Formula 1 07/06/12 - Canadian Grand Prix Preview

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This weekend see's the 7th race on the Formula 1 calendar in Montreal, Canada. This season has seen, for the first time ever, 6 different winners from the first 6 races. Currently, Fernando Alonso tops the drivers championship with 76 points and will be looking to extend his lead over the Red Bull pair of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, both on 73 points. The McLaren team will be hoping for better pit stops in this weeks race, as pit stops have been somewhat of an issue for the team this year.

Last Year's winner Jenson Button won in 2011 will be hoping for a similar result this year after having to retire in the last race in Monaco, after qualifying a disappointing 12th. He also qualified outside the top 10 in Spain. Button is currently placed 7th in the drivers championship with 45 points from 6 races, a substantial 31 points behind the leader Alonso. He got off to the best start possible, winning the first race in Australia, but since has got just 20 points from 5 races, which, judging by previous seasons, is below par for the British driver. Button obviously seems in a relaxed mood as he as recently tweeted: "Montreal has definitely got it right when it comes 2 cycle paths, enjoyed a nice 75k ride this morning with @yuyumoto1"

Mark Webber celebrating his win
last time out in Monte Carlo, since
has been labelled to have been using
an 'illegal car'.

Mark Webber and Red Bull will be hoping to prove critics wrong as many claim that the RB8 car that won the Monaco Grand Prix last time out was an illegal floor because of 'holes' fashioned into the floor of the car. Webber was angered and unimpressed by said this in Thursday's press conference: "In relation to [the allegation of winning with an illegal car], I've been called lots of things, and I'm happy to take a lot of criticism for my driving and lots stuff, but I won't accept criticism in that respect. It pi**es me off, to be honest, because the car has passed every single technical check and all of the teams that were against the car in Monaco did not make a protest."


Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is a 70 lap 4.361km race. Rubens Barrichello holds the lap record with a very impressive 1:13:622. Michael Schumacher has won the most times at the Montreal circuit, with a huge 7 wins, including 3 consecutive years in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Huge controversy was caused when the circuit was left out of the 2009 calendar, and was quickly re-included in the calendar for the following year, and will make sure the FIA will not leave out the venue anytime soon.

Pit stop problems cost Lewis Hamilton
dramatically in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

11/4 favourite to win the 2012 Drivers Championship at the end of the year, Lewis Hamilton, will be hoping for a better performance by the pit crew in this weekends race. The pit crew have struggled with the Brit's pit stops more than once this year, and will be hoping to improve. Hamilton finished 5th in Monaco last time out, where a slowish pit stop seemed to lose the Brit a place yet again, after a 4.3s pit stop gave Alonso the advantage to creep ahead of Hamilton. The 27 year-old will be hoping for his first victory of the season, which would be sensational as it would give 7 different winners from 7 different races. 

Practice 1 - 2:45pm, Friday 8th June, Sky Sports F1 HD
Practice 2 - 6:45pm, Friday 8th June, Sky Sports F1 HD
Practice 3 - 2:45pm, Saturday 9th June, Sky Sports F1 HD
Qualifying - 5:00pm, Saturday 9th June, Sky Sports F1 HD
RACE - 5:30pm, Sunday 10th June, Sky Sports F1 HD
Selected Winner Odds - SkyBet
Lewis Hamilton - 4/1
Fernando Alonso - 5/1
Sebastian Vettel - 6/1

Mark Webber - 10/1
Jenson Button - 10/1
Felipe Massa - 40/1
Paul Di Resta - 200/1
Current Standings

Driver	Constructor	Points	Points behind leader
1.Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	76	0
2.Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull	73	3
3.Mark Webber	Red Bull	73	3
4.Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	63	13
5.Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	59	17
6.Kimi Raikkonen	Lotus	51	25
7.Jenson Button	McLaren	45	31
8.Romain Grosjean	Lotus	35	41
9.Pastor Maldonando	Williams	29	47
10.Sergio Perez	Sauber	22	54