Formula 1 returns to Canada after a three-week break and it’s safe to say that the momentum is swinging in Kimi Antonelli’s favour.
The 19-year-old Italian clinched his third consecutive career race win from three back-to-back pole positions at the Miami Grand Prix for Mercedes, and he made history in doing so.
He now leads his teammate George Russell by 20 points in the drivers’ championship after four races.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris finished second after a clean race in Miami and his teammate Oscar Piastri battled for the final spot on the podium in a heavily upgraded McLaren.
The return of racing action was a chaotic one to say the least, but let’s see if Antonelli can continue his winning ways, or if another driver will come into the fight.
So you don’t miss a thing, here’s everything you need to know for the fifth race of the season.
Canadian Grand Prix on TSN schedule
All times in EST
Friday, May 22
Practice One: 12:20p.m. on TSN+
Sprint Qualifying: 4p.m. on TSN3/5 and TSN+
Saturday, May 23
Sprint Race: 11:55a.m on TSN4/5, TSN+ and CTV
Qualifying: 3:55p.m. on TSN4/5, TSN+ and CTV
Sunday, May 24
Canadian Grand Prix: 3:55pm on TSN5, TSN+ and CTV.
The start time for Sunday’s race was pushed back in an attempt to avoid a clash with the Indianapolis 500, which will take place on the same day.
How to watch
Watch coverage all weekend long on TSN with bonuses feeds on TSN+.
Canadian GP track: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is named after the Canadian driver, who tragically lost his life in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1982. The home hero won the first race held here four years earlier.
The man-made Notre Dame Island is in the middle of the St Lawrence River and was purpose-built for the 1967 Expo 67 World’s Fair and was later used for the Montreal Summer Olympics in 1976.
This track tends to be one of the drivers’ favourites with two long straights, very tight hairpins and few run off areas. The famous “Wall of Champions” is located at the exit of Turn 14 and was nicknamed in 1999 after the race because three world champions Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve all crashed there in a single weekend.
You can’t forget about our wildlife friends. Groundhogs are native to the island and are often seen wandering around the circuit minding their business and having front-row seats to the racing action.
Canadian Grand Prix Previous winners
2014: Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes2016: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes2018: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 2019: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 2022: Max Verstappen, Red Bull2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull2024: Max Verstappen, Red Bull2025: George Russell, Mercedes
Other key stats
First race: 1978
Laps: 70 laps of 4.361km. Total race distance 305km.
Lap record: 1:13.078 Valtteri Bottas (2019)
Most wins: Hamilton and Michael Schumacher with seven wins each. From the current grid, Hamilton (2007, 2010, 2012, 2015-2017, 2019), Fernando Alonso (2006), Verstappen (2022, 2023 and 2024) and Russell (2025) have also won in Canada.
Most poles: Hamilton and Schumacher with six poles each. From the current grid, Fernando Alonso (2006), Hamilton (2007-2008, 2010, 2015-2017), Max Verstappen (2022-2023) and Russell (2024 and 2025).
Weather forecast
The weather is always unpredictable at this circuit and rain always tends to come and it’s looking like it will. On Friday through to Sunday the forecast is showing as light rain and winds, with temperatures reaching up to 22 °C.
What happened last year?
Mercedes’ Russell won the race in Canada after a controlled drive throughout at the front.
Title rivals Norris and Piastri came together for the first time in the season after Norris misjudged an overtake on his McLaren teammate with four laps to go.
Norris retired as a result with front suspension damage and Piastri finished in fourth. The result meant that Piastri extended his lead over the Brit in the drivers’ championship to 22 points.
Straight after the incident Norris said over the team radio that it’s “all my bad, all my fault” and that it was “stupid.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished in second, with Antonelli behind in third.
Who will win this year?
Mercedes has been strong at this circuit for the last few years and it’s a track that suits Russell particularly well. The Brit got pole position in 2024, but finished the race in third and said afterwards that it was a “missed opportunity.”
He redeemed himself a year later and managed to convert his pole into a race victory. This year, he will be heading to Canada on the back foot, but this could be his chance to close the gap to Antonelli and score some decent points.
Mercedes are also bringing its first major upgrade package, while Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull made some notable improvements last time out in Miami.
