Mercedes-Benz Canadian GP Preview, 2026

 

Toto Talks Canada

We head to Canada ready to get back into a regular rhythm of racing. Our competitors took a step forward in Miami and we need to respond; seven Grands Prix in 10 weekends before shutdown is an opportunity to do that and build momentum. We bring our first update package of the year to Montréal, but we know that performance is only performance once it is delivered on track. 

Despite being in the middle of May, we are just four races into the season. There is a long year ahead and, whilst this is an important weekend, it will not decide any outcomes. We will stay balanced, keep learning, and execute each weekend as well as we can. We won't get too high when we succeed or too low in the difficult moments; that is as true for our drivers as it is for the rest of the team.

Third Driver Insights

Montreal is an incredible racetrack with such a rich history in F1. Some of the greatest races we’ve ever seen have taken place there. I still remember watching the 2011 race when I was younger, just as I was getting into watching F1 at that time, and how special that was.   

The city itself is fantastic as well. Everything feels so close and connected, and the circuit being near the heart of Montreal creates a unique atmosphere over the race weekend. It has a fantastic energy that you can feel as a driver. 

The track itself is an interesting mix — it’s somewhere between a traditional circuit and a street track. You have the walls very close in a lot of corners, which adds a real sense of risk and challenge, but at the same time there are some fast, open sections where you can really push the car. That balance makes it exciting to drive. 

Overtaking is also a big feature in Montreal. It will be particularly interesting to see how these newer-generation cars perform there but I expect it to be very exciting. Overall, it’s a circuit that demands precision and rewards bravery; that’s what makes it so special.

Did you know?

• The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve will host a Sprint event, the third one of the 2026 season, for the very first time. 
• The 4.361 km Circuit Gilles Villeneuve shares many characteristics with a track like Baku; a combination of long straights, where low drag is crucial, with slow-speed corners such as chicanes and hairpins that demand good downforce and traction.
• This year marks the 45th Formula 1 Grand Prix held at the venue. Only Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone, Monaco, and Monza have hosted more races on the F1 calendar, underlining Montreal’s historic importance.
• A defining feature of the circuit is its sequence of rapid direction changes, with several corners forming left–right or right–left combinations. Key examples include Turns 1–2, 3–4, 6–7, 8–9, and the final chicane (Turns 13–14). These sections place a premium on car responsiveness, stability over kerbs, and driver precision.
• The 405-metre pit lane ranks sixth longest on the calendar, but crucially, the total time lost during a pit stop is relatively low. Drivers benefit from entering the pits before the final chicane, avoiding that slower section, and rejoining at Turn 2, bypassing Turn 1 entirely.
• One of the track’s most iconic features is the lack of run-off at the exit of the final corner, famously known as the “Wall of Champions.” The name dates back to 1999, when Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, and Jacques Villeneuve all crashed there during the same weekend.
• Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the distinction of the most wins at the circuit, with seven victories each.
• Last year saw both Mercedes drivers on the podium with Kimi claiming his maiden podium and George his fourth win in F1. 
• The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix will host the second round of the F1 Academy series, with Payton Westcott P4 in the drivers’ standings, and round three of the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

2026 Canadian Grand Prix
Session	Local Time (EDT)	Brackley (BST)	Stuttgart (CEST)
Practice One – Friday	12:30 – 13:30	17:30 – 18:30	18:30 – 19:30
Sprint Qualifying - Friday	16:30 – 17:14	21:30 – 22:14	22:30 – 23:14
Sprint Race - Saturday	12:00 – 13:00	17:00 – 18:00	18:00 – 19:00
Qualifying – Saturday	16:00 – 17:00	21:00 – 22:00	22:00 – 23:00
Grand Prix - Sunday	16:00	21:00	22:00

 

Circuit Characteristics
Circuit Length	4.361 km
Race Laps	70
Race Distance	305 km
Number of Corners	14 (6 L / 8 R)
Distance from Pole to First Braking Zone	165m
Pole Position Side	Left
Pit Lane Length Under Speed Limit Control	405m
Drive-Through Time at 80 km/h	18s
Braking Events (>2G)	1
Heavy Braking Events (<0.4s @ >4G)	5
Braking Energy	High
Top Speed	333 km/h (expected)
Race Lap Record	1:13.078 (BOT, 2019)
Absolute Lap Record	1:10.240 (VET, Q3, 2019)

 

Race Characteristics (2019 & 2022 - 2025)
Safety Car Probability	80%	Average Track Temperature	35.6°C
Average Ambient Temperature	21.7°C	Maximum Track Temperature	47.9°C
Maximum Ambient Temperature	27.5°C	Wet Session Probability	33%

 

Race Records - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team in Canada
	Starts	Wins	Podiums	Pole Positions	Front row places	Fastest laps	DNF
Mercedes	14	5	14	6	12	5	3
George Russell	5	1	2	2	2	1	1
Kimi Antonelli	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
MB Power	29	11	28	10	22	12	24

 

Mercedes-Benz in Formula One
	Starts	Wins	Podium Places	Pole Positions	Front Row Places	Fastest Laps	1-2 Finishes	Front-Row Lockouts
Mercedes (all-time)	345	135	316	147	278	116	62	86
Mercedes (since 2010)	333	126	299	139	258	107	57	82
George Russell	155	6	26	8	20	11	N/A	N/A
Kimi Antonelli	28	3	7	3	5	5	N/A	N/A
MB Power	615	243	673	253	512

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport wins 24-Hour Nurnburgring Race --- 2026

 

#11 Mercedes-AMG GT3, SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm

• Ten years after its last victory, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport has once again won the prestigious ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. The Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL, comprising Maro Engel (GER), Maxime Martin (BEL), Fabian Schiller, and Luca Stolz (both GER), triumphed in the 54th edition thanks to an impressive team performance, finishing over two minutes ahead of its nearest rival.
  
  
• For Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, this marks a historic third victory in the Eifel classic, following triumphs in 2013 and 2016. Maro Engel was already part of the winning quartet in 2016. Martin, Schiller, Stolz, and Winward Racing celebrated their first victory in the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
  
  
• Starting from 25th on the grid, the #80 Mercedes-AMG GT3 managed to make up several places right from the start.
  
  
• When the rain started to fall for the first time after around four hours, the team made the right decision and switched to MICHELIN wet tyres early on. Thereafter, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL and Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing held first and second place for the majority of the race.
  
  
• During the night, the two performance cars repeatedly swapped the lead in a series of close battles on the Döttinger Höhe.
  
  
• With four hours to go, Lucas Auer (AUT), Jules Gounon (AND), Daniel Juncadella (ESP), and Max Verstappen (NED) were initially forced to retire the #3 car from Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing due to a faulty driveshaft. The car rejoined the race for the final lap and was classified in 37th place.
  
  
• Even in the closing stages, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL remained flawless despite changeable weather conditions and a few incidents, crossing the finish line in commanding fashion after 24 hours and 5 minutes 27 seconds, having completed 156 laps.
  
  
• In total, the two Mercedes-AMG Performance Teams led for 129 laps.
  
  
• Toyo Tires with Ring Racing finished 17th overall. SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm finished the race in 101st place following an extended repair stop.
  
  
• The #26 car from PROsport Racing Team BILSTEIN was in the top 10 in the early hours of the morning. With five hours to go, a broken splitter forced the team to retire.
  
  
• PROsport Racing celebrated another success in the SP10 class: Yannik Himmels (GER), Lluc Ibañez (ESP), Guilherme de Oliveira (POR), and Jörg Viebahn (GER) took third place in their category with the #176 Mercedes-AMG GT4.
  
  
• KCMG initially established itself among the leading group at the start. After four hours, the #47 Mercedes-AMG GT3 was hit from behind by a rival and was unable to continue the race.
  
  
• For Maro Engel and Maxime Martin, this was their second victory in the second round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Having already secured victory at the season-opener in Bathurst, the duo also claimed the maximum 25 points at the Nürburgring, extending their lead in the drivers’ championship.
  
  
• In addition, Toyo Tires with Ring Racing secured six points for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport in the IGTC manufacturers’ championship – Mercedes-AMG therefore is in the lead of the standings.
  
  
• With 161 cars entered, 41 of which in the GT3 class alone, the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring boasted its largest field of entrants since 2014.
  
  
• The 54th edition took place in front of a record crowd of 352,000 spectators, who created a spectacular atmosphere throughout the event.

>> Results ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring

 

“This is a truly significant achievement – I couldn’t be prouder. The 24h Nürburgring is one of the biggest and most important endurance races for us, and we were determined to win it again. I am overwhelmed that we have managed to do so after ten long years with the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL. As is so often the case in motorsport, however, joy and disappointment are never far apart. For long stretches, we witnessed a close battle between our two performance cars. That is why it is particularly unfortunate that the race came to an early end for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing. My thanks go to everyone involved who supported this extraordinary event.”
Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport

“I am very proud that we were able to win the 2026 24-hour race. We prepared meticulously for this event and the changing conditions. All that hard work paid off. When the rain first started to fall, we were able to make the decisive move forward on the track and also make the right strategic decisions. This time, we also had the bit of racing luck that you simply need in this race. Together with the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL, we delivered a flawless race. The sister car also delivered a strong performance. That is a remarkable achievement, especially here on the Nordschleife. But the other six cars also had good pace. Mercedes-AMG Motorsport put in a very strong overall performance – and for that, everyone involved deserves great respect and my heartfelt thanks.”
Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport

“We’ve had to wait ten long years for this success. Although rain wasn’t exactly the weather I’d hoped for in the final half-hour, I was still able to hold onto the position with confidence. Thanks to the team for getting the car back in such good shape after my mistake in qualifying. I feel very sorry for the sister car. Both Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars were really fast. But I’m just glad now that our hard work has finally paid off after such a long time. Thanks to all the spectators. The atmosphere was fantastic all weekend.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80

“It’s fantastic to secure this victory for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport after ten years. For me, it’s also finally my first win in what is now my 15th appearance. After three second-place finishes and a long wait, it feels absolutely brilliant. My father won here in 1992, and now I’ve done it, too. It’s a dream come true for me. All in all, it’s simply been an unforgettable weekend.”
Maxime Martin, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80

“This victory is something very special. I’ve been competing here in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 since 2019 and have always dreamed of winning the race. That dream has now come true. The race was particularly challenging mentally. It rained on and off in various places. You never knew what to expect on the next lap. But we had the strongest package this weekend and we put it to perfect use on the track.”
Fabian Schiller, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80

“It’s an incredible feeling to have secured this overall victory. All the pressure just lifts at once, because the final minutes were incredibly nerve-wracking. I’m delighted that we’ve been so successful this year with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. The Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL provided us with a fantastic car. We knew that, with the crew, we had what it takes to succeed. Now, after an emotional rollercoaster ride, we’re right at the top. We can simply enjoy this.”
Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80

“We can be very proud of our performance, even if the disappointment over the result is still weighing heavily on us. Although we managed to get out on track again at the end, it was, of course, a bitter finish for us. The Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, as well as Dani, Jules, and Max, did an incredibly good job throughout the weekend.”
Lucas Auer, Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing #3