Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Set on the Île Notre-Dame man-made island in the St Lawrence River, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a stop-start blast of long straights, hard braking and tight chicanes that rewards traction, strong brakes and bravery. Its most notorious feature is the final chicane and the infamous "Wall of Champions", the unforgiving barrier on the exit that has bitten title winners and rookies alike. Heavy braking zones into slow corners make it one of the best overtaking venues on the calendar, while the abrasive yet low-grip surface and brake-cooling demands keep engineers busy. Walls line much of the lap, leaving no margin for error, and the changeable early-summer weather often serves up rain or safety cars. The result is reliably one of the most action-packed and unpredictable races of the year.