Arrows Canadian GP preview

Canadian Grand Prix
8th - 10th June 2001
Montreal (Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve)

The Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve on the Ill Notre Dame island in the St Lawrence Seaway is home to the Canadian Grand Prix. Held in the lively city of Montreal, the race is a favourite for many of the drivers as well as the teams. Whilst the circuit boasts an exhilarating and demanding track, the city offers a busy nightlife and festive spirit that is unique to Montreal.

The track is a part-permanent, part-street circuit which is made up of long, high-speed straights and tight chicanes. Teams usually opt for a medium downforce setting in order to maximize speed on the straights whilst saving ample grip for the chicanes. The track is particularly hard on brakes due to the heavy braking required for the chicanes and the 69-lap race usually has a high rate of attrition and will test the true metal of both cars and drivers. Weather will also be a factor in Sunday's race as it can be temperamental at the beginning of Quebec's summer as demonstrated during last year's race.

The OrangeArrows team had a very good race in 2000 with Jos Verstappen finishing in fifth position to bring the team two World Championship points - a well-deserved result after a tactically difficult and rain-soaked race. The team will be hoping for similar success at the weekend.

Jos Verstappen is looking forward to returning to Canada...

"The Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve is a good track. I like the chicanes and the fact that it's a circuit where you have to brake very late. It's usually an interesting event and it was very good for us last year when it rained half way through the race and we were able to finish fifth. I'm looking forward to it, I like the city and hopefully we can do at least as well as we did last year on the track."

Enrique Bernoldi is ready for a new challenge and hopes for a positive result...

"It will be my first time at the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve as I haven't raced there before, but I hope it won't take me long to get used to the track. From what I have seen, it's a very nice circuit with some good long straights with tight chicanes which should be quite fun to drive. Although I haven't been, I've heard a lot about the city and the track and am sure I will enjoy it!"

Mike Coughlan, Technical Director on the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve...

"Montreal is a medium downforce track that is very hard on the brakes and the engine. Jos likes it a lot, he scored the team's first points of 2000 there, and I'm pretty sure Enrique will like it too. We've been tyre and component testing in Magny Cours in preparation for this race. It suits our car so we're looking forward to getting on with it."

-OrangeArrows-