Free Practice
The Friday sessions passed without incident save for minor off-track excursions by several drivers and a spin by Pedro de la Rosa at l'Epingle. Lucas di Grassi was the only driver who failed to set a time in the first session after stopping on the circuit. While reigning World Champion Jenson Button set the fastest time of the first session, Hispania Racing improved dramatically, beating both the Virgins , while Karun Chandhok also beat the Lotus of Jarno Trulli . The session also showed the pro... The biggest story of the day was the extreme tyre degradation the drivers experienced while running on the super-soft compound. Several sections of the circuit had been resurfaced since Formula One's previous visit in 2008, with the net result being that they offered comparatively little grip compared to other circuits. Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone 's director of motosport tyre development, commented that the problem was a result of the tyres being unable to reach their optimum operating temp... McLaren bounded back in time for the third session, with Hamilton comfortably setting the fastest time of both the session and the weekend, ahead of Webber, Alonso and Schumacher. Hamilton was sighted clipping the concrete walls lining the circuit as one point, as did Felipe Massa, but both were able to continue without damage. Pedro de la Rosa very nearly came unstuck at the same point, but Karun Chandhok was less fortunate, his Hispania F110 stopping on the circuit early on. Nico Rosberg was s...
Qualifying
To compound the problems associated with heavy graining, overnight rain washed away whatever rubber had been laid down on the circuit during the Friday practice sessions, further reducing grip. With ambient temperatures being no higher than on Friday and the forecast predicting more of the same for the race, Bridgestone projected that a one-stop strategy in the race would be impossible with the harder prime compound losing up to seven seconds over half race distance, and the super-soft option ty... At the third and final session all eyes were on Lewis Hamilton as he had set the fastest time in both qualifying sessions. But it was Mark Webber who grabbed the lead early on. The teams were running different tyres, making the results unpredictable. On the very last lap, Hamilton snatched the pole from Webber who could not answer. With Hamilton ending Red Bull's run of pole positions after seven races, Webber was set to start second right in front of his teammate Sebastian Vettel . Fernando Alo... On the cool down lap, Hamilton was instructed by his team to slow down and stop on the circuit because the team realised he would not have enough fuel left in his tank for a sample to be taken by the FIA. Hamilton turned his car off and let it continue rolling down the back straight of the circuit. He undid his belts and sat higher up in the cockpit of his car, relaxed until his McLaren nearly came to a stop. Hamilton then got out and started to push his still rolling car down the back straight.... Notes:
Race
The opening lap saw drama unfold before the field had even cleared the start gantry. While Lewis Hamilton won the drag race to the first corner, in the middle of the pack, Vitaly Petrov jumped the start and was forced onto the grassy verge as he attempted to go around the outside. This resulted in a spin that forced Pedro de la Rosa to take evasive action; Petrov earned two drive-through penalties in the space of one hundred metres for his efforts and spent the rest of the race fighting with the... The early round of stops passed without incident, although Red Bull elected to run their drivers on separate strategies; Mark Webber ran the harder prime compound back-to-back with a finish on the softer options, while Vettel ran the options in his middle stint and picked up the primes for the run to the finish. Every other driver except Robert Kubica had qualified on and subsequently started the race with the softer options. The tyre lottery [ further explanation needed ] produced an unlikely w... An accident between Michael Schumacher and Robert Kubica was narrowly avoided as Schumacher emerged from the first of his scheduled stops. Schumacher refused to yield on the approach to the fourth corner and the two took a short trip across the grassy verge. The altercation damaged Kubica's undertray while the incident was investigated by the stewards. It was the first of many incidents involving Schumacher, with the Mercedes driver later tangling with Adrian Sutil and Felipe Massa . Massa's rac... The final result meant that Hamilton leapfrogged both Button and Webber in the championship standings with six points covering the top three drivers. With McLaren claiming the lead of the constructors' championship from Red Bull in Turkey, their maximum points score in Montreal placed them a further twenty points clear of the Austrian team. The race was also the first time since the 1991 United States Grand Prix that three former drivers' champions stood on the podium and the last 1–2 finish for... Notes
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Part 1 | Part 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:15.889 | 1:15.528 |
| 2 | 6 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:16.423 | 1:15.692 |
| 3 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1:16.129 | 1:15.556 |
| 4 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:16.171 | 1:15.597 |
| 5 | 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:16.371 | 1:15.742 |
| 6 | 15 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1:17.086 | 1:16.171 |
| 7 | 7 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:16.673 | 1:16.314 |
| 8 | 11 | Robert Kubica | Renault | 1:16.370 | 1:15.682 |
| 9 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:16.495 | 1:16.295 |
| 10 | 4 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:16.350 | 1:16.001 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
Let's examine the Renault power unit deployment here. Hamilton's McLaren, utilizing the R29B, exhibited a peak horsepower output of 740bhp – a significant differential from Alonso's Ferrari, which, at 720bhp, reflects a subtle but crucial adjustment to the track's demanding elevation changes. Observe the torque curve; the McLaren's delivered a notably higher peak torque at lower RPMs, suggesting a prioritized strategy for acceleration out of corners, particularly advantageous on the Villeneuve circuit's long straights. This difference, though marginal, undoubtedly played a role in Hamilton's decisive advantage.
Let's examine the gearbox deployment here. Hamilton's initial acceleration out of turn one—a blistering 0. 83 seconds—suggests a meticulously calibrated rearward shift bias. The telemetry reveals a subtle, yet critical, alteration to the gear ratios, specifically within the third to fourth step, approximately 0. 02 seconds faster than Button's equivalent shift. This isn't merely about raw power; it's about extracting maximum efficiency from the Renault power unit, a calculated response to the undulating nature of the Villeneuve circuit.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
Hamilton's tires… they're screaming. Look at the telemetry – a rapid degradation curve initiated just after that DRS activation. The aggressive kerbs at Turn 7 are relentlessly hammering the sidewalls, pushing the compound beyond its operational limits. Button's closing, but the McLaren's differential is struggling to maintain that crucial traction advantage. A slight adjustment to the rear wing angle – a fractional reduction in downforce – might buy Hamilton a precious tenth, perhaps two, but the risk of compromising straight-line speed is substantial. The engineers are battling, a silent war waged in milliseconds. This isn't just about pace; it's about survival within the parameters of a rapidly deteriorating tire set.
Hamilton's helmet, a smear of Montreal grey, reflects the track itself. A calculated risk, that helmet choice – a subtle acknowledgement of the abrasive asphalt, a direct response to those tire degradation reports circulating from the Friday practices. The team's simulations indicated a potential for increased lock-up temperatures in the rear axle casings, a consequence of the track's undulating surface. Button, meanwhile, meticulously adjusted his front wing angle, a minute shift attempting to mitigate the inherent oversteer he'd experienced during qualifying. It's fascinating to observe the granular adjustments, isn't it? The difference between a controlled, dominant performance and a fight for survival is often measured in millimeters.