By Phil Huff
June 6 2007

The first of two North American races happens this Sunday, as the Canadian Grand Prix takes its turn on the F1 calendar at the temporary circuit situated on Ile Notre-Dame - a man-made island in the middle of the St Lawrence Seaway, close to central Montreal.

Set amongst lakes and parkland pavilions used in the Expo '67, and alongside the 1976 Olympic Games rowing basin, this unusual track has frequently been the scene of high drama, with Nigel Mansell famously throwing away a huge lead on the last lap when he stalled waving to the crowd.

The nature of the circuit, with its long fast straights and tight hairpins makes it a favourite of many drivers, and offers a number of genuine overtaking opportunities, although a first corner collision is an almost forgone conclusion.

It's a low grip circuit but, paradoxically, a low tyre wear circuit. Spending some 66% of the lap on full throttle, and making full use of the brakes at three big stops around the circuit, including the hairpin were speeds drop from 165mph (265kph) down to just 40mph (65kph), the circuit really is a car breaker.

The Honda Racing F1 RA107's should be using in the region of 2kg of fuel per lap in Montreal, or about six miles per gallon, with the lap time penalty for fuel being around 0.3 seconds a lap per 10kg carried.

Honda-powered drivers have won at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve four times (Nigel Mansell in 1986, Ayrton Senna in 1988 and 1990 and Gerhard Berger in 1992) and have been on the podium eight times.

Jenson Button secured third place in 2004, but was less fortunate last year. Qualifying eighth, one place ahead of team mate Rubens Barrichello, he dropped one position to come home ninth. Barrichello suffered a mechanical problem and retired from the race after just 11 laps.