Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Villeneuve’s first victory came at the new Montréal venue in the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix. A home driver’s breakthrough immediately gave the circuit an emotional identity. The route would change and later bear his name, but that first finish remained the origin of the bond between driver and venue.

Ferrari arrived in Canada with several podiums but no victory that season. Alesi’s wait was longer: his first F1 win had remained elusive. Montréal changed both stories. The celebration in the garage reflected a Ferrari career full of passion and disappointment finally producing victory. This race did not need to decide a championship to matter; its significance lay in the wait it ended and the personal meaning of the finish.

Contact with Hamilton, a penalty and further setbacks repeatedly undermined Button’s race, while heavy rain caused a lengthy suspension. As the surface dried, he recovered from the back. On the final lap he caught Vettel and took the lead when the Red Bull driver made a mistake. His six pit-lane visits included a drive-through, not six tyre changes. Montréal rewarded his ability to read a changing track and keep recovering.

Sebastian Vettel crossed the line first at the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix, but Lewis Hamilton was the official winner. On lap 48 Vettel's Ferrari ran onto the grass and, on rejoining, squeezed the Mercedes towards the wall; the stewards imposed a five-second penalty. Hamilton stayed close enough to move ahead in the final classification. Montreal's finishing order on the road and its official result diverged, making this a race whose on-track moment and subsequent decision both matter.