By Phil Huff
June 6 2008

The one and only Formula One race in North America 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, especially given the low downforce configuration the teams run.

The engineering focus is on tyre and brake management, with Bridgestone bringing along the two softest compounds available for this event, although the heat generated by the lateral forces on the 'straights' will undoubtedly lead to some severe graining.

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 RA108'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 15th, two places behind team mate Rubens Barrichello, he dropped out after 15 laps with gearbox problems. Barrichello himself endured a frustrating race, coming last of the runners in 12th position.