Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix History
History - Facts - Winners - Schedule - Circuit
The very first Canadian Grand Prix race took place on the Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. This is an isolated track but one of the most famous ones. The name of this track came from the union of the words Motor and Sport properly, not from the person that helped to design the circuit, Stirling Moss.
Canada always wanted to have the pleasure to hold a Grand Prix event, and in 1967, after years of work, it finally started developing on August 27, showing itself as an interesting race. It had a huge success, and Canada was awarded with a permanent space on the calendar.
Also, Mosport race track became the main track for this event from 1971 to 1977. In 1975 it was cancelled due to a financial disagreement between organizers and entrants.
The Canadian track did not keep the standard of the Europeans ones; therefore, F1 drivers were displeased. It was decided to move the race to a street circuit, on the Idle Notre Dame located in the St. Lawrence sea way in Montreal. Drivers were still not happy with it, also because the track was built in 3 months and it needed some major improvements taking a few years for things to get better.
In 1982 the track was renamed Gilles Villeneuve Circuit, due to a Canadian driver’s death, Villeneuve, who was killed earlier in the season. He was the 1978 Grand Prix winner.
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