Formula 1 will have a Sprint in Montreal for the first time, and Pirelli believes that weather and tires could be decisive in the 2026 Canadian GP. The Italian supplier will bring the three softest compounds from the range to the Gilles Villeneuve circuit, with the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium, and the C5 as Soft.
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The date change of the Canadian round also caught the manufacturer’s attention. Held a few weeks earlier than the traditional period on the calendar, the race may present lower temperatures, increasing the challenge for teams and drivers to put the tires in the ideal operating window, especially in qualifying sessions.
According to Pirelli, the semi-permanent layout of Montreal continues to offer low abrasiveness and rapid track evolution throughout the weekend. The asphalt, resurfaced in 2024, should reduce the impact of the graining seen last year, a phenomenon that persisted until the 2025 race.
With 4.361 km and 14 turns, the Canadian circuit maintains its “stop and go” characteristic, requiring strong stability under braking and excellent traction on corner exits. Overtaking remains concentrated especially on the straight before the final chicane and the famous Wall of Champions.
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Pirelli believes the Soft compound could be the favorite for Saturday’s Sprint by offering faster warm-up and greater grip in a single lap. For the main GP on Sunday, the trend is for more conservative strategies, using the Medium and Hard compounds in a race with only one stop.
The supplier also recalled that the two-stop strategy was the fastest in Montreal last year, although drivers at the back of the grid tried only one tire change. Among historical statistics, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the record for wins in Canada, with seven victories each, while McLaren leads among teams with 13 wins.
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