A new era for the Gilles Villeneuve circuit

It's a small revolution at the height of F1 as this work – which had become frankly necessary – had been announced many times and always postponed. “Since the time we talked about it, whispered the president of the Canadian Grand Prix François Dumontier in the Barcelona paddock. The demolition of the old stands began on July 3, 2018 and the new ones will be inaugurated on Wednesday May 15. »

Despite the cold and snow, work did not stop during the winter to deliver the work on time. “Ten months was short, continued Dumontier. There's still a little paint left, but it will all be finished in time. We are quite proud of the result because the project we agreed on is the one that was delivered to us.

Our ambition was to find in the design the spirit of the buildings of the 1967 Universal Exhibition. Wood, steel, aluminum, all materials from Quebec are present. »

To meet the requirements of the stables, the width of the building was doubled and now has one floor. Funded by the city of Montreal to the tune of 42 million Canadian dollars (28 million euros) and 18 million (12 million euros) by the government of Quebec, the complex brings the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve into the modern era .

The “vintage” side had its charm, but you have to live with the times. Especially since there is now a 65% Canadian team (Racing Point) and a driver – Lance stroll – whose popularity continues to rise in Canada. “Hence a 10% increase in ticket sales, as Dumontier once again confided.

The presence of Lance on the grid, the fact that there is now Racing Point are the two main reasons for this increase, but there is also a small “curiosity” effect created by the new stands. » Once again, more than 300 spectators are expected over the three days.