Formula 1 will be back for the 2025 edition of the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, despite rising concerns over the ongoing wildfire situation in the country.
In the days leading up to the race weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, reportedly over 200 wildfires have broken out across Canada, leading to evacuations.
Visuals of smoke masking the circuit had been doing the rounds on social media lately, leading to speculation that the race was in danger of being cancelled.
However, it is understood there are no immediate plans in place to suspend the Grand Prix, which sandwiches the European season, scheduled to run this weekend.
Despite Montreal being one of the most affected areas in terms of smoke accumulation, the air quality level is thought to be moderate and of no immediate concern to F1 and the authorities.
This isn’t the first time that F1 has had to cope with the threat of wildfires in Canada disrupting a race weekend. Back in 2023, after Quebec suffered its worst wildfire outbreak in history, question marks were raised about the event.
That said, Max Verstappen went on to take the chequered flag in P1, marking a historic win not only for himself but also for Red Bull. The Dutchman equalled Ayrton Senna’s record of 41 Grand Prix wins as he secured the Milton Keynes-based squad’s 100th victory in the sport.
Poor track infrastructure rectified
Last year, the weather played a crucial role in the outcome of the Grand Prix in Montreal, won by Verstappen.
And while the on-track action was augmented by the treacherous conditions, the same could not be said about the enjoyability of the event for the fans and paddock insiders in attendance.
The facilities at the circuit, which have been home to the Canadian GP since 1978, started showing their age when parking lots and access roads were reduced to muddy pits.
Team personnel and VIPs in attendance also faced the wrath of the weather after the paddock buildings were affected by leaks.
Former F1 driver and pundit, Martin Brundle even slammed the organisers, calling the event a logistical mess.
“I’ve been visiting the Canadian GP in Montreal since 1984, and this year was undoubtedly the least enjoyable in terms of the venue,” he wrote in his column for Sky Sports.
“The popularity and scale of today’s F1 has outgrown the facilities, and the rain turning accesses into mud didn’t help.
“The police and security appeared increasingly aggressive and unhelpful to boot, it was a logistical mess.”
But the organisers have seemingly learned their lesson and have revamped the facilities in preparation for this year’s race weekend.
The COO of the Canadian GP, Sandrine Garneau, has assured fans that they have rectified the structural defects that caused chaos last time out.
“I think it’s safe to say that we’ve done a total 180 compared to last year. The park has invested a tremendous amount of time and resources into making sure that the building that was built in 2019 is now completely waterproof,” Garneau said.
What to watch out for in the Canadian GP?
The Canadian GP will host the 10th round of the 2025 season, and promises to promote various storylines across the grid.
After bagging a third 1-2 of the season at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last weekend, McLaren will hope to deliver another decisive blow in the championship.
Oscar Piastri put further daylight between himself and his championship rivals, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, after Barcelona. Piastri’s fifth win of the season sees defending champion Verstappen lag by a massive 49 points going to Montreal. Naturally, the Dutchman will be hoping for a big result to keep himself in contention for his fifth consecutive title.
The weather forecast for the Canadian GP suggests that it will be dry running across the weekend, with temperatures expected to hover around the mid-20s.
This could be promising for the likes of Mercedes, who would be hoping to bounce back from a horrid triple-header.
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