Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Hosts 2026 Canadian GP Sprint Weekend
The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix at gilles villeneuve will run from 22-24 May in Montreal as round five of the Formula 1 season, with the event again carrying sprint-race status. The weekend follows a 352,000-fan crowd in 2025 and shifts across three days, giving teams and supporters a tighter schedule than a standard grand prix weekend.
Montreal Sprint Schedule
The sprint starts at 17:00 BST on Saturday and runs for an hour, while the main race begins at 21:00 on Sunday. The change pushes the grand prix two hours later than last year to avoid a clash with the Indianapolis 500, which is due to get under way at 17:30.
Friday opens with practice from 17:30-18:30, followed by sprint qualifying from 21:30-22:14. Saturday then carries the sprint from 17:00-18:00 and qualifying from 21:00-22:00, leaving little room between sessions for teams to reset before the final day.
Antonelli Leads The Standings Fight
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Montreal after taking his third consecutive victory from pole position in Miami. Lando Norris finished second there, Oscar Piastri was third, and George Russell crossed fourth, leaving Antonelli 20 points clear of Russell in the drivers' championship.
That gap gives the Mercedes driver the strongest numerical edge in the group headed into Canada, while Russell must respond quickly to keep the title chase within reach. The Miami result also set the pecking order for the immediate build-up, with McLaren's Norris and Piastri close enough to pressure the front and Mercedes carrying the leader into the next round.
Coverage And Weather
Race build-up begins at 20:45 on Radio 5 Live, with commentary available across Radio 5 Live, Sounds and the Sport website and app. Forecasts for Friday's practice and sprint qualifying, plus Saturday's sprint and main qualifying, call for dry, sunny conditions in Montreal with temperatures between 19C and 21C.
For fans planning the weekend, the key detail is the compressed timing: one session after another, with the sprint on Saturday afternoon, qualifying that night and the race on Sunday evening. Montreal gets the busy format, the drivers get a short turnaround, and the title picture reaches Canada with Antonelli already in front.
