The Mercedes pair are the only drivers to have lapped the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in less than 75 seconds this weekend, and look like having the race to themselves on Sunday.
But that’s no bad thing as we’ve seen more than once already this year. And behind them we look set for an equally absorbing battle between Red Bull and Williams, whose four drivers were covered by a mere 0.041s in qualifying.
The start
The run from pole position to the turn one left-hander at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve measure little more than a quarter of a kilometre. So it tends not to see many exchanges of position at the start of a race.
“It is hard to overtake at the start here because there is not enough room through the first two corners,” explained Fernando Alonso. Turn one quickly leads into the turn two right-hander, and while passes here on lap one are uncommon, collisions between rivals are not.
Lewis Hamilton has beaten Nico Rosberg to turn one from second on the grid once already this year, in Bahrain. But it will be an especially tall order this weekend, particularly if Rosberg gets away as well as he did in Monaco.
The cars to keep an eye on for fast starts this year are the Williams duo, who line up fourth and fifth. Felipe Massa has gained a total of 12 places on lap one over the six races so far and Valtteri Bottas has made up eight.
So third-placed Sebastian Vettel can expect to feel the heat from them at the start. Daniel Ricciardo, who lines up sixth on the grid, needs to get away much better than he did in Monaco, where he lost two positions in a very short space of time.
Go ad-free for just £1 per month
>> Find out more and sign up
Strategy
If he can’t get past at the start Hamilton may not need the benefit of an alternative strategy to make a move on Rosberg. As we saw last year, Canada’s single DRS detection point and two activation zones can make it very easy for drivers to pass in the right circumstances – to the extent that some drivers were even slowing down before the DRS line to try to gain the benefit.
It’s not beyond the realm of possibility we could end up seeing a ‘slipstreamer’ type of race, where the pair swap positions in successive laps. That would create some interesting discussions on the pit wall, for as we saw in Bahrain the driver who is ahead gets first call on pit strategy.
Tyre tactics are going to be strongly influenced by hot weather conditions, more of which are expected tomorrow. “It’s going to be hard to read the tyres’ behaviour in these very hot conditions,” said Jenson Button.
“They’re very easy to grain, so if you can look after them throughout a stint, it could make a big difference in the race.”
With all the top ten runners starting the race on the super-soft tyres they used in Q2, the first question will be how long can they make them last – and can they then stretch their stints long enough to run a one-stop strategy. Pirelli suspect some drivers will prefer to make two.
But the the harder soft tyre likely to perform better in the race, those starting outside the top ten have a strong incentive to start the race on it. That could play into the hands of Nico Hulkenberg.
“P11 is a good starting position,” said the Force India driver, “it gives us some flexibility in terms of the strategy – I get to choose my starting tyres and I’m feeling quite optimistic about our race pace.”
While the two Mercedes drivers enter round four of their fight for supremacy in identical cars, the differences between the cars immediately behind them will create a different kind of battle.
Red Bull have their usual top speed weakness, but the Williams cars are faster than almost anything else in a straight line. That should add up to another exciting contest.
Qualifying times in full
Driver | Car | Q1 | Q2 (vs Q1) | Q3 (vs Q2) | |
1 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’16.471 | 1’15.289 (-1.182) | 1’14.874 (-0.415) |
2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’15.750 | 1’15.054 (-0.696) | 1’14.953 (-0.101) |
3 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | 1’17.470 | 1’16.109 (-1.361) | 1’15.548 (-0.561) |
4 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams | 1’16.772 | 1’15.806 (-0.966) | 1’15.550 (-0.256) |
5 | Felipe Massa | Williams | 1’16.666 | 1’15.773 (-0.893) | 1’15.578 (-0.195) |
6 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1’17.113 | 1’15.897 (-1.216) | 1’15.589 (-0.308) |
7 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’17.010 | 1’16.131 (-0.879) | 1’15.814 (-0.317) |
8 | Jean-Eric Vergne | Toro Rosso | 1’17.178 | 1’16.255 (-0.923) | 1’16.162 (-0.093) |
9 | Jenson Button | McLaren | 1’16.631 | 1’16.214 (-0.417) | 1’16.182 (-0.032) |
10 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 1’17.013 | 1’16.245 (-0.768) | 1’16.214 (-0.031) |
11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India | 1’16.897 | 1’16.300 (-0.597) | |
12 | Kevin Magnussen | McLaren | 1’16.446 | 1’16.310 (-0.136) | |
13 | Sergio Perez | Force India | 1’18.235 | 1’16.472 (-1.763) | |
14 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus | 1’17.732 | 1’16.687 (-1.045) | |
15 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 1’16.938 | 1’16.713 (-0.225) | |
16 | Adrian Sutil | Sauber | 1’17.519 | 1’17.314 (-0.205) | |
17 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus | 1’18.328 | ||
18 | Max Chilton | Marussia | 1’18.348 | ||
19 | Jules Bianchi | Marussia | 1’18.359 | ||
20 | Kamui Kobayashi | Caterham | 1’19.278 | ||
21 | Marcus Ericsson | Caterham | 1’19.820 | ||
22 | Esteban Gutierrez | Sauber |
Sector times
Driver | Sector 1 | Sector 2 | Sector 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Nico Rosberg | 20.966 (2) | 24.177 (1) | 29.723 (1) |
Lewis Hamilton | 20.894 (1) | 24.222 (3) | 29.741 (2) |
Sebastian Vettel | 21.221 (6) | 24.189 (2) | 30.116 (6) |
Valtteri Bottas | 21.153 (4) | 24.304 (4) | 29.977 (5) |
Felipe Massa | 21.247 (7) | 24.376 (5) | 29.832 (3) |
Daniel Ricciardo | 21.033 (3) | 24.393 (6) | 29.957 (4) |
Fernando Alonso | 21.205 (5) | 24.431 (7) | 30.174 (11) |
Jean-Eric Vergne | 21.330 (12) | 24.664 (11) | 30.162 (9) |
Jenson Button | 21.292 (10) | 24.643 (9) | 30.147 (7) |
Kimi Raikkonen | 21.271 (9) | 24.609 (8) | 30.221 (12) |
Nico Hulkenberg | 21.405 (14) | 24.646 (10) | 30.171 (10) |
Kevin Magnussen | 21.247 (7) | 24.699 (13) | 30.161 (8) |
Sergio Perez | 21.570 (15) | 24.673 (12) | 30.229 (13) |
Romain Grosjean | 21.363 (13) | 24.768 (14) | 30.499 (15) |
Daniil Kvyat | 21.327 (11) | 24.805 (15) | 30.268 (14) |
Adrian Sutil | 21.613 (16) | 24.984 (16) | 30.717 (16) |
Pastor Maldonado | 21.817 (17) | 25.090 (17) | 31.025 (19) |
Max Chilton | 21.975 (18) | 25.337 (19) | 31.010 (18) |
Jules Bianchi | 22.066 (19) | 25.311 (18) | 30.865 (17) |
Kamui Kobayashi | 22.330 (20) | 25.835 (21) | 31.080 (20) |
Marcus Ericsson | 22.357 (21) | 25.821 (20) | 31.530 (21) |
Esteban Gutierrez |
Speed trap
Pos | Driver | Car | Engine | Speed (kph/mph) | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sergio Perez | Force India | Mercedes | 337.7 (209.8) | |
2 | Felipe Massa | Williams | Mercedes | 337.5 (209.7) | -0.2 |
3 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams | Mercedes | 335.6 (208.5) | -2.1 |
4 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | Mercedes | 334.0 (207.5) | -3.7 |
5 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | Mercedes | 333.6 (207.3) | -4.1 |
6 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India | Mercedes | 333.4 (207.2) | -4.3 |
7 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | Renault | 332.0 (206.3) | -5.7 |
8 | Jean-Eric Vergne | Toro Rosso | Renault | 331.7 (206.1) | -6.0 |
9 | Kevin Magnussen | McLaren | Mercedes | 331.5 (206.0) | -6.2 |
10 | Jenson Button | McLaren | Mercedes | 330.3 (205.2) | -7.4 |
11 | Max Chilton | Marussia | Ferrari | 328.7 (204.2) | -9.0 |
12 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | Ferrari | 328.4 (204.1) | -9.3 |
13 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus | Renault | 328.3 (204.0) | -9.4 |
14 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | Ferrari | 327.7 (203.6) | -10.0 |
15 | Adrian Sutil | Sauber | Ferrari | 326.4 (202.8) | -11.3 |
16 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | Renault | 326.4 (202.8) | -11.3 |
17 | Jules Bianchi | Marussia | Ferrari | 325.9 (202.5) | -11.8 |
18 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | Renault | 325.1 (202.0) | -12.6 |
19 | Marcus Ericsson | Caterham | Renault | 323.5 (201.0) | -14.2 |
20 | Kamui Kobayashi | Caterham | Renault | 322.7 (200.5) | -15.0 |
21 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus | Renault | 321.2 (199.6) | -16.5 |
Over to you
Which of the Mercedes drivers will come out on top this time? And who will claim ‘best of the rest’ honours?
Share your views on the Canadian Grand Prix in the comments.
2014 Canadian Grand Prix
- Stewards confirm review of Perez-Massa collision
- Stewards to investigate Massa-Perez crash again
- 2014 Canadian Grand Prix team radio transcript
- Canadian GP judged best race of the year so far
- First win and first Driver of the Weekend for Ricciardo
Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei, Red Bull/Getty
Sven (@crammond)
7th June 2014, 23:22
I am now visualizing both slowing down hard before the detection point at the very last lap, each trying to be behind the other and gaining that DRS-advantage, up to the point where one of them stalls. Now that would be an ending to a race…
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
8th June 2014, 1:54
Did they have DRS in 1991?
hmmm
8th June 2014, 5:48
They have Dr but no DRS… in 1991…
Sven (@crammond)
8th June 2014, 8:32
I reckon, even if Lewis grew himself a mustache, he´d never be like the one true F1-mustache. But maybe he´s closer to that than to being another Senna… just lacking that extra-bit of charisma Mansell had.
Michael Brown
8th June 2014, 3:10
Oh DRS…
Kingshark (@kingshark)
8th June 2014, 7:36
I would laugh myself to tears if that happened.
Mike Dee (@mike-dee)
8th June 2014, 12:43
or where a Williams or Red Bull swoops past!
xjr15jaaag (@xjr15jaaag)
8th June 2014, 0:24
I reckon this is going to be a great race; You will have an epic battle for the lead between the 2 Mercedes cars, and then a monumental battle for 3rd between Vettel, Ricciardo, Bottas, Massa and Alonso.
Further down the field, I am anticipating the Marussias getting stuck in with the saubers, and then a scrap between the Force Indias, Kimi, Grosjean and the Toro Rossos for the lower reaches of the top 10.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
8th June 2014, 0:28
I predict that only 1 Mercedes is going to finish, due to a technical problem…
hmmm
8th June 2014, 0:33
Or perhaps no one due to collision
frank
8th June 2014, 7:20
right
frank
8th June 2014, 7:22
You are damn right about that one.it appears to me that the unfortunate Hamilton may not make the race once again,due to his Mercedes getting a mysterious glitch like Australia.sad,sad,sad.
iAltair (@)
8th June 2014, 6:57
Looking at Vettel’s speed trap. What the hell?
sato113 (@sato113)
8th June 2014, 9:56
Williams with drs is around 210mph, vs vettel non-drs at 180 or so lol
Mike Dee (@mike-dee)
8th June 2014, 13:00
I guess the idea is to pull a one second gap through turns 1-9 to avoid DRS. Then hopefully increase the gap slightly more at the hair-pin and manage to just stay ahead of the Williams until turn 1. Rinse and repeat until the tyres of the Williams are destroyed… I’m not sure it will work though!
@HoHum (@hohum)
8th June 2014, 8:42
SV should be feeling like a sitting duck with those 2 Williams right behind him, and should he somehow manage to stay ahead until DRS is active he could expect a whole train of drivers to be drafting up behind the Williams to come flying past, it will be very interesting to see if and how he survives this challenge.
Fsoud (@udm7)
8th June 2014, 9:34
Only by using excessive downforce of the Rb will Sebastien survive the Williams, Alonso and co.
I doubt that will happen though, I expect a Ferrari/RB/Force India battle for the positions behind Williams.
It could’ve been a mega race between non Mercedes cars, but DRS loves to spoil the overtaking and suck the fun out of F1.
sato113 (@sato113)
8th June 2014, 9:45
Renault teams cant complain about their engines when toro rosso are high in the speed trap table
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
8th June 2014, 10:05
I don’t think that is a very reasoned assessment, considering the vast majority of the Renault cars are in the bottom 9 and Mercedes cars lock out the top six @sato113, despite Toro Rosso traditionally running lower wing angles.
William Stuart (@williamstuart)
8th June 2014, 11:29
C’mon Williams! Bring back the glory days! Best of the rest! I would love to see a Williams on the podium, that would make my day, and looking at how much downforce Seb is running, it is definitely possible. Does anyone know why he is running so much on a low downforce track, with low speed corners? It would seem that there is such little advantage to it, considering most of the corners are chicanes or hairpins…
Koni (@mariosf1)
8th June 2014, 12:12
+1!
Jonny Edwards (@racectrl)
8th June 2014, 12:55
More downforce = less tyre deg. It’s all they have in their arsenal at the moment so little choice in the matter. DRS could spoil their day but then the car behind has to be within a second. Not a problem if you take off on up the road.
Theo Parkinson (@theo-hrp)
8th June 2014, 17:12
I’ve often questioned that with Red Bull the past 4 years. But then they stick it on pole…
Mike (@mike)
8th June 2014, 12:50
Off topic but damn I love reading these.
Becken Lima
8th June 2014, 13:03
Regard Lewis and Nico fight, fuel can be a decidinding factor and being this track very critical in terms of fuel consumption (an area where Lewis has being superior all season so far), i’m very curious to see how Nico will be able to handle Lewis – like he did at the tight Monaco.
There, he could change his driving style and slow down in the process to save fuel and, even so, could keep his lead.
Lets see if he can do the same in a track with plenty of places to pass…