Back-to-back wins for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton has him 17 points clear of teammate Valtteri Bottas in the drivers’ standings ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.
What time does it start? How can I watch it?
This weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix is set to get underway at 19:10 p.m. BST and 16:10 p.m. ET. For U.S. viewers, all of this weekend’s sessions are live on ESPN:
Friday — Practice
Practice 1 – Friday, June 7, 9:55 a.m. – ESPNU
Practice 2 – Friday, June 7, 1:55 p.m. – ESPNU
Saturday — Qualifying
Practice 3 – Saturday, June 8, 10:55 a.m. – ESPN2
Qualifying – Saturday, June 8, 1:55 p.m. – ESPNEWS
Sunday — Race
Pit Lane Live – Sunday, June 9, 12:30 p.m. – ESPN3
On The Grid – Sunday, June 9, 1:30 p.m. – ABC
Race – Sunday, June 9, 2:05 p.m. – ABC
U.K. viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1. Check local listings for all other territories.
The burning question: Can Vettel turn his season around in Canada?
Put simply, it’s now or never for Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari.
Mercedes has absolutely dominated the first six races of the season, winning all of them, but the Silver Arrows’ one-two streak came to an end last time out in Monaco with Vettel snatching P2 from Valtteri Bottas.
It might seem like a little win, and it certainly is, but the confidence which will stem from it, as well as the fact Ferrari finally made the correct strategy call during the race, should not be underestimated. It could actually turn out to be exactly what the team needed in order to kick-start its season.
The championship standings would suggest 2019 is already a complete write-off for Ferrari, but that’s not the case. After all, there’s still 15 races and a potential 660 points up for grabs this season.
Having said that, if there are to be any smiles at Maranello, the form line must be flipped this weekend. Last year Vettel won in Canada, two weeks on from finishing runner-up in Monaco, and you can bet he would give absolutely anything to double up in 2019.
If Ferrari can’t strike a blow in the first third of the season, it’s going to be a very long year for the Scuderia and discussion about whether or not Mercedes can win all 21 races in 2019 will only grow louder.
Which car will suit the track?
For obvious reasons it’s hard to look past Mercedes this weekend. The Silver Arrow has looked in perfect rhythm at all six race tracks this year and there’s no indication that anything will be any different in Canada. Expect another strong showing from Hamilton and Bottas.
Straight line speed is crucial in Montreal and, interestingly, Ferrari has had the edge in that area this season. Down the long main straight in Baku, the Ferraris were on average 4km/h faster than their Mercedes rivals. Don’t rule them out of contention this weekend.
Down the grid, keep an eye on Renault. Last year in Canada, Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz qualified in the top nine and both went on to score points. Perhaps this will be the weekend where we see the best of Renault, Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo.
The stat files
37% — Races at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve won by either Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton.
Kimi Raikkonen — Has finished in the top 10 in Canada at every race since 2010.
4 — Different circuits to have hosted the Canadian Grand Prix.
McLaren — More wins (13), pole positions (11) and fastest laps (11) than any other constructor in Canada.
5 — Winners of the Canadian Grand Prix on this year’s grid (Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Ricciardo and Kubica).
Tyre talk
Available compounds: Hard C3 (white), Medium C4 (yellow), Soft C5 (red)
Mario Isolo, head of car racing — “Broadly speaking, our nomination for Canada is about the same as last year. The main difference is that the hardest compound available this weekend is a bit harder than last year and there is no equivalent of the super-soft in the 2019 range, so the choices are more spread out. While we have the same nomination as Monaco, a few of the teams have compared Montreal with Baku — where we made a harder selection — because of the higher speeds, longer straights, and the challenge of balancing tyre temperatures across the front and rear of the car. Montreal is also a race that contains plenty of variety, in terms of strategy, on-track action and weather. The teams always go into it not knowing quite what to expect, so it’s especially important to accumulate as much tyre data as possible in order to be able to make an informed reaction to changing circumstances.”
Minimum starting pressures: Front 22.0 psi, rear 20.0 psi
Weather forecast
It’s been a wet week in Montreal, but the rain is expected to clear up before cars take to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Friday afternoon.
Still, it will be overcast and cool throughout the race weekend with temperatures expected to hover around 18-21C from Friday right through until race day.
ESPN’s prediction
He loves the circuit and the form line suggests Hamilton will win three in a row. Add in the fact he has a chance to tie another Michael Schumacher record (most wins in Canada) and it’s an easy prediction.
Winner: Lewis Hamilton