The Canadian Grand Prix was moved to Montreal in 1978, as Mosport Park was thought to be outdated and too dangerous. It was built around the site of Expo 67, and it is a mixture of street circuit and permanent road course. Downtown Montreal is only a stone's throw away.

One look at the circuit is enough to tell the story. This track breaks many a car. The first chicane catches out even the best of driver. The first race held on this circuit showed a maiden victory for the local hero, Gilles Villeneuve. In 1982, the track was renamed in his memory, and saw tragedy when Riccardo Paletti was involved in an opening lap accident, running into the back of Didier Pironi's stalled Ferrari, an accident that claimed Paletti's life.

The strangest finish ever remembered at Montreal was when Nigel Mansell was leading, and celebrated a little too soon. He coasted to a halt and stalled the Williams, allowing a very surprised Nelson Piquet to win his last victory for Benetton.

Michael Schumacher raced to victory in 1997 when the race was shortened because Olivier Panis crashed his Prost, breaking his leg.

The circuit sees the teams looking for minimum drag settings, also exposing excessive brake wear. The circuit is little used, so it tends to start very green, which makes tyre selection a little tricky. Add the emphasis on low drag, which will see the teams with their lowest downforce levels of the year, and it is clear that mechanical grip is vital. Those who have the most powerful engines will be able to add downforce without becoming vulnerable on the straights, which is why this is a circuit that rewards power.

The long, fast straights and big stops make this place tough on brakes: teams run with maximum cooling here, and the softest tyres (from the hard end of the range) that they think will do the distance.