marshal was initially sent to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s medical centre before being airlifted to the nearby Sacre-Coeur hospital in Montreal for further treatment. Despite the medical staffs’ best efforts, the marshal tragically succumb to his injuries sustained at the circuit at 18:02 local time.
“The FIA is sad to announce the death of a Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada circuit worker, at 6:02 pm.” Read an official statement from the FIA, “The worker, a member of the Automobile Club de l’Île Notre Dame, was the victim of an unfortunate accident that occurred at the end of this afternoon’s Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada. The worker was helping to recover a car which had stopped during the race. The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up. As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle.
“The worker was transported via helicopter to Sacre-Coeur Hospital. Unfortunately, the worker succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The FIA, l’Automobile Club de l’Île Notre-Dame and the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada want to communicate their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim. The identity of the worker cannot be revealed at this time.”
This is the first time a marshal has been killed at a Grand Prix event since way back in 2001, when a marshal was killed following Jacques Villeneuve and Ralf Schumacher’s horrific incident at the season-opening Grand Prix when a tyre flew through a gap in the fencing.
Picture Copyright © Williams F1 Team
Sebastian Vettel Finally Secures Victory For Red Bull At Canada
Sebastian Vettel has finally secured his and Red Bull’s first victory around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, after an absolutely scintillating drive from the reigning Champion. The German was joined on the podium by fellow former Champions’ Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, after a dry 70-lap race.
At the start Sebastian Vettel catapulted himself into a mesmerizing lead at the front, ahead of Lewis Hamilton whereas the Williams of Valtteri Bottas plummeted through the order after initially qualifying an impressive 3rd. By the end of the opening lap, the Finn found himself way down in 6th position, as Sebastian Vettel opened up a two-second lead at the front in his Renault-powered Red Bull.
Whilst the reigning World Champion romped into the distance in the lead, the majority of the field continued to battle for position throughout the opening few laps. Adrian Sutil was tipped into a spin on Lap 6 as he jostled for position with the Williams of Valtteri Bottas, however the German miraculously avoided collision with both the barriers and the numerous drivers who amazingly managed to doge the stricken Force India. As the German continued circulating, he found himself the centre of attention once again at Turn 10, as Pastor Maldonado completely out-broke himself and lightly tapped the rear of Adrian Sutil.
As the opening laps ensued, Adrian Sutil eventually pitted on Lap 10 as Kimi Raikkonen’s race weekend failed to improve as the Finn began to complain of a soft brake pedal over his team radio. Although Sebastian Vettel found himself in a commanding lead at the front after the opening few laps, the German ace marginally tapped the barrier on the exit of Turn 4 on Lap 11. Despite this minor lapse of concentration from the race leader, he quickly regained his composure and continued to light up the timing screens ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
By Lap 12 Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg and Pastor Maldonado became the first three drivers to make a scheduled pit-stop, before others did likewise including Mark Webber, Jean-Eric Vergne and Nico Rosberg. Due to his minor collision with Adrian Sutil earlier in the race, Pastor Maldonado was struck with a drive-thru penalty for causing a collision. The Venezuelan driver, who has so far endured a tough season, soon served his penalty as race leader Sebastian Vettel pitted on Lap 16.
This enabled Lewis Hamilton to assume the lead for Mercedes, however the Briton’s reign over proceedings failed to last for long before he too elected to pit. As Sebastian Vettel returned to the lead of the race for Red Bull, Kimi Raikkonen’s race failed to improve as the Finn pitted on Lap 22 after just being informed to save fuel. The former World Champion suffered a frustratingly slow stop, after his rear-jack fumbled therefore preventing his mechanics from efficiently changing his rear tyres.
After taking an unforgettable victory back in 2011 for McLaren, Jenson Button’s Canadian Grand Prix was one of frustration and a lack of pace. The Briton struggled greatly within the midfield, along with Mexican team-mate Sergio Perez. After initially holding 3rd position behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg eventually succumb to the onslaught of Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso. The duo eventually perfected separate maneuvers on the German on Lap 30.
Despite progressing to 3rd position ahead of Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber’s race effort was hindered slightly on Lap 37 as the Australian driver tried to lap the Caterham of Giedo van der Garde. After visibly leaving Mark Webber a considerable gap at Turn 10, the Dutchman simply cut across the front of the Red Bull driver. The ensuing collision caused minor damage to Webber’s front-wing, and saw van der Garde tipped into a spin. After a short review by the race stewards, headed by former F1 driver Martin Donnelly, Giedo van der Garde was struck with a hefty stop/go penalty.
Although Mark Webber suffered minor damage to his front-wing, his overall race pace seemed to be unaffected. However, this failed to deter Fernando Alonso from catching and then perfecting an overtaking maneuver on the Australian driver for 3rd. As Fernando Alonso continued to scythe through the order, Giedo van der Garde’s woeful afternoon continued after yet another collision, this time with the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg. As the duo negotiated the final chicane, they touched and both sustained race-ending damage. Nico Hulkenberg suffered damage to the rear of his car, whereas Giedo van der Garde damage his front-wing, which ultimately became dislodged underneath his car and forced him to pull off of the track.
Whilst the marshals retrieved the stricken Sauber and Caterham machines, both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton pitted for a second and final time. The German sensation managed to retain his lead, after building up enough time to practically stop for a car wash in the process. As Sebastian Vettel continued to assert unrivaled dominance out in front, Lewis Hamilton began to come under severe pressure from former team-mate Fernando Alonso. As the two-time Champion caught the Mercedes ace, Adrian Sutil was struck with a drive-thru penalty for ignoring blue flags.
Eventually Fernando Alonso caught right up with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, perfecting a wonderful overtaking maneuver on the former Canadian Grand Prix winner on Lap 62. Esteban Gutierrez’s frustrating debut season in Formula 1 continued during the latter stages of the race, as the former GP2 and GP3 driver spun into the barriers and subsequently into retirement at Turn 1.
However, nothing seemed able to stop Sebastian Vettel, as the reigning World Champion simply cruised to his and Red Bull’s first ever victory around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The German ace was followed home by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Lewis Hamilton a close 3rd. Sebastian Vettel’s victory has enabled him to further extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship, with Fernando Alonso rising ahead of Kimi Raikkonen up to 2nd behind the German.
The sport will now enter a lengthy three-week gap until the British Grand Prix next time out, when the sport will reconvene around the home of Formula 1 at the legendary Silverstone circuit in Northampton. Last season Mark Webber stormed to a thrilling victory for Red Bull ahead of Fernando Alonso, and many will be expecting the ‘Rampaging Bull’ to excel once again around the historic circuit.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Canadian Grand Prix Montreal, Canada; 70 laps; 305.270km; Weather: Sunny. Classified: Pos Driver Team Time 1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h32:09.143 2. Alonso Ferrari + 14.408 3. Hamilton Mercedes + 15.942 4. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 25.731 5. Rosberg Mercedes + 1:09.725 6. Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1 lap 7. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes + 1 lap 8. Massa Ferrari + 1 lap 9. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault + 1 lap 10. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 1 lap 11. Perez McLaren-Mercedes + 1 lap 12. Button McLaren-Mercedes + 1 lap 13. Grosjean Lotus-Renault + 1 lap 14. Bottas Williams-Renault + 1 lap 15. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 2 laps 16. Maldonado Williams-Renault + 2 laps 17. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth + 2 laps 18. Pic Caterham-Renault + 2 laps 19. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth + 3 laps 20. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari + 7 laps Fastest lap: Webber, 1:16.182 Not classified/retirements: Driver Team On lap Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 46 van der Garde Caterham-Renault 44
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Sebastian Vettel Returns To The Top With Pole At Canada
Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel has returned to the top of the pecking order with pole position ahead of tomorrow’s 70-lap Canadian Grand Prix, after a damp and cold qualifying hour around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The German ace will start the race alongside Lewis Hamilton, with Valtteri Bottas a strong 3rd for Williams.
The all-important qualifying hour once again began in inclement weather conditions around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with light rain just beginning to fall over a drying track. Initially the entire field spilled out onto the track on the super-soft tyre compound, before the rain intensified and forced the field to return to the pits for intermediate tyres. Max Chilton spun on his initial lap on dry tyres, as the drivers struggled for grip in the cool and damp conditions.
After switching to the intermediate tyre compound, Jean-Eric Vergne produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:28.204, before Felipe Massa lowered the benchmark for the Scuderia. The Mercedes’ duo then rose to the top with Lewis Hamilton and then Nico Rosberg, with the latter setting a 01:26.781. Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel then began to trade fastest laps with Lewis Hamilton, with the former eventually rising to the top once again with a 01:24.083.
Nico Rosberg soon brought their battle to a conclusion, with the Monaco Grand Prix winner rising to the top with a 01:23.840. Lewis Hamilton wasted no time in rising back to the top for the German marque, producing a 01:23.801 as the times continued to tumble. Felipe Massa and then Mark Webber continued to lower benchmark as the session progressed, before two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso rose to the top with a 01:23.224. Just as the opening session drew to a conclusion, Sebastian Vettel stormed to the top with a 01:22.318, as Paul di Resta was once again frustratingly eliminated down in 17th. The Scotsman was joined in elimination from proceedings along with Charles Pic, Romain Grosjean, Jules Bianchi, Max Chilton and Giedo van der Garde.
As the second segment of qualifying got underway, the rain overhead gradually intensified as the race stewards confirmed a change in climactic conditions. Felipe Massa ran straight on at Turn 3, however the Brazilian managed to engage the reverse gear and continue circulating. Mark Webber set the initial pace for Red Bull, before Lewis Hamilton disposed of the Australian driver with a 01:29.259. As the rain intensified overhead, many drivers including Lewis Hamilton, Adrian Sutil, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel all ran wide at the final chicane.
However, the reigning World Champion managed to master a scintillating lap the next time around with a 01:28.825 despite the tricky weather conditions. Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Sutil still continued to struggle out on track, as the duo both ran straight on at Turn 3. Luckily they both managed to continue circulating, as Sebastian Vettel continued to improve at the front before Mark Webber disposed of his team-mate with a 01:28.145. The session was briefly halted in the dying minutes with a red flag delay, after Felipe Massa once again made a mistake at Turn 3 and slammed into the tyre barrier.
The Canadian marshals quickly cleared the Brazilian’s stricken Ferrari, allowing a flurry of drivers to immediately return to the circuit with just over a minute remaining in the session. Esteban Gutierrez led out a long queue of awaiting drivers as the session was resumed, before Lewis Hamilton rose to the top for Mercedes with a 01:27.649. The session drew to a dramatic conclusion, as both McLaren’s were eliminated from proceedings. Sergio Perez and Jenson Button were joined by Nico Hulkenberg, Pastor Maldonado, Esteban Gutierrez and Felipe Massa in being eliminated from proceedings.
The all-important top ten shootout began with the entire field immediately taking to the circuit, with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber at the front of the long and impatient queue. The reigning Champion managed to produce the first timed lap of the session with a 01:25.425, which eventually remained unbeaten as the rain once again intensified and prevented anyone from thwarting the German ace. Former GP3 Champion and Formula 1 rookie Valtteri Bottas produced a stunning lap time for Williams, rising himself majestically into 3rd position with a 01:25.897.
Sebastian Vettel will start tomorrow’s 70-lap Canadian Grand Prix alongside the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, in what should be a thrilling run down to Turn 1 at the start. Valtteri Bottas will commandeer 3rd position on the grid, alongside Monaco Grand Prix winner Nico Rosberg. With the weather set to remain unpredictable for the race, it seems Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will once again produce a thrilling spectacle.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m25.425s 2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m25.512s + 0.087s 3. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m25.897s + 0.472s 4. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m26.008s + 0.583s 5. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m26.208s + 0.783s 6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m26.504s + 1.079s 7. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m26.543s + 1.118s 8. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m27.348s + 1.923s 9. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m27.432s + 2.007s 10. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m27.946s + 2.521s Q2 cut-off time: 1m36.811s Gap ** 11. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m29.435s + 1.786s 12. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m29.761s + 2.112s 13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m29.917s + 2.268s 14. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m30.068s + 2.419s 15. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m30.315s + 2.666s 16. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m30.354s + 2.705s Q1 cut-off time: 1m24.776s Gap * 17. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m24.908s + 2.590 18. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m25.626s + 3.308 19. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m25.716s + 3.398 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m26.508s + 4.190 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m27.062s + 4.744 22. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m27.110s + 4.792 107% time: 1m28.080s
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Mark Webber Fastest In Shortened Final Practice Session At Canada
Mark Webber has ended a shortened third and final practice session fastest overall for Red Bull, in drying conditions around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Australian ace produced the time in the dying seconds of the session, and was followed by Adrian Sutil in 2nd and Lewis Hamilton in 3rd.
Once again the teams and drivers were greeted with damp weather conditions around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the start of the third and final practice session, which was frustratingly delayed for 30 minutes due to repairs being carried out on the barriers at Turn 11. This was due to a heavy incident earlier in the day during the Ferrari Challenge support event, and required a lengthy delay as repairs were carried out.
Eventually it was confirmed that the session would begin at 10:30 local time, and would last only for 30 minutes. This led to a hectic final practice session, as the entire field instantly took to the track on both the intermediate and full wet tyres in a bid to finalize their preparations for the weekend ahead. The Caterham duo were the first to take to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with Giedo van der Garde in particular setting the initial benchmark with a 01:30.873. The times naturally tumbled drastically as the session progressed, with Esteban Gutierrez and then Sergio Perez rising to the top with the latter producing a 01:27.984.
Adrian Sutil then rose to the top for Force India, before former Canadian Grand Prix winner Jenson Button continued to lower the benchmark with an impressive 01:26.340. Esteban Gutierrez, Nico Hulkenberg and then Valtteri Bottas rose to the top, with the latter producing a 01:25.126 before team-mate Pastor Maldonado disposed of his rookie team-mate. However, Valtteri Bottas immediately bounced back with a 01:24.314.
Although the track conditions continued to improve, many drivers were unwilling to switch to Pirelli’s P Zero range of tyres as wet patches continued to linger around the circuit. Giedo van der Garde ran extensively wide at Turns 3 and 4, skipping across the grass and narrowly avoiding the tyre barriers. Nico Hulkenberg then rose to the top for Sauber, with the Hinwil-based outfit continuing to search for improvements after a disappointing day yesterday.
Felipe Massa and then Esteban Gutierrez rose to the top, before the entire field switched to Pirelli’s P Zero dry tyres for the final few minutes of the final practice session. Sergio Perez was the first man to do so on the medium tyres, however he soon switch to the super-soft compound as did the entire field. Felipe Massa produced the first fastest dry lap of the session for Ferrari with a 01:22.482, before Kimi Raikkonen, Pastor Maldonado and then Jenson Button continued to lower the benchmark on slick rubber with the latter producing a 01:20.520.
As the checkered flag emerged, the times continued to tumble drastically with Paul di Resta, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Adrian Sutil and then Mark Webber all rising to the top. However, it was the Australian sensation who eventually ended the session fastest overall for Red Bull, after producing a 01:17.895 in the dying seconds of the session. Although the session ended in drying conditions, uncertainty still surrounds the weather forecast for the all-important qualifying hour later in the afternoon.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m17.895s 7 2. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m18.248s + 0.353s 8 3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m18.732s + 0.837s 7 4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m18.977s + 1.082s 10 5. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m19.131s + 1.236s 6 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m19.457s + 1.562s 7 7. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m19.496s + 1.601s 6 8. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m19.750s + 1.855s 9 9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m19.790s + 1.895s 9 10. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m20.316s + 2.421s 8 11. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m20.596s + 2.701s 9 12. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m21.035s + 3.140s 12 13. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m21.364s + 3.469s 7 14. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m21.652s + 3.757s 9 15. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m22.021s + 4.126s 14 16. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m22.720s + 4.825s 15 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m23.058s + 5.163s 7 18. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m23.132s + 5.237s 14 19. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m23.309s + 5.414s 8 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m23.620s + 5.725s 12 21. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m24.317s + 6.422s 12 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m26.195s + 8.300s 9
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Paul di Resta Fastest In Wet Opening Practice Session At Canada
Paul di Resta has ended the opening practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend fastest for Force India, in what was a wet/dry opening 90 minutes of track action around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Scotsman finished ahead of the McLaren of Jenson Button, with Romain Grosjean 3rd for Lotus.
The opening practice session ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix got underway in gloomy and wet weather conditions around the legendary Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez and Marussia of Max Chilton eventually becoming the first drivers to take to the Montreal circuit. Naturally the entire field elected to carry out numerous installation laps, with Sebastian Vettel in particular returning to the pits after every lap to complete a practice start at the end of the pit-lane.
Whereas the reigning World Champion continued to complete practice starts at the end of the pit-lane, Esteban Gutierrez produced the first timed lap of the weekend with a 01:34.113. The Mexican driver managed to continue improving, eventually working his way down to a 01:30.224 on the full wet Cinturato tyres. The 21-year-old’s reign at the top was short-lived, however, as Mark Webber soon rose to the top for Red Bull after producing a 01:29.412 on the intermediate tyres. The Australian ace then lowered the benchmark even further with a 01:27.909, as more drivers began braving the elements on the intermediate tyre.
As Valtteri Bottas got to grips with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and skipped through the grass at Turn 3, Kimi Raikkonen rose to the top for Lotus with a 01:27.334, before Jean-Eric Vergne thwarted the Finn as the times at the top began to tumble thanks to the improving weather conditions. Nico Rosberg soon asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:26.051 for the German marque, before improving with a 01:24.902. The German ace seems intent on continuing from where he left off after the Monaco Grand Prix last time out.
Jules Bianchi ran straight on at Turn 3 as the opening practice session progressed, forcing the Frenchman to prematurely end his session after struggling to engage the reverse gear. Whilst Jules Bianchi began his walk back to the pits, Mercedes continued to dominate at the front as Lewis Hamilton produced a time +0.616 seconds behind his team-mate to go 2nd fastest. Nico Rosberg continued to improve at the top for the German marque as the session entered its closing stages, as the Toro Rosso duo of Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo became the first to switch to Pirelli’s dry tyres in the improving weather conditions.
Nico Rosberg once again improved at the top with a 01:23.680, before reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel stormed to the top for Red Bull with a 01:23.047. The German sensation has surprisingly yet to win a race around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and will be striving to bring an end to that stat this weekend. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg made minor errors as the session drew to a close, before Jenson Button rose to the top for McLaren with a 01:21.551.
Pastor Maldonado made contact with the wall at Turns 3 and 4 during the final minutes of the session, as the Venezuelan driver spun into the wall and destroyed the front of his Williams. The 28-year-old’s stricken Williams was quickly cleared, allowing Paul di Resta to rise to the top for Force India as the checkered flag emerged signaling the end of the opening practice session. The Scotsman was followed home at the front by Jenson Button in the McLaren and Romain Grosjean in the Lotus.
The teams and drivers will return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve later in the day for the second practice session ahead of Sunday’s 70-lap Canadian Grand Prix. The drivers will naturally be hoping the rain fails to return for practice two, as they continue their many preparations for the weekend ahead.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m21.020s 10 2. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m21.108s + 0.088s 20 3. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m21.258s + 0.238s 21 4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.308s + 0.288s 16 5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m21.608s + 0.588s 22 6. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m22.068s + 1.048s 18 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m22.402s + 1.382s 22 8. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m22.587s + 1.567s 17 9. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m23.047s + 2.027s 26 10. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m23.131s + 2.111s 16 11. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m23.341s + 2.321s 13 12. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m23.352s + 2.332s 17 13. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m23.3e6s + 2.366s 19 14. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m23.417s + 2.397s 19 15. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.957s + 2.937s 33 16. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m25.054s + 4.034s 21 17. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.354s + 4.334s 22 18. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m25.753s + 4.733s 21 19. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m25.821s + 4.801s 19 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m27.143s + 6.123s 20 21. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m27.522s + 6.502s 11 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m29.306s + 8.286s 8
Picture Copyright © Force India F1 Team
Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2013 Preview
After the incident-filled and controversial Monaco Grand Prix, the Formula 1 paddock will this weekend reconvene around the legendary Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. First held in 1967 at Mosport, the Canadian Grand Prix has been held at Montreal since 1978, a race won by Gilles Villeneuve.
In it’s long a colorful history on the Formula 1 calendar, the Canadian Grand Prix has witnessed several memorable moments in the history of the sport, such as Gilles Villeneuve’s iconic victory in 1978, Jean Alesi’s one and only victory in 1995 and the topsy-turvy race in 1998 which saw Michael Schumacher storm to a controversial victory. Despite uncertainty surrounding the future of the Canadian Grand Prix, expectations are high for what should be another thrilling race around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Last time out at the Monaco Grand Prix around the glamourous Monte-Carlo street circuit, Nico Rosberg utterly dominated the entire weekend for Mercedes by topping every single session including a lights-to-flag drive during the incident-filled race. The German was followed home by reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel with Mark Webber 3rd, despite controversy surrounding the weekend after it was revealed that both Ferrari and Mercedes had conducted a secret test at Barcelona several weeks beforehand with Pirelli.
With what is now being dubbed “test-gate” still unresolved, the German marque will be seeking a repeat of their Monaco successes this weekend in Canada. Both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are unquestionably decent qualifiers, and with passing relatively difficult around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, another competitive result could well be on the cards. However, both Red Bull, Lotus and Ferrari will be eager to deny the German marque at the front, in what will surely be another close fight at the top.
The Canadian Grand Prix has been held on three circuits since its inception, with Mosport holding the inaugural race back in 1967. For the opening four years, the event was alternated between Mosport and Mont-Tremblant before the former became the sole host of the race until 1978 when Montreal assumed the honor of hosting the Canadian Grand Prix. Local hero Gilles Villeneuve stormed to a memorable victory during the circuit’s inaugural race, resulting in the circuit eventually being renamed the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after his untimely death in 1982.
The Wall of Champions has become a notorious aspect of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Since the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix, the race has always been held during the month of June, with several iconic moments occurring around the now legendary circuit. The notorious “Wall of Champions” on the exit of the final chicane has become an iconic part of the circuit, with former Champions such as Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve all slamming out of the race on separate occasions.
Despite their fearsome competitiveness across the majority of the circuits on the current calendar, Red Bull have so far failed to secure a victory around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. McLaren have won the last three races in Canada, with both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button standing upon the top step of the podium for the Woking-based outfit. Michael Schumacher currently holds the record for the most amount of wins for a driver at the Canadian Grand Prix, with seven victories throughout his career (’94, ’97, ’98, ’00, ’02, ’03 and ’04). However, McLaren are currently the most successful team around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with the Woking-based outfit knocking up a stunning 13 race victories ahead of Ferrari and Williams (’68, ’73, ’74, ’76, ’88, ’90, ’92, ’99, ’05, ’07, ’10, ’11 and ’12).
For this weekend’s race, Pirelli has elected to bring their medium and super-soft tyre compounds. This presents the teams with varying strategies for the weekend ahead due to the gap in the compounds, with Pirelli expecting around two to three pit-stops during the 70-lap race. However, Pirelli’s Cinturato intermediate and wet tyres could well feature heavily once again this weekend, with rain forecast on both Friday and Saturday. During Friday practice, Pirelli will offer the teams two sets of prototype tyres to be tested. These tyres were initially scheduled to be officially introduced this weekend, however they will instead be tested on the Friday and then finally fully utilized during the British Grand Prix.
After a lack of DRS-assisted overtaking maneuvers during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, expect a resurgence of DRS domination this weekend with two zones once again implemented on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The zones in question are in relatively the same location as last season, with only the first activation zone altered slightly. The two locations will share the same detection zone, which will be located 110m after Turn 9, with the first activation zone 55m before Turn 12. The second DRS activation zone will be 70m after Turn 14, along the start/finish straight.
For this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, former Formula 1 driver Martin Donnelly will act as the Drivers’ Representative Steward. The Ulsterman made his debut in the sport back in 1989 with Arrows at the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, before signing for Lotus in 1990. However, his career in Formula 1 was cut short during the 1990 season when a suspension failure caused a horrific incident during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Although Martin Donnelly was seriously injured during the incident, he recovered and has since managed to compete at national level. The 49-year-old will be joined in the stewardship of the Canadian Grand Prix by Garry Connelly and Radovan Novak, both of whom are distinguished members of the FIA.
Nick Heidfeld tries his best to keep his Lotus Renault on the track during a torrential downpour in 2011.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has become renowned for producing exciting and somewhat unusual races over the years, the most recent example being the 2011 race which eventually became the longest Formula 1 race in the history of the sport at four hours, four minutes and 39 seconds due largely to a two-hour rain delay. With Montreal’s history of creating memorable races, this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix could well follow the trend.
After a season so far plagued with bad luck, Fernando Alonso will unquestionably be out to secure his third victory this season. However, the speed of the Mercedes duo during qualifying could once again pose a threat to the likes of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, with Kimi Raikkonen also lurking in the shadows as he too aims to add to his tally of victories this season. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has been a happy hunting ground for McLaren in recent years, however that stat is likely to change this weekend.
Picture(s) Copyright © Williams F1 Team & Lotus F1 Team
Pirelli Set To Alter Hard Tyre Compound
Pirelli has announced plans to alter their hard tyre compound from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards, following discussions held with the Formula 1 teams with regards to their new tyre range. The aim is to allow the teams much more opportunity to run a wider range of strategies, whilst retaining the unpredictability that has become renowned by Pirelli’s tyres.
The opening four races of the season have been utterly dominated by Pirelli’s new tyre range, with the soft tyre compound used in China proving particularly troublesome. Although Red Bull in particular has been out-spoken against Pirelli’s tyres, many teams and drivers up and down the grid remain content with the tyres. The revised hard compound will be available to the drivers from the opening practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix, where they will be allocated alongside the medium compound.
“After evaluating tyre performance over the balance of the first four races, we took the decision – in consultation with all of the teams – to change the hard compound from Spain onwards.” Explained Pirelli’s motorsport director, Paul Hembery. “This latest version of the hard compound is much closer to the 2012 tyre, with the aim of giving the teams more opportunity to run a wider range of strategies in combination with the other compounds, which remain unchanged.”
After the Spanish Grand Prix, the sport will move to the glamour of the Monaco Grand Prix around the streets of Monte-Carlo, where the soft and super-soft tyre compounds will once again be allocated. From Monaco, the sport will ahead to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, where the super-soft tyre will once again be utilized alongside the medium tyre. As ever each team will receive six sets of the harder compound and five sets of the softer compound, as well as four sets of the intermediate tyre and four sets of the full wet tyre should they be required.
Picture Copyright © Pirelli
McLaren Confident They Have Identified Button’s Woes
McLaren suffered a race of mixed emotions at the Canadian Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton stormed to his first Grand Prix victory of the 2012 season whereas Jenson Button limped home in 16th place a whole lap off the pace. As the Woking-based outfit gear up for the European Grand Prix, McLaren are confident they have identified “subtle” differences between Hamilton’s and Button’s set-ups.
Speaking in a Vodafone ‘Phone-In’ earlier in the week, McLaren’s Operations Director Simon Roberts spoke out about how he believes enough work has been carried out back at their Woking factory to identify the minor issues that resulted in the starkly contrasting results last time out. Although both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button had the same cars and parts, their competitiveness throughout the weekend was lightyears apart.
“There’s been a huge amount of work carried out back at the factory, analyzing the data to check everything was as we thought it was.” Explained Simon Roberts, “We’re pretty sure at the moment that there’s nothing untoward with Jenson’s car and there’s actually nothing fundamentally wrong with the set-up. But, subtly, there are differences with these cars. And I think going into Valencia we are quite optimistic we have identified them. I think we can have a slightly different way of getting Jenson’s car under him for both qualifying and the race.”
When asked whether he could elaborate on the “subtle differences” between the two cars, Simon Roberts continued to explain how there was nothing fundamentally wrong with Button’s set-up.
“I’m not going to go into exactly what they are but they are very subtle.” Continued Simon Roberts, “There was definitely nothing fundamentally wrong with his set-up. But on the day, clearly there was underperformance. We think we’ve stepped nearer to understanding it all. Whether we’ve cracked it, only time will tell. It’s been a painful but interesting learning exercise for us.”
Jenson Button’s competitiveness has visibly decreased since his illustrious win at the season opening Australian Grand Prix back in March, as the 32-year-old Briton currently sits 8th in the Drivers’ Championship with 45 points. If the 2009 World Champion wishes to be a title contender in 2012, he will undeniably need a change of fortune in the next few races.
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
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