Autosport writers’ favourite F1 Canadian Grands Prix

In all, there have been 50 Canadian Grands Prix since 1967, with the race alternating between Mosport and Mont-Tremblant until 1971 when the former became its home.

But since 1978, it’s the Montreal circuit later renamed after its favourite son Gilles Villeneuve with which the race is most closely associated, having only dropped off the calendar in 1987, 2009 and the last two seasons due to COVID-induced travel restrictions.

The former Île Notre-Dame Circuit has produced several first-time winners, unforgettable moments of drama such as Nigel Mansell’s infamous final-lap retirement that gave Nelson Piquet victory in 1991, and controversies aplenty – not least during F1’s previous visit in 2019 when on-the-road winner Sebastian Vettel was demoted to second by a post-race penalty.

Here, Autosport’s team of writers pick out their favourites.

1979, The greatest duel – Kevin Turner

Two drivers at the top of their games, in strikingly different cars, rarely more than a second apart. And with an on-track pass for the lead. It’s the sort of race we often hope for and rarely get, but that was the story of the 1979 Canadian GP.

Although Ferrari’s Jody Scheckter wrapped up the drivers’ crown at the Italian GP, the final two rounds of the season were all about two other names: Alan Jones in the Williams FW07 and Canadian hero Gilles Villeneuve.

Jones was the man to beat at the end of the campaign and had won three of the four races heading into the Montreal event. He admitted that qualifying wasn’t his greatest strength, yet took pole by nearly 0.7 seconds from Villeneuve, who was 1.7s quicker than team-mate Scheckter.

Typically, Villeneuve used the torque of the flat-12 to overtake the Cosworth DFV-engined Williams at the start and the two immediately headed off into a race of their own.

Jones kept up the pressure and, finally, on lap 51 of 72 he got close enough on the run to the hairpin. The Australian dived down the inside, they touched wheels and the Williams was through.

One of the things that makes this duel special is that Villeneuve then tenaciously hung on, never letting Jones get out of sight. But the future world champion held firm and took the flag just 1.080s ahead.

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