This is the place to discuss everything related to the ninth round of the 2006 season taking place at Montreal between the 23rd and the 25th of June.
The Canadian Grand Prix Preview is available here.
The Canadian Grand Prix Main page is available here.
To submit your 8 'n' Pole Picks for Canada click here, to register in the competition click here
The 2006 Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix
Moderators: cmlean, Ed, The Qualiflyer, The Heretic
The 2006 Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix
Last edited by Ed on Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
The latest weather forecast for the Canadian Grand Prix (last updated 23 June)
Friday
1st Practice - 11:00 - 19 - Mostly Cloudy
2nd Practice - 14:00 - 22 - Mostly Cloudy
Saturday
Practice - 10:00 - 19 - Mostly Cloudy
Qualifying - 13:00 - 22 - Partly Cloudy
Sunday - 27 - Isolated Thunderstorms
Race - 13:00
Friday
1st Practice - 11:00 - 19 - Mostly Cloudy
2nd Practice - 14:00 - 22 - Mostly Cloudy
Saturday
Practice - 10:00 - 19 - Mostly Cloudy
Qualifying - 13:00 - 22 - Partly Cloudy
Sunday - 27 - Isolated Thunderstorms
Race - 13:00
Selected Team and Driver Race Preview Quotes
Renault
Bob Bell - Technical Director
Q: Will the demands of the circuit suit the R26?
Q: You arrive in Canada on the back of a hat-trick of wins in Spain, Monaco and Great Britain. What's your goal for this weekend?
Q: You now know you will be a Renault driver in 2007. A big boost for you?
Martin Whitmarsh - CEO
Gil de Ferran - Sporting Director
Mario Theissen - Motosport Director
Sam Michael - Technical Director
Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
Renault
Bob Bell - Technical Director
Q: Will the demands of the circuit suit the R26?
Q: So the goals for the weekend are?I think so. In Canada, you need to stop well ? and accelerate well. Our car has excellent aerodynamic efficiency, a strong engine, good traction and is stable under braking. What's more, it's easy to drive which will allow both drivers to attack throughout the race. I think the characteristics of the Montreal circuit play to the strengths of our package.
Fernando Alonso? to come away from the race with a good points-scoring finish. There is no reason why we can't challenge for the win, and we will hope to maintain the championship gap to Ferrari. In fact, over the next two races we want to extend that lead slightly. If we can go past the halfway point in the championship with this kind of advantage, then it means our rivals have to not only replicate our performance in the first-half of the championship, but go even further. That won't be an easy thing to do.
Q: You arrive in Canada on the back of a hat-trick of wins in Spain, Monaco and Great Britain. What's your goal for this weekend?
Q: You go into this round of the championship with a 23-point lead over your main rival. Can you now start to manage the advantage?Canada was one of the races on my ?to-do' list at the start of the season. I have never finished on the podium there, and that was one of my goals for 2006. So I will be really pushing to get a strong result there.
Giancarlo FisichellaDefinitely not ? the season is not even at the halfway stage yet, and in Ferrari, we have very strong competition. Last year, we were fighting against teams who had reliability problems ? but that won't happen with Ferrari. They will be there at every race, and very strong in Canada as well. So we are still attacking, still being aggressive, putting new parts on the car and trying to push the limits at every race. That's the only approach we can afford to take this season.
Q: You now know you will be a Renault driver in 2007. A big boost for you?
Q: Tell us about the demands of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?Of course, it's a massive boost. It is fantastic to be staying with a team that will be fighting for the world championship next year ? and to be able to build upon the experience I have had here in 2005 and 2006. At the moment, though, my focus is on the next race. I have had some strong races recently, but the results have not quite been there for me, so I want to put things right in Canada.
Q: What's the objective for this race?It is a difficult circuit. The downforce levels are low, which makes the car delicate to drive, and you have to be very precise on the chicanes: you don't have the grip to recover from a mistake if you get the wrong line. So you need to find the right balance between being aggressive and driving smoothly. I have always really enjoyed the challenge of this circuit.
McLarenWell, I have been on the podium four times in Canada ? twice in third, and twice in second. So there's only one place missing from my record? I think we can go to Canada and be confident of fighting for the win. We need a clean weekend of course, to get maximum track time and make sure there are no problems in practice or qually. But if we get that, then I will be aiming to make it five podiums in Canada ? and to do it from the top step of the podium.
Martin Whitmarsh - CEO
Kimi RaikkonenWe completed a productive three day test at Paul Ricard last week with Kimi, Pedro and Gary completing over 2,600km between them. The test has been a focus of our intensive programme of testing and development, as we still need to find performance in the MP4-21, and there is a lot of determination within the team to bring this to the track. With the front row grid slot and podium at Silverstone, we are moving in the right direction but there is more work that needs to be done to catch up with our prime competitors. The Canadian Grand Prix has high rates of attrition, and brake cooling is extremely important. The circuit is located on the exposed seaway, and as a result head and tail winds can affect set-up quite dramatically, provides quite a challenge to the engineers and drivers
Juan Pablo MontoyaThe Canadian Grand Prix is defined by the long, high speed straights that go into very slow corners. As a result, perhaps more so than at other tracks, you need to have really good corner balance, so that you can get on the power right away as you exit the turn. Otherwise you would lose a huge amount of time on the straights. Because the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is such a fast track, we will run with a very low downforce set-up. It is also fairly low grip, as it is not severe on our Michelins we traditionally use a softer compound, so find the grip through this. As there are no high speed corners, there are no periods of high lateral loadings on the tyres. Despite the speed, you do need to be quite precise here, as it is part road circuit so the Armco are very close to the edge of the track. It is also pretty dusty at the start of the weekend, but as rubber is laid down it starts to clear on the racing line. It was fantastic to win last year, and we had a solid weekend at the last race in Silverstone, hopefully we can put in another good result this weekend.
HondaAlthough Silverstone and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve are both pretty high speed, it is in a very different way. At Silverstone, you don?t really need to brake all that much. At Canada however, braking is key, with the most severe demands of the year in this area. As a result, we will run with increased brake cooling, so you will see larger openings in the body work. In addition there is a real focus with the set-up on braking stability. There are various areas that can be adjusted to improve braking performance, such as weight distribution and aero and mechanical balance. Alongside braking, straight line speed is also vital at Montreal, because of all the long straights, particularly when trying to overtake. There are chances, such as into the hairpin. The Canadian Grand Prix is a great race, as it is so close to downtown Montreal, the atmosphere is like a carnival. I really enjoy the race and hope I have a less eventful time this year!
Gil de Ferran - Sporting Director
Jenson ButtonThe Canadian Grand Prix represents a completely different challenge to the last few races, as the circuit consists of a series of slow corners and a very long straight, and so demands a lower downforce configuration to achieve high top speeds. In preparation, we were busy testing last week in Monza to evaluate our latest performance developments in a configuration appropriate to the Montr?al circuit. Montr?al is a great city and we are especially proud that Honda Canada is a major sponsor of this race and will have a significant trackside and downtown presence, including the Crescent Street Festival which is a great opportunity for the fans to get close to the team and our drivers. All in all we are looking forward to our two week visit to North America.
Rubens BarrichelloMontr?al is a great circuit and I really enjoy racing there. Our car seems to be well-suited to the track; it's a medium downforce circuit which requires much less wing than we have run in the last few races and the car seems to work well on that wing level. We've done some good work in testing and I'm generally pleased with the results, but we'll have to wait and see how things go at the weekend. The critical thing is to make sure we get the very best out of what we have.
As well as being one of my favourite circuits, there's always a great atmosphere in Montr?al. It's a big weekend for Honda Canada, so I hope we have an enjoyable weekend on and off-track.
BMW SauberThe Canadian Grand Prix is really one of my favourite races on the calendar. First of all, the track is quite challenging and we have been doing a lot of work in testing to work on the set-up for this race. We had a positive test last week in Monza and I think we should be able to have a good weekend. Secondly, Montreal is a great city and it always provides a good backdrop to the racing action. I'm looking forward to it.
Mario Theissen - Motosport Director
Nick HeidfeldFor the first time in the last grand prix, our young team emerged as the fourth force to be reckoned with. It was a great success and a tremendous incentive for us. In Montreal we aim to carry on from where we left off and bring the first half of the season to a positive close.
The Canadian Grand Prix is definitely one of the highlights of the season. That is not only because the circuit is a challenge in terms of technology and driving, but also on account of the atmosphere.
The long straights of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve push the P86 engines to the limit. The only circuits with higher speeds are in Monza and Indianapolis. Nick will race with a new engine as scheduled, while Jacques retains the P86 that has already served him well in Silverstone.
Jacques VilleneuveFor me, Montreal and Melbourne are the grands prix I enjoy going to the most. Irrespective of the circuit, I just love the city of Montreal, which is why I?m looking forward to flying out there a few days early.
It?s a circuit with a character of its own. This is one of the last high-speed tracks we still have. There are long straights with relatively slow turns and chicanes in between. I really like the second chicane. Once enough rubber has been laid down on the track to give you the right grip and provided the car is running well, you really hammer the kerbs there. But that turn also has an incline, and on exiting you get very close to the wall.
Right now we believe our car is particularly good on fast stretches. The proof of the pudding will be when we get to Montreal.
WilliamsIt?s always nice to come to Montreal. I hold very fond memories of my home. Since my childhood, I have spent more time in Europe and I have had fewer and fewer opportunities to visit Canada. That makes it even nicer to return here for the Grand Prix every year. I have many friends that I meet on this occasion and, of course, I can see my family as well. My motto is to relax in a familiar atmosphere before completing a strenuous weekend.
The difficulty on the circuit is a lot of heavy braking and we don?t have many tracks like that any more. Because it is a track no one goes on in the year, we never know what to expect grip-wise, how the asphalt will be, how bumpy it will be, because there are normal road cars during the week. It is a little bit like Melbourne ? always a bit of a surprise. The difficulty there is low grip, and because of the layout, all the braking zones and the chicanes and overtaking opportunities, a lot of people forget themselves once in a while and you have quite a few incidents, but that is what creates the excitement.
Sam Michael - Technical Director
Mark WebberMontr?al is a low drag circuit, more so now with the v8s, and is made up of long straights, a lot of slow corners and chicanes. There are two or three good overtaking opportunities every lap which always makes for good racing at this circuit. Traditionally hard on brakes and temperatures, the window will shift slightly this year following the reduction in power levels and the increase in tyre grip compared to last season.
We have a full car upgrade for Canada in the shape of front and rear wings, winglets, nose and diffuser revisions which were all tested and successfully signed off at the Monza test. Strategy at Montr?al is always interesting and this year will be no exception.
Nico RosbergI?m looking forward to the two North American races. It?s always good returning to Montr?al because the atmosphere reminds me of Melbourne in some ways. It?s a bit more relaxed than some of our more recent races, and the track is set in a nice location. The circuit requires a completely different aerodynamic package to the ones we?ve used for the first part of the season, which means a low to medium downforce level to help our top speeds. It also means we could see a slight change in performance from some teams as it?s a fresh opportunity to find pace, I?m certainly hoping it?ll provide us with a chance to improve our performance in the right direction.
Traditionally, Montr?al is heavy on brakes and that?s why we were testing in Monza last week. It?s also a circuit which rewards good horsepower from the engine, so that should be a positive for us. We certainly need both Williams? in the points at Montr?al.
ToyotaI'm really looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix for two big reasons. Firstly, we had a good test in Monza last week running the low to medium downforce set-up so everything is in order for the Montr?al track. We should be stronger there than we were at Silverstone and we have the potential to score some points. The second reason is that everybody keeps telling me that the Canadian Grand Prix is one of the nicest races of the season. It will be my first time there and, although that makes it a greater challenge, I'm looking forward to getting everything out of it that I can.
Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
Ralf SchumacherIn terms of atmosphere the Canadian Grand Prix is one of my favourites together with Monaco. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve provides a very specific layout, featuring very long straights and almost exclusively slow corners. So the contrast between the two extremes of speed makes it the hardest circuit of the season for brakes. The challenge is to achieve good high speed braking stability without too much low speed understeer. In dry conditions, you tend to use tyres from the softer end of the range to favour traction. In the wet the circuit grip is very low because of the smoothness of the tarmac, it leads to the selection of compounds with very good warming up. Overtaking is not easy but possible, and most moves tend to take place at the last chicane. We are planning an interesting aerodynamic update for the race so we are looking forward to having a chance to evaluate it.
Jarno TrulliWe haven't enjoyed particularly good results of late but I'm sure we will continue to improve. The TF106B has made another step and while we still have work to do to reach the level we would like, we are going in the right direction. We have made progress with the mechanical side of the car and our Bridgestone tyres have also improved. In terms of performance we are at a good level, we just need to pick up some better finishes. The Canadian Grand Prix is always a good place to come to race. Montreal is a beautiful city and the atmosphere is always great for the race weekend. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is known for fast straights and heavy braking. I have had some good results there in the past including my win five years ago so we'll hope to score again this weekend.
Because we don't test at Montreal it is always difficult to predict how we will get on there but the Canadian Grand Prix is always one of my favourites of the year. The atmosphere both at the circuit and away from it in the town is great. We tend to run low downforce so the car feels lighter and you have to be precise, but the track has a good flow to it. Of course this has not been a successful season for me so far. The car performance is strong but I have been hit by a lot of bad luck. I narrowly missed out on a podium in Monaco and then I had the engine problem in qualifying in Silverstone. So I am still without a points finish this year but I haven't been able to do much about it. All motor racing is the same - you just have to have patience and hope that you get what you deserve in the end. So I am still pushing and that is what I will continue to do until my fortunes change.
At the 1st Friday Practice BMW Sauber test driver Robert Kubica set the fastest time of the session ahead of Honda test driver Anthony Davidson and Williams test driver Alex Wurz.
Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button, Neil Jani and Robert Doornbos made the top 8 - Full Results
Kubica's time (1:16.390) was nearly 2 seconds faster than Davidson's time.
Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button, Neil Jani and Robert Doornbos made the top 8 - Full Results
Kubica's time (1:16.390) was nearly 2 seconds faster than Davidson's time.
Robert Kubica was again fastest after the 2nd Friday Practice session. Fernando Alonso was second with Alex Wurz third. Kimi Raikkonen, Anthony Davidson, Giancarlo Fisichella, Mark Webber and Vitantonio Liuzzi make the top 8 - Full Results
Fernando Alonso sets the fastest time in Saturday practice ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella and Jacques Villeneuve. Nick Heidfeld, Kimi Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and Rubens Barrichello make the top 8 - Full Results.
Looks like Renault and BMW are very strong at this track!
Looks like Renault and BMW are very strong at this track!