F1 Preview: Canada

The Formula 1 circus is making its only stop in North America this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. The track at which they race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, named after the patron saint of Canadian motor sports, is celebrating its 30th anniversary of the first Formula 1 race held at the track in which Villeneuve took his first career Formula 1 victory at home in 1978.

This weekend another anniversary is being celebrated. It is the one year anniversary of Lewis Hamilton’s first victory and he comes to Canada with a 3 point lead over Kimi Raikkonen in the world championship standings. Another anniversary is being celebrated, as BMW-Sauber driver Robert Kubica comes back to the track where he had a terrible crash escaping with only minor injuries in which he had to sit out a race for. Unfortunately, this an anniversary that Kubica would like to forget. Speaking of things to forget, I think Kimi Raikkonen would to forget about the Monaco Grand Prix that he had two weeks ago. Kimi was penalized for putting his first set of tires on too late before the start of the race and running into the back Adrian Sutil towards the end of the race, ending the young German’s best run of his career so far.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Ile Norte-Dame is known for its high speed and one wrong move will have in the wall and have a crash like Kubica’s last year. The one point of the track to watch is the final corner where the Champion’s Wall is one wrong step also could your day, many drivers have had their race end in that section of the track. But the driver who keeps his car clean all day will be the one top of the podium come the end of the race. So who will it be? Will it be defending winner Lewis Hamilton? Will Kimi Raikkonen or Felipe Massa get Ferrari back on track? Or will the be new face on top of the podium like Kubica or his teammate Nick Heidfeld or could Heikki Kovalainen find his first victory in Montreal? Those drivers could join an group of drivers that includes Villeneuve, Thierry Boutsen and Jean Alessi as drivers who got their first victory in Canada. We have to wait until Sunday to see which question will be answered.