The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, which hosts the Canadian GP in Montreal, is ready to host this weekend’s Formula 1 round, according to the promoters, even after a “harsh winter” in Quebec. The race takes place on May 24 due to a calendar reshuffle, up to four weeks earlier than the usual June date.
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The circuit assembly requires a large temporary structure, as grandstands and hospitality areas are not permanent. Quebec’s severe winter always complicates the process, which this year started still in autumn. Sandrine Garneau, Brand and Strategy Director of the event, explained to Crash.net: “We are a Nordic country, so we start assembly in autumn.”
“If we hadn’t started assembly in autumn… it would have been very difficult to deliver everything because of the winter we had. There were people with blowtorches at the Olympic basin to melt the ice… So it was a very harsh winter. It started around mid-November… and lasted until March.”
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According to Garneau, the early start helped the schedule, but reinforcements of teams and extra work were necessary. “The advantage was that we managed to start most of the scaffolding assembly. We had freezing rain and very low temperatures as well. We needed to intensify efforts, bring more teams, and work at night and on weekends.”
She also stated that the critical phase has already been overcome: “Three or four days ago, we overcame this obstacle and now we are in a very good position to deliver the site by Tuesday. We are in very good shape now… The leaves have already started to bud… It is a very beautiful season in Montreal.”
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