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Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Named in honour of the ever-popular Canadian driver following his death in 1982, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has, with some brief interludes, hosted the Canadian Grand Prix since 1978. Located on the île Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River, the circuit is a stop-start combination of short, slow corners and chicanes linked by long straights, making for a challenging circuit for engineers that is hard on engines and brakes.

The circuit invariably claims a number of casualties. You can have a perfect lap all the way round but if you hit the kerbs through the final chicane badly, it will throw you off with only the now infamous 'Wall of Champions' to collect you. To add to the difficulties faced, the extreme Montreal temperature range throughout the year means that the surface is sometimes prone to breaking up.

Circuit Map

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve places a premium on engine power and durability with the circuit driven at an average of 200 km/h and top speeds peaking at 320 km/h on the start-finish straight where throttles will be fully open for 15 seconds going into Turn 2. There is also an emphasis on high traction and good engine torque in order to launch the cars out of the corners.

The long-straights dictate a focus on reducing drag levels in order to maximise straight-line speeds which approach 320 km/h on the Casino straight. The layout also results in very high braking energies, with four heavy braking zones from over 300 km/h.

The temporary nature of the circuit means that the circuit begins the weekend very 'green' and grip levels improve constantly throughout the weekend.

Overview

Circuit Length: 4.316 km (2.709 miles)
Race Length: 70 laps (305.3 km, 189.7 miles)
Circuit Type: Temporary course
Direction: Clockwise
Corners: 15 (9 right-hand and
6 left-hand corners)
Elevation Change: Minimal
Run-off Area: Small
Maximum G-Force: 3.6 G
Joined Calendar: 1978
Lap Record: 1:13.622 (Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004)
Av. Temperature: 24°C
Typical Weather: Cloudy
Altitude: 7 m AMSL
Official Website: External link

The Circuit

Top Speed: 316 km/h (196 mph)
Average Speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
Gear Changes/Lap: 48
Engine Demand: Very High
Full-Throttle %: 63%
Longest Sustained: 14 s
Fuel Consumption: 2.52 kg/5km
Fuel Load Effect: 0.071 s/5km
Brake Demand: Very High
Braking %: 18%
Downforce Level: Low-Mid
Cooling: Medium
Tyre Wear: High
Grip Level: Low
Tyre Allocation: Soft / Supersoft
Pit Lane Loss: 14.1 s
Pit Lane Length: 400 m

Key Points

Turn 3 and 4 - A chicane taken at around 110 mph, and where you can gain a lot of lap time by jumping over the kerbs and running close to the wall.

Turn 11 'L'Epingle' - A very tight hairpin that not only offers the best overtaking opportunity but is also key to maximising speed down the following straight.

Turns 14 and 15 - The final chicane. You can have a perfect lap all the way round but if you hit the kerbs through the chicane badly, it will throw you off with only the infamous 'Wall of Champions' to collect you.