Round 5 of 22 · Canadian Grand Prix

Canadian Grand Prix

4:00 PM EDT · Montreal · Montréal

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Sprint race 12:00 Montréal time (Saturday)

Montreal

Montréal, Canada · America/Toronto

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a 4.361 km (2.710 miles) semi-street circuit on Ile Notre-Dame, an artificial island in the St. Lawrence River. Its 14 corners span a 70-lap race distance of 305.270 km. The track has hosted the Canadian Grand Prix since 1978 and is named after the legendary Quebec-born driver who died at Zolder in 1982. Valtteri Bottas holds the lap record at 1:13.078, set in 2019.

The layout features long straights connected by tight chicanes and hairpins, giving the circuit a stop-start character that is brutal on brakes. Two DRS zones on the main straight and the back straight create strong overtaking opportunities. The infamous Wall of Champions at the exit of the final chicane has claimed multiple world champions, including Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve all in the same race weekend in 1999. Turn 6, a tight left-hander after the long back straight, is another key passing point.

Montreal has produced legendary races throughout its F1 history. On 12 June 2011, Jenson Button delivered one of the greatest drives in F1 history, winning after falling to last place mid-race through multiple penalties and pit stops in a rain-interrupted race lasting over four hours. On 10 June 2018, Sebastian Vettel won for Ferrari in a strategic masterclass. The 1981 race on 27 September saw a tragic accident that claimed the life of a marshal. Gilles Villeneuve himself thrilled the home crowd with his fearless driving here before his untimely death.

The timezone is America/Toronto at EDT (UTC-4). A 15:00 local start is 19:00 GMT and 21:00 CEST, giving European fans a comfortable evening watch. Asian viewers face an early Monday morning start. The sprint race at 12:00 local pushes the European window to 16:00 GMT. Check Canada time and Montreal time for conversions.

Late May in Montreal can be unpredictable, with temperatures swinging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius within the same weekend. Rain is always possible, and the island setting makes the circuit accessible by metro, surrounded by water and parkland. The city’s restaurants, nightlife, and cultural scene draw fans who treat the Grand Prix as a full weekend event rather than just a Sunday afternoon.

See the full race schedule and session times at the Canadian Grand Prix page.

Live Race Tracker

When the Canadian Grand Prix goes live, this page transforms into a real-time race tracker. Every car plotted on the Montreal circuit map, updating multiple times per second. No app to install, no subscription required.

The tracker connects directly to F1's official timing feed via WebSocket and streams live data to your browser: race positions, gap to leader, interval to car ahead, tire compound, pit stop count, and lap times for all 20 drivers.

Click any driver to see their full race data: fastest lap, last lap time, grid position, tire strategy with stint history, and points scored. The driver card follows their car on the circuit map showing position and gap in real time.

Team radio messages appear in a live feed as they are broadcast. These are the actual audio recordings from the pit wall: engineer instructions, driver reactions, pit calls, and celebrations. Each message has a play button. During the Canadian Grand Prix, expect 40 to 60 radio clips across all teams.

Race control decisions appear instantly: safety car deployments, yellow flags, driver investigations, penalties, and DRS activation. You see what the stewards are looking at before the television broadcast catches up.

The tracker activates automatically 30 minutes before the session starts and stays connected through red flags, weather delays, and safety cars. If the session is interrupted, the tracker waits and reconnects when racing resumes.

The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve starts at 15:00 EDT (UTC-4) on Sunday 24 May. The circuit is 4.361 km long with 14 corners and sits on Ile Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River.

This is a sprint weekend. Saturday’s sprint race goes at 12:00 EDT (16:00 GMT), awarding points to the top eight finishers before the full Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve sits on Ile Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River just minutes from downtown Montreal. Named after the legendary Quebec driver who died at Zolder in 1982, the track features long straights connected by tight chicanes, with concrete walls lining the exit of nearly every corner. The Wall of Champions at the final chicane has claimed a remarkable list of victims, including Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, and Jacques Villeneuve in the same race in 1999.

Montreal has produced some of the most dramatic races in F1 history. Jenson Button won from last place in 2011 in a rain-interrupted classic that ran for over four hours, the longest race in F1 history. Robert Kubica took his only career victory here in 2008 for BMW Sauber. Lewis Hamilton scored his maiden F1 win at Montreal in 2007, starting a love affair with the circuit that has produced multiple further victories.

For European fans, the 15:00 EDT start translates to 21:00 CEST and 20:00 BST, a comfortable Sunday evening watch. The Saturday sprint at 12:00 EDT lands at 18:00 CEST. North American fans get an ideal afternoon slot. Australian viewers face tough timing at 05:00 Monday AEST. Asian audiences watch at 03:00 Monday JST and 03:00 Monday CST. Check Canada time for the exact start in your location.

The 2026 power units, with enhanced energy recovery from braking, should make the stop-start nature of this circuit even more strategically interesting. Lance Stroll carries the home crowd’s hopes for Aston Martin, and the Montreal atmosphere on race day, mixing European racing culture with North American energy, remains one of the best weekends on the calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is the Canadian Grand Prix in my timezone?

The Canadian Grand Prix starts at 16:00 local time in Montréal on 2026-05-24. This page automatically converts the start time to your local timezone.

Where is the Canadian Grand Prix held?

The Canadian Grand Prix takes place at Montreal in Montréal, Canada.

Is the Canadian Grand Prix a sprint weekend?

Yes, the Canadian Grand Prix is a sprint weekend with an additional sprint race on Saturday.

Can I watch the Canadian Grand Prix live timing for free?

Yes. whensport.com provides a free live race tracker for the Canadian Grand Prix with real-time car positions on a circuit map, live standings, gap times, tire strategy, pit stops, and playable team radio audio. No app or subscription required. The tracker activates 30 minutes before the session starts.

Can I listen to Canadian Grand Prix team radio live?

Yes. The whensport.com live tracker streams real F1 team radio audio during the Canadian Grand Prix. You hear actual driver-engineer conversations as they happen, with a play button for each message. Expect 40 to 60 radio clips during the race.