No circuit in Formula 1 history has needed the safety car as many times as the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the venue of the Canadian GP. In total, there have been more than 40 interventions between 1978 and 2025, a number that establishes Montreal as the main stage for races interrupted by incidents.
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In recent years, the pattern has remained: three safety cars in 2022, two in 2023, and two more in 2024. In 2025, the statistic also reinforced this history of constant interruptions on the Canadian track, making the country synonymous with chaotic races in the category.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is surrounded by concrete walls and practically has no run-off areas. In practice, any mistake usually ends in a crash. Additionally, the track combines long straights with tight chicanes and heavy braking zones, points that frequently cause accidents and interventions. The short pit lane, at 417 meters, also increases the chance of unexpected situations.
The greatest example of chaos came in 2011. The race started behind the safety car due to rain, was stopped by a red flag after 25 laps, and still had four more interventions. There were six safety cars in total — a record in F1 for a single race. The race is also the longest in history, lasting 4h04min39s.
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The victory went to Jenson Button, who started from last position, suffered a penalty, collision, and tire puncture before taking the lead on the last lap, after a mistake by Sebastian Vettel.
In 2026, the scenario is likely to become even more unpredictable. The weekend will be a sprint, with fewer practice sessions and less time to adapt to the circuit. Additionally, the possibility of rain and the new technical regulations, not yet fully mastered by the drivers, may mean more mistakes and, consequently, more safety cars in Canada.
The Canadian GP takes place between May 22 and 24 and F1MANIA.NET will have full coverage in REAL TIME.
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