The Canadian Grand Prix is inseparably connected to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: This weekend, Formula 1 sets up shop on the Île de Notre Dame for the 44th time, having first run there in 1978. Originally, F1 called another Canadian circuit home, though - Mosport Park, better known as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park today, is where the World Championship and Canada first met.
Initially held as a non-championship event from 1961 to 1966, the Canadian Grand Prix gained World Championship status for the 1967 season. The Brabham duo of Jack Brabham and eventual 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme took a dominant 1-2 victory ahead of Dan Gurney in his Eagle-Weslake, who was one lap down. Interestingly, the event was called Canadian Grand Prix as one of multiple rounds of the CanAm championship from 1961 to 1965 - the series continued to race at the circuit until 1968.
Until 1970, the circuit took turns in hosting the Formula 1 GP with the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, but for the 1971 edition, the race was permanently back in Ontario. The winner's list of the fast, sweeping circuit includes F1 greats the aforementioned Brabham, Jacky Ickx (1969), Jackie Stewart (1971, 1972), Peter Revson (1973), Emerson Fittipaldi (1974), James Hunt (1976) and Jody Scheckter (1977). Due to financial disagreements, the race was not held in 1975.
Mosport was home to the Canadian Grand Prix as a World Championship event in F1 from 1967 until 1977, with 1968 and 1970 being exceptions in favor of Mont-Tremblant.
The final Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport saw Gilles Villeneuve make his Ferrari debut after initially turning heads driving for McLaren in the 1977 British Grand Prix. He finished in 10th after spinning in the race whil erunning eighth - a remarkable comeback from starting in 17th position after an accident in qualifying.
F1 left for Montreal the following year due to safety concerns: Mosport features several fast corners over crests, making them partially blind and tricky to get right - and the consequences dire if drivers got them wrong. The most prominent example of this was Manfred Winkelhock: At the 1985 World Endurance Championship round at Mosport, the German sportscar ace lost control of his Porsche 962C at Clayton Corner, crashing into a concrete wall. Winkelhock, who had also been driving for the RAM Racing team in F1 at the time, died from head injuries sustained in the crash the next day.
Image credit: racingcircuits.info
Over the years, run-off areas have been expanded at Mosport to minimize risks of heavy crashes like Winkelhock's, but the layout itself remains unchanged to this day - a rare sight on racing circuits around the world. The elevation changes of the track make it very challenging to drive, but at the same time very rewarding and fun. Today, the IMSA Sports Car Championship races at the track, and it also hosts the Clarington 200 of the NASCAR Pinty's Series, a triple header round of the Canadian National Superbike Championship, and a vintage racing event.
In sim racing, cannot be found in many titles. iRacing features an official version of the venue, as does motorcycle sim RIDE 4. Mod versions are available for rFactor 2 in the Steam Workshop and here on RaceDepartment for Assetto Corsa.
Initially held as a non-championship event from 1961 to 1966, the Canadian Grand Prix gained World Championship status for the 1967 season. The Brabham duo of Jack Brabham and eventual 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme took a dominant 1-2 victory ahead of Dan Gurney in his Eagle-Weslake, who was one lap down. Interestingly, the event was called Canadian Grand Prix as one of multiple rounds of the CanAm championship from 1961 to 1965 - the series continued to race at the circuit until 1968.
Until 1970, the circuit took turns in hosting the Formula 1 GP with the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, but for the 1971 edition, the race was permanently back in Ontario. The winner's list of the fast, sweeping circuit includes F1 greats the aforementioned Brabham, Jacky Ickx (1969), Jackie Stewart (1971, 1972), Peter Revson (1973), Emerson Fittipaldi (1974), James Hunt (1976) and Jody Scheckter (1977). Due to financial disagreements, the race was not held in 1975.
Mosport was home to the Canadian Grand Prix as a World Championship event in F1 from 1967 until 1977, with 1968 and 1970 being exceptions in favor of Mont-Tremblant.
The final Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport saw Gilles Villeneuve make his Ferrari debut after initially turning heads driving for McLaren in the 1977 British Grand Prix. He finished in 10th after spinning in the race whil erunning eighth - a remarkable comeback from starting in 17th position after an accident in qualifying.
F1 left for Montreal the following year due to safety concerns: Mosport features several fast corners over crests, making them partially blind and tricky to get right - and the consequences dire if drivers got them wrong. The most prominent example of this was Manfred Winkelhock: At the 1985 World Endurance Championship round at Mosport, the German sportscar ace lost control of his Porsche 962C at Clayton Corner, crashing into a concrete wall. Winkelhock, who had also been driving for the RAM Racing team in F1 at the time, died from head injuries sustained in the crash the next day.
Image credit: racingcircuits.info
Over the years, run-off areas have been expanded at Mosport to minimize risks of heavy crashes like Winkelhock's, but the layout itself remains unchanged to this day - a rare sight on racing circuits around the world. The elevation changes of the track make it very challenging to drive, but at the same time very rewarding and fun. Today, the IMSA Sports Car Championship races at the track, and it also hosts the Clarington 200 of the NASCAR Pinty's Series, a triple header round of the Canadian National Superbike Championship, and a vintage racing event.
In sim racing, cannot be found in many titles. iRacing features an official version of the venue, as does motorcycle sim RIDE 4. Mod versions are available for rFactor 2 in the Steam Workshop and here on RaceDepartment for Assetto Corsa.
