Five Things to Know About the 2025 Canadian GP

The final flyaway race before the summer break is here as Formula 1 crosses the Atlantic for the 2025 Canadian GP.

We've had a short break after the tripleheader to get set for our time in The Great White North.

Are you ready, though? We've got five things to tell you about the Canadian GP to get you in the mood for Montreal.

Long-time F1 fans will be very familiar with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where the sport has visited since the 1970s.

Situated on the artificial Notre Dame Island inside Montreal's Saint Lawrence River, the circuit's original name paid homage to "Our Lady" – or "Notre Dame" in French.

The Île Notre-Dame Circuit title lasted from the maiden Grand Prix in 1978 until 1981.

Following the death of Canadian F1 driver Gilles Villeneuve in 1982, the winner of the inaugural 1978 race, the circuit's name changed to honour one of the nation's best drivers.

Quebec, Canada's largest province, can feel like a country within a country due to its French origins that are still evident today with 'Québécois' French as the official language.

Although day-to-day life will be very familiar for other Canadians, not knowing French would be a disadvantage for those who move from another province to Quebec.

Montreal exists in a microcosm of its own, too, with the city blurring the line between modern North American architecture and its earlier French and British influences.

You'll find bakeries and patisseries nestled within the skyline that also features more contemporary glass-walled skyscrapers in this truly unique city.

Although unrelated to the country's colonial history, Canada has occupied an unusual place in the F1 calendar since the 1980s.

F1 moved its trip to Montreal towards the start of the season following late-year trips in September and October, including staging the 1978 season finale in its very first year as host..

That move earlier in the season meant warmer weather, but also an interruption to the so-called European leg of the calendar to jump across the pond for a weekend.

2026 sees the Canadian GP move to May to geographically align with the Miami GP that precedes it to keep logistics in North America before making a single trip to Europe.

This year's race might be the last Canadian GP June visit for the sport ever.

F1 Academy returns for the mid-point of its seven-round season with a maiden trip to Canada.

Lia Block, our representative in the series, hasn't raced in her ART Tatuus F4-T421 since Miami's Race 1 after rain cancelled Sunday's event.

The American teenager has shown great speed this year, but her growth in racing experience hasn't translated to points in a tricky start to 2025.

With Montreal being a new track for all the drivers, Lia is in a great position to kickstart her season this weekend before F1 Academy's long break until late August, when Round 5 takes place in Zandvoort..

Alan Jones had to wait until 1980 to take his title, but his ending to the 1979 season showed that glory awaited the Aussie.

Winning four of the final six races in '79, Jones' best Grand Prix of the year came in Canada where he secured Williams Racing's first Grand Slam in F1.

Starting alongside home hero Gilles Villeneuve on the front row, Alan took pole position from the Canadian by over six-tenths.

That single-lap advantage over Villeneuve didn't last in the race, though, and the two ran close throughout the 72 laps, with Alan winning by a single second.

Clay Regazzoni in the second FW07 completed the podium, and the Swiss racer was the last driver not to be lapped by Alan in Williams' second double-podium finish.