Official 2026 Canadian Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[UKsandman]

Will the wall of champions really be worth talking about. The cars will start slowing down 100 yards earlier than last year. No one’s going to miss their braking point and clip a kerb.

[suffolk009]

Kimi has to be favourite to win. Again.

[TheDeuce]

suffolk009 said:

Kimi has to be favourite to win. Again.

How many defeats will it take to stop George banging on about how he'd be a 2x WDC if he'd had the Merc seat earlier though

[suffolk009]

TheDeuce said:

suffolk009 said:

Kimi has to be favourite to win. Again.

How many defeats will it take to stop George banging on about how he'd be a 2x WDC if he'd had the Merc seat earlier though

I suspect he will never stop.

[TheDeuce]

suffolk009 said:

TheDeuce said:

suffolk009 said:

Kimi has to be favourite to win. Again.

How many defeats will it take to stop George banging on about how he'd be a 2x WDC if he'd had the Merc seat earlier though

I suspect he will never stop.

He might if Max finds a new seat...

I think this season is a very high pressure one for both Merc drivers now!

[90CHPAXL]

UKsandman said:

Will the wall of champions really be worth talking about. The cars will start slowing down 100 yards earlier than last year. No one s going to miss their braking point and clip a kerb.

I was more thinking the increased likelihood of people arriving to it at the same time due to the clipping etc, might well be the spot people get a little pushy!

You could be right however, it may be very lacklustre!

[Sandpit Steve]

90CHPAXL said:

UKsandman said:

Will the wall of champions really be worth talking about. The cars will start slowing down 100 yards earlier than last year. No one s going to miss their braking point and clip a kerb.

I was more thinking the increased likelihood of people arriving to it at the same time due to the clipping etc, might well be the spot people get a little pushy!

You could be right however, it may be very lacklustre!

With the clipping at the end of the straight leading to cars arriving at differnt speeds into the braking zone, along with the uneven power delivery, it’s not too difficult to imagine someone getting the corner entry or exit speed spectacularly wrong at some point in the weekend. The ‘Vettel’ chicane usually gets a couple of visitors to the wall as well.

[TheDeuce]

Sandpit Steve said:

90CHPAXL said:

UKsandman said:

Will the wall of champions really be worth talking about. The cars will start slowing down 100 yards earlier than last year. No one s going to miss their braking point and clip a kerb.

I was more thinking the increased likelihood of people arriving to it at the same time due to the clipping etc, might well be the spot people get a little pushy!

You could be right however, it may be very lacklustre!

With the clipping at the end of the straight leading to cars arriving at differnt speeds into the braking zone, along with the uneven power delivery, it s not too difficult to imagine someone getting the corner entry or exit speed spectacularly wrong at some point in the weekend. The Vettel chicane usually gets a couple of visitors to the wall as well.

Could work out that way. Fingers crossed that these powertrains add some interest here rather than take away.

[williamp]

There's also BTCC, British GT and the Indy 500 this weekend.

[Time4another]

Will be interested to see how George fairs against Kimi.

Can see the Merc upgrades giving them a good advantage.

[Sandpit Steve]

williamp said:

There's also BTCC, British GT and the Indy 500 this weekend.

The 500 is a rather annoying clash with the F1 this year, as opposed to the end of a nice day having a barbecue and watching Monaco first. If the 500 runs long for any reason, it could be a direct clash.

Meanwhile, Canada is now a really annoying time zone for anyone East of the UK - will be a midnight start for me, I’ll probably end up watching it on replay on Monday morning.

[paulguitar]

williamp said:

There's also BTCC, British GT and the Indy 500 this weekend.

Strange to have the Indy 500 on a weekend that isn't Monaco. It usually serves as a telling reminder of how dull the Monaco 'race' has been earlier on the same day.

[paulguitar]

Sandpit Steve said:

The 500 is a rather annoying clash with the F1 this year, as opposed to the end of a nice day having a barbecue and watching Monaco first. If the 500 runs long for any reason, it could be a direct clash.

Meanwhile, Canada is now a really annoying time zone for anyone East of the UK - will be a midnight start for me, I ll probably end up watching it on replay on Monday morning.

The 500 will clash only if there are lengthy yellow flag periods, I think?

[Sandpit Steve]

paulguitar said:

Sandpit Steve said:

The 500 is a rather annoying clash with the F1 this year, as opposed to the end of a nice day having a barbecue and watching Monaco first. If the 500 runs long for any reason, it could be a direct clash.

Meanwhile, Canada is now a really annoying time zone for anyone East of the UK - will be a midnight start for me, I ll probably end up watching it on replay on Monday morning.

The 500 will clash only if there are lengthy yellow flag periods, I think?

The 500 starts at 12:45, and the GP at 16:00, same time zone, so they have 3h15m to run the 500.

It was just under 3h last year, so a delayed start, a lot of yellows, or the dreaded red flag, could set up an overlap.

Grok tells me that only three times in the last 25 years has the race been more than 3h15’ long, but that doesn’t account for delayed start.

[paulguitar]

Sandpit Steve said:

paulguitar said:

Sandpit Steve said:

The 500 is a rather annoying clash with the F1 this year, as opposed to the end of a nice day having a barbecue and watching Monaco first. If the 500 runs long for any reason, it could be a direct clash.

Meanwhile, Canada is now a really annoying time zone for anyone East of the UK - will be a midnight start for me, I ll probably end up watching it on replay on Monday morning.

The 500 will clash only if there are lengthy yellow flag periods, I think?

The 500 starts at 12:45, and the GP at 16:00, same time zone, so they have 3h15m to run the 500.

It was just under 3h last year, so a delayed start, a lot of yellows, or the dreaded red flag, could set up an overlap.

Grok tells me that only three times in the last 25 years has the race been more than 3h15 long, but that doesn t account for delayed start.

Thanks.

Hopefully, there will be no overlap.

Nasty crash at the 500 practice yesterday, good to see no serious injuries.





Those SAFER barriers have been a game-changer.

[Sandpit Steve]

paulguitar said:

Thanks.

Hopefully, there will be no overlap.

Nasty crash at the 500 practice yesterday, good to see no serious injuries.

Those SAFER barriers have been a game-changer.

Apparently last year they were half an hour late for rain.

You don’t have a small accident on a super speedway, that would have been well over 200mph even in practice.

[paulguitar]

Sandpit Steve said:

You don t have a small accident on a super speedway, that would have been well over 200mph even in practice.

Yep, crazy speeds, all of the time.


I'd love to go. I looked into it a few years ago. I was in NYC at the time, but it was all rather expensive to do, so I watched on the telly.

[Sandpit Steve]

paulguitar said:

Sandpit Steve said:

You don t have a small accident on a super speedway, that would have been well over 200mph even in practice.

Yep, crazy speeds, all of the time.

I'd love to go. I looked into it a few years ago. I was in NYC at the time, but it was all rather expensive to do, so I watched on the telly.

Now there’s a suggestion for a PH party trip, like the one at Le Mans.

If would take a bit of organising on the ground, but it’s definitely a bucket-list event to see live.

Anyway, this is the Canada GP thread…

[Tim the pool man]

Sandpit Steve said:

The 500 is a rather annoying clash with the F1 this year, as opposed to the end of a nice day having a barbecue and watching Monaco first. If the 500 runs long for any reason, it could be a direct clash.

Meanwhile, Canada is now a really annoying time zone for anyone East of the UK - will be a midnight start for me, I ll probably end up watching it on replay on Monday morning.

Starts at 4AM here in the "far East", might get up early to watch it...

[Mach]

Sorry it’s a bit off topic but I’d love to hear Max’s thoughts right now.

Last weekend it was hours sat behind a thundering V8 carrying as much speed as possible racing nose to tail and now it’s back to wheezy hairdryers and artificially slow in the corners. Clearly, there’s no comparison in terms of speed but I also suspect there is no comparison in terms of fun. I don’t think I’ve seen him smile as much as I did over the course of last weekend (at least up until the car expired).

I’ve always loved GT racing because the cars are so relatable but it always seems to be under the radar. I think he may have just opened it up to a whole new audience.