F1 Canadian GP Preview As Montreal Hosts Sprint For First Time

Here is our F1 Canadian GP preview as the Formula One paddock heads to Montreal for round five of the 2026 season.

After a dramatic Miami weekend that saw big changes to the early championship picture, the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve now hosts part two of F1's North American tour.

And, for the first time, Canada will feature a sprint race this weekend. This should add even more action, chaos and excitement to what is already one of the calendar's most unpredictable events.

F1 Canadian GP Preview

Championship leaders, Mercedes, arrive in Canada as the team to beat, having won every race so far. Inside the garage, however, momentum has shifted.

George Russell began the season in dominant fashion, winning in Australia. But young teammate Kimi Antonelli has since taken command of the standings after the Italian claimed his maiden win in China before following it up with victories in Japan and Miami to open a 20-point advantage.

Attention now turns to Russell's response at one of his favourite tracks. The Brit won here last season from pole position, and he frequently performs well in Montreal.

Mercedes will not be the only team hoping to fight for the win, though. Miami saw a host of upgrades from other teams, with McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull all closing the gap to the Silver Arrows.

McLaren's Lando Norris led teammate Oscar Piastri to a sprint one-two last time out, with the defending double world champion papaya team looking like a force to be reckoned with once more. Victory may not come this weekend, but McLaren look a far more threatening prospect than at the star of the season,

Likewise, Ferrari arrive in Canada with plenty of optimism. The Italian team introduced 11 new components on Miami, with team boss Fred Vasseur confirming more upgrades are coming this weekend. The Scuderia has shown flashes of serious pace in qualifying and during race starts, though maintaining tyre performance over long stints has remained a weakness. If the latest revisions improve race pace, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton could become genuine contenders.

Red Bull, and four-time world champion Max Verstappen, remain an unknown quantity. The Dutchman showed a dramatic improvement in pace in Miami, but failed to capitalise after an early spin sent him to the back of the field. But if he and teammate Isack Hadjar can put together a clean weekend, they too could be a threat.

ADUO Could Change Things

Another potential talking points for this weekend is the newly-introduced Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system. Part of F1's new power unite regulations, ADUO allows manufacturers to receive extra upgrade opportunities during the season if their engine is lagging behind other competitors'.

Montreal marks the end of the FIA’s first monitoring period, meaning teams and manufacturers will soon discover whether any additional development allowances are being granted. With Mercedes setting the benchmark early in the year, rivals will be watching closely.

On, track, the racing in Canada rarely disappoints. A mixture of street and traditional circuit, it combines long straights with heavy braking zones, aggressive kerbs and unforgiving concrete walls. The famous “Wall of Champions” remains one of F1’s most iconic hazards, while Safety Cars have historically played a huge role in shaping races here.

Weather is also a common factor, and an earlier date this year makes the chance of rain even more likely. Tyre warm-up and low-grip conditions might cause problems, with Pirelli bringing the softest possible compounds to the race to offset this.

And with the sprint race to contend with, the challenge this year has only increased. Drivers and engineers will have just one practice session before Sprint Qualifying begins on Friday, leaving minimal time to adjust setups and build confidence at a very unforgiving circuit.

With Mercedes leading a rapidly closing chasing pack, the Canadian Grand Prix promises to be hugely exciting.

And if the weather closes in, Montreal could throw up another all-time classic.