Inside the Canadian F1 Grand Prix: Everything you need to know
By Kate Krause
Last week’s Formula 1 Montreal Grand Prix was nothing short of uneventful. I can personally testify to this. I had the pleasure of being invited to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, and let’s just say there’s a lot to talk about.
Location
The circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is located on a small island in Montreal, meaning that paths in and out are few and narrow. On Friday, when the two first practices were being held, we used the subway to get to the nearest bridge, which we used to walk to the island. Now, if you are claustrophobic, have a fear of heights, or have a fear of rushing water, I would recommend closing your eyes and letting a friend guide you across.
The bridge Cosmos, and the one across, is high above the water and packed with people. Because of this, one thing to keep in mind is the waiting times. We probably waited for 30 minutes surrounded by people on all sides before we got through security and were free to roam on the island. Saturday and Sunday were less crowded, but most likely because we arrived earlier to try to avoid the crowd.
Now, once you get past the bridge, you have a lot of options. There are plenty of places to buy merchandise, relax, take photos, and more. It can be quite overwhelming, but a lot of fun. I would recommend buying some merch inside the facility, as it can be cheaper and you can easily display which team you’re cheering for. This is also a good time to get food as you most likely do not want to leave your seats once the race has started because you’re hungry. One thing I would strongly advise, however, is to bring comfortable shoes. This most likely goes for most Grand Prix, but even just getting to our seats involved a lot of walking.
Another thing to note is: there is a lake in the middle of the track. This is only relevant if you are seated near turn 1, or if you have Paddock Club passes, Champions Club, or something similar. If you have passes to a lounge and not grandstand seats, you will most likely need to take a boat. Now, one thing with the boats is the line can be incredibly long. After the qualifying or race especially, the line for a boat rides back to the rest of the circuit almost wrapped around the entire shore. That is one negative about having seats near the finish line or turn 1, you either have to leave very early to avoid the line or much later to wait it out.
However, the most unfortunate part is departing the circuit itself, or rather the island. When we left the boat and booked an Uber to pick us up at the casino, at least 3 drivers cancelled on us. We then decided to make the trek to the bridge to walk across instead, and it was not the best experience. The bridge we chose, the one across from the Cosmos Bridge, was so incredibly packed you could not move a foot in any direction. It took us about an hour to get to the other side, and then another 40 minutes in a taxi back to our hotel. The next day was better as we took the Cosmos Bridge, which was significantly less packed. So, in short, when leaving by foot take the Cosmos.
More than Formula 1
Another thing to mention is if you want to have an especially fun weekend, immerse yourself in things other than Formula 1. Throughout the entire weekend, other races and events were going on, such as the Ferrari Challenge, F-1600, and even a few concerts. Because of the way motorsports are designed, there are large gaps of time between each event for a specific category, such as F1. So, if you only focus on Formula 1, you will be waiting a long time. In between practices, qualifying and even the race, there are at least a couple of hours to kill.
Thankfully, if you are interested in diving into other categories in motorsport, the Ferrari Challenge or F-1600 are two that you can watch at the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on the same weekend as F1. I would highly recommend watching one of the other races going on, even if it’s simply for something to do in between Formula 1, as it makes the experience much more amusing and is also quite entertaining.
Finally, after the race on Sunday, I would advise you not to rush back to your hotel. To start, after the race, they open the track to all the attending people, which means you can walk along it, see the sites of any crashes, and be amazed by how perfectly cut the grass is. This is also a good opportunity to take photos, and you can even get quite close to the pit lane.
Additionally, the festivities after the race are extremely enjoyable. There are plenty of food stands, picnic tables, music and even a beach where you can have some fun. Unfortunately, we had a flight to catch, but otherwise, we would have stayed and enjoyed the crowds and pop-up stores.
To conclude, the Montreal Grand Prix was an incredible experience and we had a great time. It is a trip I can not wait to go on again next year, with a couple of things in mind of course, such as always taking the Cosmos bridge.
