The fifth round of the 2026 F1 World Championship continues this Sunday with the Canadian Grand Prix, held on the legendary Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal.
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After an already very busy weekend with sprint qualifying, sprint race, and classic qualifying, the drivers will now fight for victory in the main Grand Prix.
The start of this 70-lap race will be given this Sunday, May 24 at 4:00 PM local time in Montreal, which is 10:00 PM French time.
The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit could offer a particularly spectacular race, especially as the weather threatens to disrupt strategies with a risk of rain forecast for this Sunday.
Mercedes in ideal position before the race
George Russell will start from pole position after setting the fastest time in qualifying on Saturday evening ahead of his teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Mercedes thus monopolizes the front row, while the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start just behind. Lewis Hamilton, fifth on the grid with Ferrari, also hopes to play spoiler after an encouraging weekend behind the wheel of his SF-26.
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On the side of Max Verstappen, the situation seems more delicate after several complaints about the balance of his Red Bull throughout the Montreal weekend.
A race that could already count for the championship
With only five rounds contested this season, the gaps remain tight in the championship. Kimi Antonelli arrives in Canada as leader after an impressive start to the year, but George Russell has regained confidence after his sprint win on Saturday.
McLaren and Ferrari also seem close enough to disrupt Mercedes, especially if the weather conditions become tricky.
The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix could therefore mark a first important turning point in this already extremely competitive 2026 F1 season.
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