PREVIEW: Canadian Grand Prix - Start time, odds and predictions
F1 News
- Jake Williams-Smith
We are not far away from the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix and we have this preview for you for everything you need to know about the race. What time is it on? Who is looking good going into it? Betting odds? We have you covered!
Flashback
Last season, it was Sebastian Vettel who won out in Canada in one of Ferrari's strongest races last season while rivals Mercedes struggled. The podium was rounded out with Valtteri Bottas in second and Max Verstappen in third place, while Lewis Hamilton slumped to a fifth-place finish at one of his strongest tracks.
Renault enjoyed a seventh and eighth-place finish with Nico Hulkenberg leading then-teammate Carlos Sainz home while 2019 Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc rounded out the top 10 for Sauber.
The top three remained the same away from the line, with Vettel leading the pack from Bottas who brilliantly fended off Verstappen for second while Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen followed behind.
Further back there was chaos as Brendon Hartley was squeezed against the barriers by Lance Stroll and the pair collided in spectacular fashion, putting both out on the spot.
The top three remained the same through the pit stop phases allowing Vettel to cruise to a win and retook the lead of the championship after leading start to finish.
Expectations?
Mercedes has been near enough untouchable so far in 2019. Only in Bahrain did the Silver Arrows look vulnerable. But what does the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve have in common with Sakhir? Long straights. Where is Ferrari most effective? Down the straights. Mercedes will be bringing its first update to the power unit in Canada but Ferrari may well be closer than in Monaco. Whether it is enough to overturn the time lost in the corners versus the reigning champions remains to be seen, but we could have multiple drivers vying for the front row on Saturday.
It must be said however that Mercedes' gap to Ferrari in Bahrain was put down to an underperforming Mercedes team having failed to find the right balance and car set-up compared to Ferrari. Red Bull could find itself relegated back to the third row once again after the season-high water mark in Monaco. Verstappen will likely be the Red Bull in the mix but Pierre Gasly will need to find his feet sooner rather than later with rumours over his future beginning to cause some smoke in the rumour mill.
What time is it on? (UK BST)
Friday
FP1: 3pm - 4:30pm
FP2: 7pm - 8:30pm
Saturday
FP3: 4pm - 5pm
Qualifying: 7pm - 8pm
Sunday
Race: 7pm - +-9pm
Betting odds
Canadian Grand Prix winner (via Oddschecker)
Lewis Hamilton: 5/4
Valtteri Bottas: 11/4
Sebastian Vettel: 4/1
Charles Leclerc: 11/2