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