Built on the perimeter roads of the artificial island of Notre Dame, the 4.361 km-long Montreal track is a semi-permanent circuit
It is known for
its low-grip surface, for really putting the braking system to the test, and
for the fast long straights at the end of the track. The almost total absence
of run-off areas, combined with the proximity of the walls - just think of the
famous 'Wall of Champions' - means frequent interruptions to the race or the
entry of the Safety Car.
The layout of
the circuit named after Gilles Villeneuve, which was introduced in the first
edition of the race in 1978, consists of long straights interspersed with a
series of chicanes and slow curves. The use of kerbs can help gain tenths of a
second, or lead to mistakes that are extremely difficult to remedy.
