Canadian F1 Grand Prix opens in Montreal
The Canadian F1 Grand Prix has begun in Montreal after the paddocks were opened to a few lucky fans at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit on Notre-Dame Island. Thursday was the annual pit walk where about 1,500 fans got a chance to catch a glimpse of some of their favourite racers in person.
After each race, teams disassemble everything from the pit gear to the cars and fly to the next city to put all of it back together again. One thing teams will have to account for is rain and how it might affect the track.
“It’s a new surface. We repaved it back in the fall so we’ll have to see about that, but maybe a little bit of rain, not heavy rain, but just a little bit of rain could make the race a bit more exciting,” said Canadian Grand Prix president and CEO Francois Dumontier. The race brings long-time fans as well as first-timers. Interest in F1 has exploded in recent years thanks in part to the Netflix series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.”
Ferrari fans will be hoping to see Charles Leclerc atop the podium once again after he won the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago.
In the past few years, however, the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit has belonged to Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team, which is looking to make it three in a row.
RACE SCHEDULE FOR 2024
FRIDAY JUNE 7th 2024
09:05 – 09:45 | Porsche Carrera Cup North America – First Practice Session |
10:15 – 10:45 | Ferrari Challenge – First Practice Session |
11:15 – 11:45 | Porsche Carrera Cup North America – 2nd Practice Session |
12:00 – 13:00 | FIA – F1 Car Presentation |
12:00 – 13:00 | Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk |
12:00 – 13:00 | Paddock Club Track Tour |
13:30 – 14:30 | Formula 1 – 1st Practice Session |
15:00 – 15:30 | Ferrari Challenge – 2nd Practice Session |
15:30 – 16:30 | Formula 1 – Teams’ Press Conference |
15:40 – 16:30 | Paddock Club Track Tour |
15:40 – 16:30 | Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk |
17:00 – 18:00 | Formula 1 – 2nd Practice Session |
18:30 – 18:50 | Ferrari Challenge – 3rd Practice Session |
19:15 – 20:45 | F1 Experiences Track Tour & Trophy Photo |
20:00 – 20:45 | F1 Experiences Pit Lane Walk |
SATURDAY JUNE 8th 2024
08:15 – 08:45 | Ferrari Challenge – First Qualifying Session |
09:15 – 9:45 | Porsche Carrera Cup North America – Qualifying Session |
10:20 – 10:50 | Ferrari Challenge – Second Qualifying Session |
11:10 – 11:40 | Formula 1 – Team Pit Stop Practice |
11:10 – 11:55 | Paddock Club Track Tour |
11:10 – 11:55 | Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk |
12:30 – 13:30 | Formula 1 – 3rd Practice Session |
14:00 – 14:35 | Ferrari Challenge – First Race (18 Laps or 30 Mins) |
14:45 – 15:35 | Paddock Club Track Tour |
14:45 – 15:35 | Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk |
16:00 – 17:00 | Formula 1 – Qualifying Session |
17:00 – 18:00 | Formula 1 – Press Conference |
17:55 – 18:40 | Porsche Carrera Cup North America – First Race (40 Mins +1 Lap) |
18:55 – 19:55 | F1 Experiences – Champions Club Grid Walk & Trophy Photo |
SUNDAY JUNE 9th 2024
09:40 – 10:25 | Porsche Carrera Cup North America – Second Race (40 Mins +1 Lap) |
10:55 – 11:30 | Ferrari Challenge – 2nd Race (18 Laps or 30 Minutes) |
11:55 – 12:55 | Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk |
11:55 – 12:55 | Paddock Club Track Tour |
12:00 – 12:30 | Formula 1 – Drivers Parade |
13:46 – 13:48 | Canadian National Anthem |
14:00 – 16:00 | Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2023 (70 Laps or 120 Minutes) |