The Mercedes W03 should feel at home in Montreal

After a few underwhelming Grand Prix races since the victory in China, Mercedes emerged revitalized in Monaco following the performance of its respective drivers in the Principality and hopes to continue its momentum in Montreal: « During two of the last four race weekends, Mercedes AMG had the necessary speed to qualify and compete at the front. Nico converted this competitiveness into 59 points over the last four events, more than anyone else on the grid. Michael has suffered from several technical issues, and our priority is to give him a trouble-free weekend in Montreal. As demonstrated by his best qualifying time in Monaco, Michael is fast enough to fight at the front. He has won seven times in Montreal, his Silver Arrow bears the number 7, and Canada will be the seventh round of the season… » emphasizes Norbert Haug, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

The seven-time world champion will return to Montreal with a certain pleasure, as in 2011, he had one of his best races since his return in 2010, narrowly missing his first podium finish: « The Canadian Grand Prix is above all about the atmosphere on the circuit and in the city. Canadian fans make this weekend a real celebration, and for the drivers, it’s great to feel their passion for motorsports. It’s a source of motivation, and it would be nice to give them even more reasons to celebrate at the end of the weekend. »

If, like Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg recalls the carnival-like atmosphere that generally surrounds the Canadian Grand Prix, he also explains why the Canadian event, which has not always been successful for him, is so dear to his heart: Gilles Villeneuve was a great friend and rival of my father, which also makes this weekend very special. I look forward to being there.

The winner of the Chinese Grand Prix also expects the W03 to be at ease in the pathways of Parc Jean Drapeau: The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal is a great track, and I’m really looking forward to going there. With its low downforce level, a bit like Monza, the track should suit our car. […] We have made good progress in recent weeks, and it was evident with our performance in Monaco. So I hope we can make another step forward in Canada and have a victorious weekend. Michael Schumacher echoes this sentiment: The characteristics of the circuit should suit us, and we think the car will perform well there. As I said: Montreal is always worth the trip. And hopefully, we can make this trip particularly fruitful this year.

While Ross Brawn, director of the German team, believes that the circuit itself is an exciting challenge and that the brakes, engine, and tire management are crucial, Norbert Haug analyzes: The circuit, located on Île Notre-Dame, is characterized by slow corners, notably three turns negotiated at less than 100km/h, and four straights where cars exceed 285km/h. The overall compromise in terms of setup favors a low level of downforce, while the brakes will really go through tough times.

The Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport also reminds us that the Canadian event often proves to be quite spectacular: The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve tends to offer us unpredictable races, with the safety car being deployed in seven of the last ten events. Last year, the Grand Prix lasted over four hours and was not only the longest race in F1 history but probably one of the most exciting as well.