Canada, oh Canada

Everybody talks about it, nobody knows why: Why is the Canadian Grand Prix set between two European races, when all Formula 1 is talking about is how sustainable they are and how they move races to reduce traveling and carbon emissions?

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With the Formula 1 season schedule for 2025 being released just a few days ago, racing fans come to criticize one fact, which has been talked about in the community for years. The Canadian Grand Prix, which is happening from June 13th to 15th 2025 in Montréal, is taking place between the Spanish GP and the Austrian GP – Two European racetracks!

So why would Formula 1, a motorsport series standing up for sustainability and the possible reduction of all their carbon emissions to zero until the year 2030, make 20 drivers and their teams with thousands of employees travel to another continent when all other races around that time happen around Europe?

the racetrack in Montréal - source: © XPBimages

There are two major reasons for that. First off: The weather. During the months between May and September, the probability of snow is at its lowest in Montréal. So, if someone might say, “Just push it later on the calendar next to Austin or Vegas”, it might sound logical at first, but the likelihood of snowfall is too much of a risk. Even if it doesn’t snow, the temperature in Canada is freezing in October already. In 1978, the Canadian Grand Prix aka. F1's official "coldest race" happened in October, with a temperature of only 5°C/41°F. This resulted in drivers having to wear winter jackets on the podium!

“But what about Miami?” Yes, Miami is set in May and there’s already a lower risk of snow. But everybody knows, the weather’s unpredictable, especially with climate change happening. That means snowfall can last even as late as May in Montréal. As a European fan you don’t want to be excited for the race, qualifying or practice the whole day just for the race to be cancelled because it suddenly started to snow.

“Okay, that makes sense. But why don’t they just push Austin or Vegas to earlier in the season?” If it were that easy, Formula 1 would probably have done it. The weather in Austin is very warm, even in November. So, just hypothetically, imagine what it would be like for the drivers to race there in summer months instead of Fall/Winter. Yes, exactly. The very same as in Qatar last season: Incredible hot conditions, drivers that feel sick, inhumane conditions to race in and tyre degradation to the max. Do we want that? Of course not!

The podium of the Grand Prix in Qatar 2023 - source: Getty Images / Redbull Content Pool

The second reason why it’s difficult to find the right spot for the race in Canada is the NHL Playoffs. Yes, you heard right: Another sport.

Canada is THE country for hockey. Just like football for Americans, tennis for Brits, or soccer for Germans; Canadians love this sport more than anything. So it’s only obvious that sport-loving residents of Canada might choose watching NHL over 20 cars driving on a weirdly shaped racetrack. That means, right when the Stanley Cup playoffs come to an end in June, the Grand Prix takes place in Montreal. Everybody has preferences, am I right?

So maybe we should all try to come to peace with the fact that the Canadian GP is set between two European races. Either that, or we magically change the snowfall in Montréal. I think we can all overlook this one time in the race-season where the drivers have to do more traveling than necessary and just enjoy watching 20 drivers race for the championship, or not?!

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sources: williamsf1.com, formula1.com, montreal.weatherstats.ca, https://sports.betmgm.ca/en/blog/nhl/when-is-stanley-cup-final-bm05/