The bravest of the brave

June 9, 2014 by Infiniti

MONTREAL – Everyone has a favorite grand prix, and it's surprising how many different answers there are to that particular question. But ask people in the F1 paddock to list their top five, and pretty much everyone will include Canada.

Coming to Montreal is always a pleasure, never a chore. It ticks all the boxes for what makes a good grand prix great. The track is exciting, the grandstands are always full and we have the bright lights of the big city in the background.

And what a city it is. One of the best things about racing in Montreal is the way it really makes a big deal of the grand prix. Roads are closed off in the center of town, stages are constructed, bands play and it seems like the whole city takes to the streets. Everyone talks about how the Singapore Grand Prix models itself on Monaco – but really it has much more in common with this weekend.

Out at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, everyone talks about how close the walls are. That's usually a reference to the chicanes but it applies equally to the paddock. There's not a lot of space with everything squeezed in between the garages and the edge of the rowing basin. Our makeshift offices and hospitality units are portakabins stacked two-high. It's not the easiest place to work, but it makes for a great atmosphere – though perhaps guests are a little surprised if they came to the race expecting Monaco-like levels of glamour.

As for the track, it's one that the drivers generally like. In common with many of the older circuits, it has a character all of its own, dictated by the environment rather than the architect's pencil. The artificial Île Notre-Dame where the track is located is a long, thin island, with the circuit following that basic shape. It's a series of long, fast straights, punctuated by tight, slow corners – which creates an unusual set of problems for our engineers. It's tough on brakes and tough on engines in ways not quite like anything else we've faced so far this year.

For the drivers, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is all about getting close to those walls in the chicanes. The nearer you are, the faster you go – but there's no margin to go beyond the limit. For a qualifying lap, the bravest of the brave insist you have to kiss the walls with the tires. Though as Daniel puts it, nothing more than a peck on the cheek or you're in trouble.