Montreal

With Quebec’s Gilles Villeneuve becoming a major star and increasing safety concerns over Mosport Park, a new circuit on Montreal’s man-made Ile de Notre Dame was prepared in record time for the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix. Villeneuve provided the perfect start by winning his first Grand Prix in that inaugural race and the circuit was later renamed in his honour after he was killed at Zolder in 1982. Sadly, that year’s Canadian GP was also marred by tragedy, when newcomer Ricardo Paletti was killed in a horrific startline accident. Jean Alesi scored his only win here in 1995 when driving the number 27 Ferrari made famous by Villeneuve. In recent years the exit to the final corner has seen Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel all crash into the so-called “Wall of Champions.” As well as Formula 1, the circuit has also hosted the World Sportscar Championship, Champ Cars and NASCAR’s second tier series.