The circuit was built on Montréal's Île Notre-Dame and debuted in 1978, when home hero Gilles Villeneuve won. Renamed after him in 1982, it evolved through relocated pits, revised chicanes and safety changes while retaining its stop-start character and close walls.
Jean Alesi took his only Formula 1 victory here on his 31st birthday in 1995. The four-hour 2011 race became an epic when Jenson Button recovered from collisions and last place to pass Sebastian Vettel on the final lap.
Across 4.361 km, its 14 corners create a distinct rhythm between braking, precision and acceleration. As a street circuit, it asks drivers and teams to adapt setup, tyre management and race strategy to the venue's particular constraints, while its clockwise direction shapes the sequence of its most demanding sectors.
