Montreal provided a riveting Round 5 of the 2026 Formula 1 season, thanks to tight qualifying sessions, a stunning Sprint and a dramatic Grand Prix.
On the track, we were treated to another battle between the two Mercedes drivers, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli winning his fourth Grand Prix in a row after Sprint winner George Russell’s power unit problem.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen completed the podium in an enthralling race, but those weren’t the only stories from the Canada weekend – so here are some off-track moments you may have missed…
World Cup fever
The World Cup is just a few weeks away, and after back-to-back weekends in host countries USA and Canada we couldn’t be more excited. There’s plenty of football fans in the F1 community, so what better way to build up to the tournament than to welcome the trophy to the paddock.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino toured the iconic golden cup around, including the Williams and Red Bull areas, with Isack Hadjar looking particularly delighted by the experience. As the count down until the opening game on 11 June continues, will any F1 drivers be celebrating a World Cup victory for their country come July?
Hockey havoc
There’s been plenty of interest in ice hockey recently – whether that’s in the captivating NHL Stanley Cup playoffs or the world of film and television. The Montreal Canadiens are fighting hard in the conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, so it was the perfect time for the paddock to grab some sticks and test their shooting skills.
Alex Albon looked like a natural, slapping a few shots into the top corner, but the McLaren and Haas boys might need some extra practice, as they struggled to hit the target.
There were even some extra gifts for the grid at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – did you spot any of the special hockey jerseys gifted to all the F1 drivers at the weekend?
The circus comes to town
The F1 circus has visited Montreal since 1978, but did you know that the famous Cirque du Soleil originates from the Canadian city?
Pierre Gasly and Hadjar certainly do now, after spending the early part of the race week attempting different circus-based challenges, including juggling, spinning on swings and balancing boxes.
It was everything you could imagine – circus chaos!
A wholesome podium
It was another delighted podium for the top three, as Antonelli celebrated a fourth consecutive win, Hamilton enjoyed a strong Ferrari showing – his best Grand Prix result with the Scuderia so far – and Verstappen relished his return to the rostrum.
The Briton was all smiles with his mum in attendance, but he was also pleased for Antonelli, lifting the Italian up in parc ferme and on the podium – playful moments between Mercedes drivers past and present.
Marshal magic
It was a busy weekend for marshals at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. They had plenty to do, debris to collect, water to sweep and lots of flag-waving.
One marshal really understood the assignment, sprinting out during a Virtual Safety Car to grab a piece of body work, before launching himself headfirst through the gap in the fencing – great commitment!
Special race for Stroll
Born and raised in Montreal, the Canadian Grand Prix is always a special one for Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
While it wasn’t an ideal weekend in his home city, there was plenty to make this weekend extra sweet for the 27-year-old. Firstly, Stroll’s special helmet was a work of art, with Canadian cherries in the pattern of the Aston Martin wings, and a maple leaf at the back to top it all off.
And before the weekend, Aston Martin’s engine supplier Honda had a treat for Stroll, providing an array of cars that certainly put a smile on the Canadian’s face.
Helmets
Along with Stroll’s special design, there were four other one-off lids. Lando Norris was one of them, having a heart-warming helmet design as he teamed up with Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity.
One half of the helmet showed a healthy brain scan, while the other showed a brain suffering from synaptic loss – a powerful message from the reigning World Champion, who will donate all the profits from his mini-helmets to the charity.
Elsewhere, Oscar Piastri debuted his blue collaboration lid, Ollie Bearman showed off his Arctic-style showstopper, and Gasly unveiled his maple masterpiece.
