Canadian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

If you missed the Canadian GP this morning, then you missed quite race. This one was up there with Bahrain. Filled with excitement, drama and some scary moments. There were a lot of retirements, disappointed drivers and also a lot of smiles from the people who finished in the Top 10. Before we get into the re-cap, I'd like to take a moment to say we are planning on debuting a website by the end of the year, while we also continue to post here.
    

   The race opened with a first lap accident between both Marussia drivers, Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton. This happened when Max clipped Jules' rear wheel and sent Jules into a spin. There was quite a commotion as many cars were rounding the turn at the time of the collision. Pieces of debri were flying and landing on the circuit. The safety car was called out immedietley. Both Jules Bianchi and Max chilton had to retire due to the accident. 

    The next person to retire was Caterham's Marcus Ericsson, who endured issues with his engine. Retiring was the only option. He wasn't the only one to have to miss out on the rest of the race, as his team-mate also had to retire due to suspension failure. That already puts the race at 2 Team Double-Retirements. Marussia & Caterham. Lotus was another team to end up with a double retirement, when both of their cars had troubles as well. 

    By this time, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were batteling it out with eachother, when they were both notified by the team that both cars were suddenly suffering from what appeared to be the same problem. While Nico Rosberg was able to carry on, the Mercedes team had to retire Hamilton's car, as it was all over the place from suffering brake loss. A very disappointing end to Hamilton's strong run throughout the season. His last retirement was all the way back in Australia, the first race of the 2014 Season. 

    Daniil Kvyat and Esteban Gutierrez both retired with only a few laps left in the race. It's always devastating to see rookies fighting so hard and then ending up with car troubles. Throughout the season so far, Sauber drivers, Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil have noted that the car is hard to control and is often "Snappy" at the rear, making it very easy to spin-out. Kvyat, who has managed a good tally of points with the Toro Rosso, has now had two consecutive retirements. His last, being in Monte Carlo, Monaco. But just when you thought everything was fine and dandy, the worst of the accidents was yet to come.

    On lap 66-67, Sergio Perez, who was fighting to stay in Second, radioed to his team that he had no brakes, not to mention that he'd also been running without DRS for quite awhile, so the brakes just topped the issues he was struggeling to keep under control. While he sounded calm over the radio, he fought hard to not lose his position, but he couldn't, and Daniel Ricciardo made a pass on him. Sergio, now in 3rd, was fighting around the second to last lap, when Felipe Massa came soaring up behind him. One second it seemed everything in the stands had gone silent, until Massa's car jumped over the Force India, sending them both spinning and smashing into the wall/barriers. Peices flew off of their cars and went flying, while the impacts sounded like blasts.

    Luckily, both drivers escaped without injuries. Both able to climb out of their wrecked cars, were later checked out by medical staff and send to a local hospital for mandatory checks. Both passed and were released later. Many people will argue about who caused the accident. But in the end, unfortunately, it was Perez who was handed a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. Not only he, but Max Chilton was given the same penalty as well, for hitting his team-ate, Jules.

    The safety car was called out for the last lap, but before that, Daniel Ricciardo made a pass on Nico Rosberg and was able to take home his first F1 victory and also, Red Bull's first win of the 2014 season. Rosberg finished in Second, while Vettel nabbed 3rd, to share the podium with Daniel. A huge congratulations to Daniel on his first win. I can only imagine how thrilling it must be.

    Personally, while I'm disappointed the race had a bad ending for a lot of drivers, we are absolutely thankful no one was hurt. We must appreciate that the drivers were not injured and will be able to continue in their careers. With that being said, let's go ahead and look at the results from this amazing, crazy and breath-taking Grand Prix.

RESULTS:

1. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull / Australia / + 25 Points

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Sebastian Vettel / Red Bull / Germany / + 15 Points

4. Jenson Button / McLaren / Great Britain / + 12 Points

5. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany / + 10 Points

6. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / Spain / + 8 Points

7. Valtteri Bottas / Williams / Finland / + 6 Points

8. Jean-Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso / France / + 4 Points

9. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren / Denmark / + 2 Points

10. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari / Finland / + 1 Point

11. Sergio Perez / Force India / Mexico / + 0 Points / DNF (Accident)*

12. Felipe Massa / Williams / Brazil / + 0 Points / DNF (Accident)*

13. Adrian Sutil / Sauber / Germany / + 0 Points / (One Lap Behind)*

14. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / Mexico / + 0 Points / DNF (Energy System Failure)*

RETIRED:

Romain Grosjean / Lotus / France - Wing

Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso / Russia - Drive Train

Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / Great Britain - Brake Failure

Kamui Kobayashi / Caterham / Japan - Suspension Failure

Pastor Maldonado / Lotus / Venezuela - Power Unit Failure

Marcus Ericsson / Caterham / Sweden - Engine

Max Chilton / Marussia / Great Britain - Accident

Jules Bianchi / Marussia / France - Accident

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

Time to see how the Grid is lined up for the Canadian GP in the morning. For those of you who don't know the rules of Qualifying, or how it works, let me go over it for you.

Qualifying is all about who starts at the front of the grid (Also called Pole Position) And all cars get a chance to fight for that position. Qualifying is split up into three sessions. Session one is 18 minutes, session 2 is 15 minutes and session 3 is 12 minutes.

So, Session 1, 18 minutes on the clock and all 22 cars will usually go out and try to set the fastest times that they can. However, yesterday it was only 21 cars, as Esteban was unable to take part, after an accident earlier on in Free Practice 3, damaged his chassis. Esteban will start tomorrow's race from the Pt-Lane.

After the 18 minutes were up, the 6 slowest cars, (They include Gutierrez as one of the 6, in order to apply to the rules.), got knocked out and will start in their respective places on the grid. The 6 slowest were: Esteban Gutierrez, Pastor Maldonado, Max Chilton, Jules Bianchi, Marcus Ericsson and Kamui Kobayashi.

Session 2 then started and the remaining cars went out and set laps. The 6 slowest at the end of the 15 minutes were: Adrian Sutil, Daniil Kvyat, Romain Grosjean, Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

After the 3rd and Final session, the last 10 cars were done and were to start wherever their times had placed them. Sometimes, there is penalties later after the session, so I tend to wait to post this until the grid is final and official. So, here is how the revised grid looks for the race.

1. (Pole Position.) Nico Rosberg / Mercedes / Germany
2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / Great Britain
3. Sebastian Vettel / Red Bull / Germany
4. Valtteri Bottas / Williams / Finland
5. Felipe Massa / Williams / Brazil
6. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull / Australia
7. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / Spain
8. Jean-Eric Vergne /Toro Rosso / France
9. Jenson Button / McLaren / Great Britain
10. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari / Finland
11. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany
12. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren / Denmark
13. Sergio Perez / Force India / Mexico
14. Romain Grosjean / Lotus / France
15. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso / Russia
16. Adrian Sutil / Sauber / Germany
17. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus / Venezuela 
18. Max Chilton / Marussia / Great Britain
19. Jules Bianchi / Marussia / France
20. Marcus Ericsson/ Caterham / Sweden
21. Kamui Kobayashi / Caterham / Japan (5-Place-Grid-Penalty for Gearbox Change)
Pit-Lane: Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / Mexico (Was unable to take part in Qualifying.)

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
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Canadian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

Sorry we were unable to get things fixed in time for Free Practice 3, but we still have the re-cap for you and of course all the times from the session.

There was quite a bad accident, when the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez, lost control and hit the barriers, causing a lot of damage to the chassis. Luckily, Esteban is unharmed and fine and he will race on Sunday. He however, had to sit-out of Qualifying, since the team had to replace the chassis of his car.

Let's go ahead and get straight to the times, now.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:15.610 / Mercedes

2. Felipe Massa - 1:16.086 / Williams

3. Nico Rosberg - 1:16.120 / Mercedes

4. Fernando Alonso - 1:16.488 / Ferrari

5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:16.504 / Red Bull

6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:16.528 / Ferrari

7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:16.684 / Williams

8. Daniil Kvyat - 1:16.820 / Toro Rosso

9. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:16.16.824 / Toro Rosso

10. Sebastian Vettel - 1:16.884 / Red Bull

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:16.944 / Force India

12. Kevin Magnussen - 1:16.993 / McLaren

13. Romain Grosjean - 1:17.121 / Lotus

14. Sergio Perez - 1:17.188 / Force India

15. Pastor Maldonado - 1:17.224 / Lotus

16. Jenson Button - 1:17.360 / McLaren

17. Adrian Sutil - 1:17.900 / Sauber

18. Jules Bianchi - 1:18.518 / Marussia

19. Max Chilton - 1:18.525 / Marussia

20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:19.865 / Caterham

21. Kamui Kobyashi - 1:20.227 / Caterham

22. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:22.388 / Sauber

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

Alright, now it's time for a quick re-cap of FP2. Like I mentioned, we were unable to do coverage of this session and we're sincerely sorry. We hope to make up for it with this article and we will attempt to bring you commentary for FP3!

So, in this session, Rossi handed Kamui's car back, making it all 22 regular drivers for this session. The temperature had risen since FP1 and there was no sign of rain.

Kamui Kobayashi was having some problems with this session, where he spun at one point and then later on lost a piece from under his back wing. It practically just fell off, onto the circuit. Quite unfortunate, but the team is sure to have his car ready for FP3. His team-mate, Marcus Ericsson, stopped on track in the session.

Pastor Maldonado had issues as well, as he was unable to make it past Pit-Lane, before the team called him back and pushed the car back into the garage. Later they replaced his rear wing. 

There was only a minor inccident that involved Adrian Sutil and Kevin Magnussen. While Magnussen had the track pretty much to himself, he was rounding the chicane at a slower-than-usual speed, and Adrian Sutil came from behind and had to run off the kerb to avoid smashing into the back of the McLaren. 

So, now on to the times.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:16.118 / Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:16.293 / Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:16.573 / Red Bull

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:16.648 / Ferrari

5. Fernando Alonso - 1:16.701 / Ferrari

6. Felipe Massa - 1:16.774 / Williams

7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:16.893 / Williams

8. Kevin Magnussen - 1:17.052 / McLaren

9. Jenson Button - 1:17.059 / McLaren

10. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:17.180 / Toro Rosso

11. Romain Grosjean - 1:17.626 / Lotus

12. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:17.644 / Red Bull

13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:17.712 / Force India

14. Sergio Perez - 1:17.819 / Force India

15. Pastor Maldonado - 1:17.868 / Lotus 

16. Adrian Sutil - 1:17.964 / Sauber

17. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:18.340 / Sauber

18. Max Chilton - 1:18.693 / Marussia

19. Daniil Kvyat - 1:18.732 / Toro Rosso

20. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:20.244 / Caterham

21. Marcus Ericsson - 1:22.418 / Caterham

22. Jules Bianchi - 1:32.127 / Caterham

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

Good morning everyone, it's time for a re-cap of Free Practice 1. My sincere apologies for anyone following me on twitter yesterday for commentary coverage. We were unable to bring you much due to technical issues. We're trying to have it fixed by Free Practice 3 in about 4 and a half hours. Hopefully, it will be ok!

So, let's start with P1, luckily no major rain fall and the drivers had a nice hour and a half to get some good times in. Only a few incidents, with Nico Hulkenberg spinning out at the chicane and Romain Grosjean heading to the Force India pit crew on accident, instead of Lotus. 

Alexander Rossi made an appearance, driving for Kamui Kobayashi. Rossi is from America and currently races in GP2, for those unfamiliar with the name. Rossi hopes to have a future in F1 sometime in the next year or so. 

It was Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari, who topped this session, with the Mercedes close behind, rounding up the top 3. 

So, on to the times:

1. Fernando Alonso - 1:17.238 / Ferrari

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:17.254 / Mercedes

3. Nico Rosberg - 1:17.384 / Mercedes

4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:18.131 / Red Bull

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:18.361 / Williams

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:18.435 / Red Bull

7. Jenson Button - 1:18.446 / McLaren

8. Kevin Magnussen - 1:18.514 / McLaren

9. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:18.578 / Ferrari

10. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:18.643 / Toro Rosso

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:18.733 / Force India

12. Sergio Perez - 1:18.959 / Force India

13. Adrian Sutil - 1:19.108 / Sauber

14. Romain Grosjean - 1:19.142 / Lotus

15. Daniil Kvyat - 1:19.177 / Toro Rosso

16. Pastor Maldonado - 1:19.340 / Lotus

17. Felipe Massa - 1:19.575 / Williams

18. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:19.804 / Sauber

19. Jules Bianchi - 1:20.200 / Marussia

20. Max Chilton - 1:20.844 / Marussia

21. Marcus Ericsson - 1:21.404 / Caterham

22. Alexander Rossi - 1:21.757 / Caterham

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Marussia

Last quotes come from Marussia!

Jules Bianchi - “I’m very excited for this weekend. The car seems so good at the moment that it feels we can go to every race feeling optimistic for a positive outcome. It has been such a fantastic week or so since Monaco and it has been nice to celebrate with the team after all the hard work it has taken to get this far. I don’t know if we can get two points again in Canada, but we need to consistently demonstrate that we can keep pace with the Saubers and have a good race, and this I think we can do. I think the points success will live with us for a very long time, but equally we have to switch focus to the next races to ensure we keep moving forward, as it is still a long season ahead and the Montreal circuit is by no means a straightforward challenge.”

Max Chilton - “I’m really excited about the Canadian Grand Prix. After such a positive test in Barcelona, and a very positive qualifying in Monaco off the back of that, I am hoping that we can piece together all of the positives into a more competitive result in Montreal. I am really encouraged by the work we have done and the obvious progress that we are making with the car. I think the whole team loves coming to Montreal. It’s such a great venue for the race and the fans are so enthusiastic. After a successful team result last time out, it’s shaping up to being busier than usual. I can’t wait to get back down to the racing.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Ferrari

New quote from Ferrari's, Fernando Alonso.

Fernando Alonso - “After Monaco I felt a good atmosphere in the factory. Everyone is very motivated and hungry for good results. We are realistic and well aware of where we are at the moment, but from now on, we want to be in a position to get better results and enjoy our race weekends a bit more and everyone is working in one direction to improve the car. We have been improving the car on the aero side, while in the simulator, and we have done a lot of work on the set-up with the aim of arriving in Canada with a better car. We can’t make any predictions because our improvement has to be seen in relation to what our competitors come up with. We need to match them and then find a plus. The track in Canada has only six or seven corners, but each one has something special. They have an element of danger and getting them right brings you a lot of lap time. There is definitely no room for error, as all the walls are very, very close. You can feel the city of Montreal has a lot of passion for the race and everyone gets involved in some way. I won here which definitely provides good memories and I also remember that big storm a couple of years back which meant the race was stopped for hours and we were waiting on the grid. There have been ups and downs in terms of results and hopefully this year will be a good one.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Next quotes come from the Toro Rosso drivers.

Jean-Eric Vergne - “The Gilles Villeneuve circuit is definitely very hard on the cars. I had a very good Grand Prix there last year and I will be trying for a repeat performance this time, although finishing sixth, like I did in 2013 will not be easy. It is very demanding on the brakes, because of the hard braking areas after fast sections and you also need good top speed because of the long straight down the back. So you run less aero there. I’m looking forward to the weekend, as I like going to Montreal, which is a really cool city and this event is on my personal podium for the best races of the year. People say the track is dangerous and maybe that’s part of its appeal. I find the circuits where the barriers are a hundred metres away from the track a bit dull. Taking a corner flat out, right on a knife edge, with walls to your left and right is a completely different feeling to going flat out where you know that if you go off you have several hundred metres of run-off. The last corner here before the pit straight is a good example. It’s a nice corner, as it’s quick and you have to jump two big kerbs, so it feels a bit like going back to one’s karting days, throwing the car around at high speed. It’s a work of art getting it right.”

Daniil Kvyat - “The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit is another one on the calendar where I have never raced before and Canada is another country that will be new to me. In preparation, I watched a few Canadian Grands Prix on television, especially the on-board footage and a few days ago, I spent several hours in the simulator preparing for it. My first impression is that it’s going to be an interesting weekend. The track has a lot of stop and go sections, as well as the hairpin and chicanes. It’s going to be challenging and as always, it’s going to be about finding the right rhythm and putting the lap together. It’s a bit like Monaco, as there is not much run-off area, but after my first experience of Monaco nothing seems difficult now! All I know about Canada is that it’s a beautiful place and like us Russians they are mad keen on ice-hockey, so I hope to visit the Montreal hockey stadium if I have time.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

New quotes and these ones are from the Lotus F1 Team.

Romain Grosjean - “I have very good memories -of Montreal-from 2012 when I went from seventh on the grid to my first second place in Formula One. It was a really great day and it was really a strong team result as we used a one-stop strategy to get on the podium after a disappointing qualifying session the day before. Last year wasn’t so good and we struggled with the wet weather and conditions but the place itself? Montreal is a wonderful city to visit. There are obviously a lot of French speakers so it’s like another home race for me, and the fans are so welcoming and knowledgeable. There are also some very good restaurants in Montréal which is always a bonus. The track is in-between a normal circuit and a street circuit. The walls are very close in some places, while other parts are similar to a European circuit. It’s definitely unique and we normally bring a different downforce package for that reason, which adds another unknown factor to the weekend. The circuit is not used for the rest of the year so the grip will change a lot - something we’ll have to adapt to - and the weather can also be tricky. Hopefully it’ll be nice and sunny because it’s a race I really like - and it’s my favourite circuit to race on the Xbox. The last chicane is a notable feature and overall it’s a good track. I enjoy the sensation of being close to the walls. Montreal is different from Monaco as there are some long straights and some big braking moments. The track surface can also present challenges as we’ve seen in other seasons, so it will be interesting to see what the grip level is like this year and that will certainly be on your mind as you take to the track for the first time over the weekend.”

Pastor Maldonado - “Top speed and slow corners are probably the weakest points of our car now and unfortunately Canada has long straights followed by low-speed corners… It could be a difficult weekend for the team, for sure. We are not expecting to be at the top, simply because of the type of track and how we understand our car and its performance strengths and weaknesses. It’s not very aggressive on the tyres either, so we’ll see how it is when we head out to track. Anything can happen and our guys are all working very hard to adapt the car to find more traction in the slow corners and squeeze out some more top speed. Do I like the Montreal track? It’s amazing and I always enjoy being there. Canada is a great race not only because of the track but because of the people who come to support it. There is a great atmosphere all weekend and the city is quite close to the circuit which means there is a great vibe all round. There is also a lot of history to the Grand Prix as well and it has been around for a while - it is one of the great Grands Prix during the season.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

New quotes from McLaren!

Jenson Button - "I really enjoy the Canadian Grand Prix, it's one of those races where everything just feels right. The city is fantastic, the fans are friendly, loyal to the sport and incredibly supportive, the track is intense, and the racing is usually pretty hectic. It's a place that simply produces great Formula One. It was a positive for the whole team to put some points back on the board at Monaco after a difficult few races; we're obviously still far away from where we want to be, but it's important that we maintain our aim of continuous development throughout the whole season. Although we're still a long way from the leaders, we've matched the general rate of development since the start of the season, which is a positive. In Canada, the weather can always play a key role - the forecast currently looks good, but you never know when you pull back the curtains in the morning whether you're going to be faced with blue skies, or grey clouds and pelting rain. We'll probably get a bit of both next week."

Kevin Magnussen - "The Canadian Grand Prix is one of those races I'm really looking forward to, I've always watched it on TV, and it's always looked like one of the very best, most enjoyable, and most dramatic events of the season. The track looks like a lot of fun; it's got a good blend of corners, and it's the kind of place where you want the car nicely hooked up and beneath you because, apart from the back straight, it's pretty much always changing direction. So it's a bit like Monaco in that respect, but a lot faster. It would be nice to have a straightforward weekend after a couple of disappointing technical problems. Things didn't quite go my way in Spain or Monaco - through no fault of my own - so I just want to get my head down, work with my engineers and work on delivering a good result, with no mishaps. I think it'll actually be interesting to see what we can achieve without encountering a problem that sets us back."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Caterham

Next quotes come from the Caterham F1 Team drivers, including a quote from reserve/test driver, Alexander Rossi!

Kamui Kobayashi - "Race seven is Montreal in Canada, one of the most popular races of the year and one where the weather can play a very big part in the race. At the moment the forecasts look dry For Friday, Saturday and Sunday but if that changes it could definitely be in our favour and we need to make sure we're ready to take anything that comes our way. I was in the factory last week to start preparations for Canada and even though Monaco didn't end for me as we'd planned, despite us doing everything we could, everyone is still fighting harder than ever. Crazy races like we had last week don't come too often, but when they do we need to be ready and after talking to a lot of the team last week I know that they are all focused on making progress, not looking back at what might have been. On track Canada is a good place to go racing. The local fans are very passionate and knowledgeable - seeing the whole track full on a Thursday with people really excited about F1 being back is great as it shows just what it means to them to have us race in their home town, and that's good for everyone in the sport. I've had a couple of points finishes in Canada in 2011 and 2012 and it would obviously be cool to have the same again this year - as I say, that will probably take a crazy race but if that happens I'll be prepared ready, as will the whole team."

Marcus Ericsson - "This will be my first race in Canada and after everything I've heard about Montreal and the track I can't wait to get started. Even though there were obviously mixed feelings in the team after Monaco, I have to say I was pretty happy with how it went for me. After starting from the pit lane I finished my first ever F1 Monaco GP in 11th, equalling the team's highest ever position and, even with what happened ahead, that could be really important later this season. That sort of finish, in a race where a lot of cars didn't make it to the flag, is all part of my continuing development as an F1 driver, and I'm sure that experience will help me in Canada and for the rest of the season as we keep battling. The actual Canada circuit looks like it'll be a good challenge. It's quick, especially for what is almost a street circuit, we run pretty low downforce as there are several high speed sections and one of the main things we'll be working on in the free practice sessions is braking - we need to make sure the brake cooling is optimised throughout the weekend, and watch brake wear, especially in preparing for the race itself. After Monaco I'm definitely ready to get back to work, and it'll be good to start again at another new track and one which everyone tells me is going to be an amazing race weekend."

Alexander Rossi (Reserve) - "FP1 in Montreal will be my first drive of the year in the 2014 F1 car, but after the amount of laps I've done in the sim with CT05 I'm already pretty familiar with how it'll be inside the cockpit! Obviously it's not quite the same as actually being out on track, but I have a lot of F1 mileage under my belt with the various FP1s and test days I've completed and having driven in FP1 in Canada last year I know I can go straight to work and help the team complete its plan for the session. I'm grateful to Caterham for their continual support with my development as an F1 driver, in the F1 car again in Canada this weekend and Austin later this year. The chances for young drivers like me to be in current-season cars on track are very limited, and obviously every lap counts over a race weekend but the fact the team sees that I can add value from the work I do in the car, and they can keep helping me to learn, shows great support and how committed they are to developing young talent. Now I'm focused on Friday morning. The weather should hopefully be dry so if that stays true we should have a full session run and be out as the green lights come on - if it rains then so be it, I'll still be focused 100 percent on the job the team asks me to do."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

More quotes and these ones are from the Sauber F1 Team.

Esteban Gutierrez - "The track in Montreal requires a high top speed as well as good mechanical grip. The surface is quite slippery there, so the tyre compound will be important. The way the tyres warm up is especially significant, because we have to keep in mind that they have a lot of time to cool down on the long straights. The track itself is a combination of a street and permanent circuit. There is a lot of history behind the Canadian Grand Prix, and it is a traditional race. Overall, it is a nice event. We have to approach the race weekend with a positive mindset. The whole team is pushing very hard to improve our current situation."

Adrian Sutil - "I am looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix. It is a nice track and I like racing there. Because of the many long straights, you can easily overtake. That's why the races there are mostly quite exciting. On the other hand there quite a few schicanes as well. That requires a relatively smooth car set-up, as you need to ride the kerbs. Generally the engine power and brake balance are important. The weather also comes into play, as in the last couple of years it has occassionally started to rain during the races. I hope this track suits us better than the ones before."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Next quotes come from the Force India F1 Team!

Nico Hulkenberg - "Monaco was not our strongest track, or our weakest track, but we still brought the car home for a great result - it's my best run of results in Formula One and I'm really enjoying the racing. I've said many times that consistency is our strength and we showed that again. It's difficult to say how we will perform in Montreal. In theory it should be one of the better tracks for us, but things change from race to race. It's good that we have the soft and supersoft tyres again because I think the softer tyres are more suited to our car. As an overall event the Canadian Grand Prix is one of my favourites because of the buzz around the city and the unusual track. To get a quick lap you need good top speed, a car that can attack the curbs and you also have to be brave enough to get close to the walls."

Sergio Perez - "I have very good memories from Montreal. In 2012 I started at the back of the grid and managed to finish in third place. It was an amazing race and my one-stop strategy worked perfectly. It was my second podium in Formula One and a great feeling - one I hope to experience again soon. It's another track where you need good top speed and traction from the slow corners. You also have to maximise the limits of the track to be quick and get really close to the walls, so it's easy to make a mistake. After a very disappointing race in Monaco, I just want to get back in the car and get the best possible result for my team. Points will be the target."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Quotes made by Drivers.

Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

New quotes from the Williams F1 Team.

Felipe Massa - "We aim to be more competitive in Canada and hopefully we can have a good performance. The top speed of the car is good and this will be our main strength. Montreal has hosted some great races in the past and this has a lot to do with the weather, so we need to be prepared as it can rain and often without warning. The city is a very relaxed place to be so it's nice to go back there every year."

Valtteri Bottas - "I have some great memories from Canada last year as I qualified my career best position of third. The track is such a contrast from the last race in Monaco, and I think it plays to the strengths of the car, such as good straight line speed. We are aiming to continue our record of points in every race so far this season. It's a special track not only in the fact that it's technically a street circuit, but that there are a lot of big braking zones and few fast corners."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Quotes made by Drivers. 

Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Time for quotes from the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team!

Lewis Hamilton - "Monaco was another great weekend for the team and I'm so proud of all the hard work the guys put in to make it happen. Of course, from a personal perspective it wasn't what I was aiming for. I race to win every time and unfortunately it just wasn't my weekend. But I drove with all my heart and gave it all I could, so I head to the next race with even more energy and determination. Montreal is one of my favourite weekends of the year. It's where I won my first Grand Prix back in 2007 and I've had another two victories there since, so it holds some special memories for me. The city itself is incredible. It's one I always love to go to and there's always a great crowd, so I'm hoping for them that the weather is good and we can put on a great show!"

Nico Rosberg - "Sunday in Monaco was a very special day for me. It was a fantastic result to get another one-two and I'm really happy for the whole team. Lewis drove really, really well and pushed me massively hard but I kept it cool and was able to take the win. He has been on top of his game so it was important for me to break his momentum last weekend. I now have the lead again in the World Championship which is great. But it's still very early days and it's going to continue to be an extremely tight battle between us this year. From Monaco, we head across the Big Pond to Canada. Montreal is one of my favourite venues. It's a beautiful but also crazy city where there is always a lot happening: particularly in the evenings... it's a great place to celebrate a good result, shall we say! That's what I'll be aiming for again this weekend."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

No copyright infringement intended.

Quotes made by Drivers.

Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

First preview quotes for the Canadian GP come from the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team.

Sebastian Vettel - "Canada is a very demanding high-speed racing track, which is surrounded by rails and concrete walls. There is definitely a high risk potential, especially in Turn 15, where you will soon get to know the notorious 'Wall of Fame' should you be driving a few centimetres too far to the right. The first danger zone is already at the start. In the very narrow right-left passage, it's all about avoiding contact with the other cars, otherwise there will be a crash. It is not uncommon for the safety car to make an appearance at the Canadian Grand Prix. Before the Grand Prix, I'm travelling to Toronto to spend a day with Infiniti and their guests on Wednesday for an Infiniti driving day, which will be fun. I'll be performing a few Hot Laps with David Coulthard and some Infiniti guests."

Daniel Ricciardo - "I doubt anyone on the grid lacks motivation, but there's definitely a little extra edge to it at some circuits. They tend to be the ones that demand the most from you and hold real consequences from getting it wrong. Montreal definitely falls into that category. Each of the chicanes, the hairpin too, is an opportunity to make up, or lose, time but the crucial corner is probably the last one: you arrive at top speed so there's a lot to be gained in braking if you get that just right, and then the way you go over the kerbs is worth more time. The flip side is that it's very easy to get wrong and if you do then there's that big wall waiting. It's a clear choice: some guys will play it safe and sacrifice half a tenth to get through there cleanly, others who will take a risk and go flat out trying to find a little bit. The nearer you are, the faster you'll go. Give the wall a kiss and you feel pretty good, kiss it too hard and that's it!"

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

No copyright infringement intended.

Quotes made by Drivers.

Canadian GP: Circuit Preview

(Photo belongs to www.f1wolf.com)

Time for the Circuit Preview for the Grand Prix of Canada.

The "Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve" is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and opened back in 1978. Like most circuits, it runs Clockwise. This circuit only has 13 turns, but longer straights, giving a great opportunity to overtake. It's 2.71 Miles in length and the capacity is somewhere around 100,000! 

The lap count for this circuit is 70, which is only 8 less than the previous race that was just held in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

So, let's go ahead and take a quick look at what happened during the Canadian GP of 2013!

Sebastian Vettel started the race in Pole Position and he got to celebrate, as he also took the first place Victory. Fernando Alonso finished in Second, while Lewis Hamilton held off other drivers, to finish in Third.

Nico Hulkenberg and Giedo Van Der Garde were both involved in collisions and had to retire from the race. Esteban Gutierrez had to retire after his Sauber went off track and hit a barrier. During the removal of his car, a marshal was hit and injured. Sadly, the marshal passed away hours later at the hospital, making a tragic end to the weekend.

For more on the 2013 Canadian GP, you can look at our Race Re-Cap, located in our blog archive.

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

No copyright infringement intended.

Photo belongs to: www.f1wolf.com - I do not own the image, all credit belongs to its owner.