After a two-year absence, the Canadian Grand Prix will return to the F1 calendar, a little later than expected, on the weekend of June 17-19, just after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The circuit is still free of any publicity. There are vibrators still being painted, some bleachers to be finished, like the ones in front of the garage complex.
The good weather these past few days has allowed the Canadian Grand Prix team to make up for lost time in April. The main task is done.
It was necessary to rebuild the alley of the wells, which required a complete reconstruction. During the 2019 edition, it suffered from major construction works of the complex that damaged the asphalt and the underground pipeline.
Drivers noticed a series of annoying bumps, even though speed was limited to 80 km/h in the pits.
The problem of arrival and departure of heavy trucks and machinery for the construction of garages was created and the water flow of the wells was also disrupted.explanation by François Dumontier, President and CEO of the Grand Prix du Canada over the microphone of Radio-Canada Sports.
The work is planned for 2020, he recalled. The 2020 edition did not take place, nor did the 2021 edition, so we just joined the collaboration of people from Parc Jean-Drapeau to rebuild the driveway, to rebuild the part of the wall that separates the driveway of the track. career.
The public sitting in the row of pits will discover new structures.
We have a new departure cabin and a bridge for photographers, François Dumontier pointed out. We also raised the arch overlooking the track above the start line, because the week before the Grand Prix, trucks lowered five starting lights, and these were expensive lights.
It’s just the big jobs. The circuit itself was not damaged, so we did not touch it.
These works, planned for the construction of the garage complex, have just been carried out.
After a two -year absence, the Canadian public is eager to reconnect with F1 and the GP in Montreal. Simplification of sanitary measures should help make the 2022 edition a success at the ticket office.
We have two new stands, 16 and 32, he reveals. We looked to see if we could enlarge some stand. We did the same exercise in the lodges. Yes, there are many more viewers on the site.
” There’s the demand, there’s the enthusiasm. We saw this even before the 2022 edition was confirmed. “
Through our website, our call center, tickets were quickly sold out, we were sold out in a few weeks. People are eager to see F1 again.
Series Drive to Live streaming service Netflix has an impact on sales.
It brings us a whole new client to the grand prix, that was unexpected, he admits. And finally, we have two Canadian drivers in F1 for the first time in history.
The Canadian Grand Prix has for a long time been the only one in North America, and American F1 enthusiasts have traveled to Montreal, taking advantage of a favorable exchange rate.
Austin, Texas then hosted F1. It’s too far from the east coast to disturb the habits of amateur Americans, François Dumontier said. Now Miami, Florida has been added to the schedule, before Las Vegas in 2023.
Isn’t America’s new phase in Florida likely to reduce the manna that falls each year in Montreal?
Yes, Miami is closer to Montreal, but we’d rather work with Miami. Now that there are four races in North America, the F1 product has been talked about in the North American media for a long time. This is a great opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas. It doesn’t worry me. I see this as an advantageHe added.
The advantage comes from the fact that the Grand Prix du Canada is an event known and recognized for the quality of its organization on a unique circuit, which has proven itself, and in an attractive setting.
François Dumontier didn’t hesitate to help organize the new Miami Grand Prix so it wouldn’t go wrong.
They did the job, I would say, overwhelming, he easily admitted. Changing the parking lot of a football stadium to a race track is not easy. They did a great job of decorating everyone, and a lot of people. Obviously there are some shortcomings at the operational level, but this is a first edition.
François Dumontier visited the site in March, at the request of the FIA, to guide the organizers, who complied some his advice, and he did not hesitate to send them immediately, by truck, Tecpro protective barriers, which were essential to protect the pilots in case there was an impact on the concrete walls very close to the track.
There are no plans to combine the Miami and Montreal races, even if it will limit cross-Atlantic trips by F1 teams and staff. The Canadian Grand Prix will not leave its June slot on the calendar. And in June, it was too hot in Miami.
Everything is therefore shaping up well for F1’s return to Montreal. And this edition will be different from the others.
First because it’s the comeback after a two-year absence, because also after the loss of Guy Lafleur on April 22 and the 40th anniversary of Gilles Villeneuve’s death on May 8, the award will be paid to them at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit.
We don’t want to disclose everything, but registrations are there, François Dumontier confirms. And we intend to honor the memory of Gilles and Guy Lafleur, who was a car enthusiast.
I know that some people in the F1 world, especially Laval resident Gino Rosato who works at Ferrari, a great Guy Lafleur fan, will make sure team members know who the famous number 10 is. of the Montreal Canadiens.refers to the boss of the Canadian Grand Prix.
The two registrations Hi Gilles at Hi Guy 10, which begins to fade on our visit to the circuit, will be repainted on the track on each side of the start/finish line. They will allow the younger generation to remember two unique athletes, among those who first put Quebec and Montreal on the world map.
Source: Radio-Canada
