Canadian Grand Prix | Montreal at the pace of F1

A few more hours and Montreal will vibrate to the rhythm of Formula 1. If you’re not the type to get up in the middle of the night to watch a race, but still want to participate in the conversations on the subject, this article is for you. A short guide that will allow you to talk about the Canadian race without necessarily claiming to be an expert…

Max Verstappen, imperial!

“It’s crazy how dominant Max Verstappen is. He won five of the first seven Grands Prix of the season. It would be surprising if he didn’t triumph in Montreal, let’s say! »

For seven years, from 2014 to 2020, Formula 1 was dominated by Mercedes and its star driver Lewis Hamilton. That era is over; the throne currently belongs to Max Verstappen and the Red Bull team. Verstappen, still young at 25, has developed at a staggering rate since entering the circuit at the age of 17. Last season, the Dutchman won 15 (!) of the 22 races on the calendar, a clear and overwhelming domination that allowed him to clinch his second championship in two years. Even though the current campaign is still in its infancy, Verstappen should, barring a huge turnaround, easily secure his third consecutive triumph this year. In Montreal, as in any other race of the season, the young athlete with unwavering concentration will still want to finish far ahead of everyone.

Fernando Alonso, the darling

“At 41, Fernando Alonso is doing small miracles this season! Aston Martin did well to bring it into its ranks. Will he be on the podium in Montreal? »

What’s more fun than seeing a driver upset the classification that everyone expected? After two rather sober seasons at Alpine, Fernando Alonso agreed to join Aston Martin, which finished the last two seasons in 7^e rank in the constructors’ championship… But the 41-year-old driver was not laughing. From the first race, in Bahrain, he finished third behind the two Red Bulls, to the delight of fans. With his surprising five podiums so far this season, including a second place, Alonso alone demonstrates the progress of Aston Martin. He is third in the driver standings. The Spaniard had his worst result of the season, a seventh place, in his last race, but promised to bounce back on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, where he has not touched the podium since 2013.

Lance Stroll and the Constancy Challenge

“Do you think Lance Stroll will be able to pick up some points for his race at home? He hasn’t been very consistent so far this season. »

If his teammate Fernando Alonso is third in the championship, Lance Stroll is five places behind, in 8^e place. The 64 points separating the teammates is the biggest gap between two drivers from the same team at the moment.

What that means is that Stroll isn’t getting enough out of the car he has in his hands. While his teammate managed to accumulate the podiums, the native of La Belle Province experienced a checkered campaign; we saw him finish 4^e in Australia, but 12^e at Miami. In Saudi Arabia and Monaco, he was forced to retire. In Spain, two weeks ago, he took the 6^e row and Alonso, the 7^e.

Stroll has the skills and the vehicle to make at least one podium in 2023. Montreal would be a good time for that, right?

The style of Lewis Hamilton

“I can’t wait to see what clothes Lewis Hamilton will adopt for his arrival on the circuit! »

Even if Lewis Hamilton is no longer the undisputed king on the track, that does not prevent him from attracting all eyes when he arrives on the various circuits of the planet. At 38, Hamilton is still the most stylish driver on the grid. In an interview given to New York Times, in 2016, he expressed his love for diamonds: “They say that diamonds are a woman’s best friend. I disagree because it can be the same for men. I’m probably the only man in my sport who wears diamonds. “An Instagram account, which has more than 21,000 subscribers, has fun dissecting each Hamilton outfit, from Grand Prix to Grand Prix. What will the Briton have in store for Montrealers?