GILLES VILLENEUVE CIRCUIT INFORMATION
AND 2008 RACE PROGRAM
THE 2008 CANADIAN FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX
In 1977 the French Canadians, motivated by the incredible success of the late Gilles Villeneuve, decided to build a Formula 1 racing circuit. Building a new Formula One circuit, simply wasn't feasible, in terms of time and money. They however came up with an innovative solution by taking the Ile Notre-Dame in the St. Lawrence River and by connecting all the island's roads and they simply created a modern Formula 1 circuit. The island had been the home of the 1967 World Fair and featured a lot of futuristic looking buildings. It was, everyone agreed, a great venue for the very popular Canadian Grand Prix.
When looking for the perfect combination of gourmet dining, exciting nightlife and exhilarating F1 racing, Montreal is an excellent choice. The city is jam-packed with good hotels, endless entertainment and good site-seeing possibilities.
The trip to Canada is also very popular with the teams, as they usually enjoy the fantastic hospitality on offer in Montreal. Besides the joys of the town, the circuit and facilities offer their own challenges, whilst the crowd is generally appreciative of the teams and their efforts.
GILLES VILLENEUVE CIRCUIT INFORMATION
General information
The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit is the setting for the Canadian Grand Prix, located on Ile Notre Dame in the centre of the St. Lawrence River, not far the busy streets of Montreal. The layout is considered to be one that is tough on brakes, featuring long straights capped on each end by a hairpin turn. The circuit has many runoff areas that are extremely narrow, a point of concern for the drivers.
What the drivers say
The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit is little used, so it tends to start very green, which makes tyre selection a little tricky. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the fastest tracks on the Formula One calendar, with speeds reaching 320km/h on the back straight. This of course means there are big braking zones, and as a result the cars will run with larger brake ducts than normal, with a set-up that ensures good stability under braking. Add the emphasis on low drag, which will see the teams with their lowest downforce levels of the year, and it is clear that mechanical grip becomes vital. The cars with the most powerful engines will be able to add downforce without becoming vulnerable on the straights, which is why this is a circuit that rewards power.
The long, fast straights and big stops make the circuit tough on brakes. The teams run with maximum cooling here, and the softest tyres (from the hard end of the range) that they think will do the distance. Heavy fuel loads are tough on tyres, make for a difficult qualifying, and leave the car vulnerable to being passed by a lighter car on the long straights
RACING PROGRAM AND EVENT SCHEDULE
Although not yet finalised for 2008, we have included the 2006 Formula 1 program, to give you an idea of what the event program should look like. Except for the two Friday free practice sessions, which will be extended to two 90-minute sessions for 2008, we do not expect any other major changes from the 2006 program.
So please take note that the following 2006 program and schedule could change for 2008.
FRIDAY
| 07h50 – 08h25 |
Ferrari Challenge |
Free Practice Session |
| 08h45 – 09h15 |
Honda Michelin Series |
Free Practice Session |
| 10h00 – 11h00 |
Formula One |
First Free Practice Session |
| 11h15 – 11h45 |
Formula BMW |
Free Practice Session |
| 12h45 – 13h15 |
Formula BMW |
Qualifying Session |
| 14h00 – 15h00 |
Formula One |
Second Free Practice Sessions |
| 15h15 – 16h00 |
Honda Michelin Series |
Qualifying Session |
SATURDAY
| 08h45 – 09h15 |
Ferrari Challenge |
Qualifying Session |
| 10h00 – 11h00 |
Formula 1 |
Third Practice Session |
| 11h30 – 12h00 |
Formula BMW |
Race 1 |
| 13h00 – 14h00 |
Formula 1 |
Qualifying Session |
| 14h30 – 15h00 |
Honda Michelin Series |
Race |
| 15h45 – 16h30 |
Mazda Star Series |
Race |
SUNDAY
| 09H15 – 10h15 |
Formula BMW |
Race 2 |
| 10h30 – 11h00 |
Ferrari Challenge |
Race |
| 11h30 |
Formula 1 |
Drivers Parade |
| 12h00 |
Nations’ Presentation |
|
| 12h30 |
Formula One |
Grid Presentation |
| 13h00 |
Formula 1 |
Formula 1 Grand Prix
of Canada 2008 (71 Laps) |
| 15h30 |
Concert in the Hairpin |
|
