Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Montreal

  • Miami & Montreal to host rounds

    FIA Formula 2 announce that Miami and Montreal will be hosting Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 calendar, alongside Formula 1 – the first time the Championship will race in North America.

    The opportunity for Miami and Montreal to join the F2 calendar has come about following the news that the Sakhi and Jeddah rounds will not take place in April.

    The FIA Formula 2 Championship will go to Miami, USA on May 1st – 3rd for what will be the second round of the 2026 season, followed by Montreal, Canada on May 22nd – 24th, as Round 3, before returning to Europe, starting with Monte-Carlo, Monaco on June 4th – 7th.

    While it has not been possible to go ahead with the two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia this month, and we look forward to being back with our passionate fans there as soon as possible, it is great news for our fans, the drivers and the teams that Formula 2 will be racing in Miami and Montreal. Bruno and the whole F2 family have done a great job, working closely with us, the FIA, and the Miami and Montreal promoters, to ensure we limit the gap in racing for the championship this season and I want to thank them for making this possible. It is going to be fantastic to restart the racing in a few weeks’ time and to have F2 alongside Formula 1 as we return to the US for the first time this season.
    Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1.

    Following the necessary changes to the calendar at the start of the season, the addition of these new rounds ensures the FIA Formula 2 Championship remains strong and balanced, and able to deliver for our teams, drivers and fans. Bringing the championship to North America via Miami and Montreal for the first time marks an important step in its continued global growth, strengthening the pathway alongside Formula One and connecting with new audiences. I thank all those who worked tirelessly to make these rounds possible. Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the ongoing events in the Middle East and we continue to hope for a swift return to stability. We look forward to racing in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia very soon
    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President.

    We always love to race in Sakhir and Jeddah, and we wish them well and look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow. We are now going to Miami and Montreal for the second and third rounds of the 2026 season, respectively. I would like to thank Stefano Domenicali and Formula 1 for their support in making this possible, and also the FIA, the promoters of the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix, and of course my team, who have worked hard to put in place two new Rounds in such a short amount of time. It was not an easy thing to do, but bringing F2 to North America for the first time is really fantastic. It’s something we have been wanting to do for a long time, and it enables us to ensure we’re back racing as quickly as possible. It will be a great new challenge for our teams and our drivers, who have all welcomed the news with enthusiasm. I am certain that the quality of racing will bring a lot of excitement to the fans and to everyone attending both Grands Prix.
    Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 2 CEO.

  • F1 Academy introduces two, three race weekends

    F1 Academy has announced the introduction of a new three-race weekend format for select events in 2026 and beyond, debuting at Round 2 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal and returning at Round 5 at the Circuit of the Americas, Austin.

    The new format introduces a brand new ‘Opening Race’ and restores the 2026 calendar t 14 races, following confirmation that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will no longer take place in April.

    The opening race brings a new strategic opportunity for teams and drivers while offering fans even more racing action.
    Sitting at the start of the series’ weekend racing schedule, it forms a dynamic trio of formats, alongside the Reserve Grid Race and the Feature Race.

    The grid for the opening race will be set using each driver’s second fastest Qualifying time, adding a tactical element to the sole 30-minute qualifying session. The opening race will award full points and contribute to both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Standings. One point will be awarded for the fastest lap, with no points awarded for pole.

    Introducing the Opening Race at select rounds underscores our commitment to building a platform where the most talented can thrive by maximising competitive track time. As F1 ACADEMY continues to grow on and off the track, I am continually looking for ways to elevate our race weekends. I’d like to thank our promoters for their support and enthusiasm for this dynamic new format, which will deliver additional on track action in Montreal and Austin and provide a compelling schedule for fans and drivers alike.
    Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.

    The Opening Race gives us an opportunity to evolve the race weekend while protecting the sporting integrity of the series. By setting the grid using each driver’s second fastest qualifying time, we’re adding another layer of strategy to the weekend. This approach also provides the flexibility to replace a postponed race if needed and allows us to make the most of any additional track time available on the Grand Prix weekend schedule.
    Delphine Biscaye, Head of Race Operations.

  • Canadian Grand Prix

    We are back racing this weekend after a week break, and we are heading to Canada, for Round 9 of 23, where it’s Lance Stroll’s home grand prix.

    Will it be another win for Max this weekend? Or can Sergio Perez make a mark on this weekend and get a win on the board after a few rough weekends for the Mexican driver.

    Or can Aston Martin and Mercedes get that win they’ve been looking for this season?

    Who needs to shine?

    Charles Leclerc will be wanting to get in the points this race 2 DNF’s and a finish outside the points, where as if you look at his teammate, the only time he hasn’t scored in in Australia…

    Even though Alonso is having a really really good season, last time out in Spain isn’t what he thought he’d get, he finished 7th and his now more determined not to have another race without a podium…

    With Guanyu Zhou scoring points back in Spain, this means now that Alfa Romeo and Haas are equal on 8 points each and considering both teams always start around each other, all four drivers will be wanting to push themselves even more so they can grab points for the Constructors and put them ahead.

    Times for this weekend-

    Friday 16th-

    • Free Practice 1: 18:30pm – 19:30pm (BST)
    • Free Practice 2: 22:00pm – 23:00pm

    Saturday 17th-

    • Free Practice 3: 17:30pm – 18:30pm
    • Qualifying: 21:00pm – 22:00pm

    Sunday 18th-

    • Race: 19:00pm

    Predictions for qualifying-

    My top five for qualifying are: Pole: Verstappen, P2: Alonso, P3: Hamilton, P4: Perez and P5: Russell.

    To be honest it could go any different way in Canada, but I reckon it will be close between Verstappen and Alonso for pole. There is rain forecasted for Qualifying tomorrow at the moment, so that could bring a few different possibilities into qualifying.