The fifth round of the Formula 1 World Championship season, which after Miami remains in North America for the Canadian GP, now in its fifty-fifth edition.
Nevertheless, this will be the first in the month of May: 40 have been held in June, 10 in September, 3 in October, and the very first one in August. Three racetracks have been used: Mosport Park on 8 occasions, Mont-Tremblant on 2, but since 1978 the choice has always fallen on Montreal.
GP data
According to Brembo engineers who work closely with all Formula 1 drivers, the 4,361-meter-long Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve falls into the category of highly demanding circuits for brakes. On a scale from 1 to 5, it has earned a difficulty rating of 4 because each lap features 6 Hard braking zones, with a total brake usage exceeding 14 seconds. Each of these braking zones requires between 94 and 158 meters of braking distance and a pedal load of at least 87 kg.
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The toughest corner
According to simulations, the toughest corner of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve for the braking system is Turn 13, due to the drop in speed of the cars from 306 km/h to 147 km/h in just 1.93 seconds, during which they cover 114 meters. Drivers experience a maximum deceleration of 3.7 g and apply 101 kg of pressure on the brake pedal. The braking power is 1,561 kW.
Change the braking
Compared to the Canadian GP 2025, due to the characteristics of the 2026 single-seaters, braking distances and times have increased. At turn 10, for instance, the braking distance has increased from 107 meters to 158 meters, and the braking time from 2.82 seconds to 3.94 seconds. The load on the brake pedal, however, has decreased from 168 kg to 87 kg, and the deceleration experienced by drivers has dropped from 5 g to 3.1 g. Overall, the braking power per lap has halved, decreasing from 15,685 kW to 7,388 kW, as has the load on the brake pedal.
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The variation of the pads
The reduced use of brakes in current single-seaters results in lower wear of friction material compared to previous years. For this reason, Brembo carbon pads, which until 2025 had a thickness of 22 mm, are in many cases replaced by pads with a thickness of 20.5 mm. Some pads are also equipped with relief vents on the surface in contact with the pistons, which not only reduce the mass compared to a solid pad but also increase the thermal exchange surface with the air, helping to cool the pad.
Vettel and the lifesaving brake
Ten years ago, during the Canadian GP, Sebastian Vettel went wide at Turn 1 while driving the Ferrari SF16-H equipped with Brembo brakes, as he was leading in the early laps of the race. At the end of the race, the German explained that he had unintentionally braked late, distracted by a pair of seagulls on the asphalt in the middle of the turn: "I was so focused on the apex of the corner that I saw this pair of animals sitting and relaxing, and I locked the wheels." At least he managed to avoid hitting them.