Mark’s Canadian GP Preview

After two races in Europe, Mark heads to Montreal this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix. He enters the race weekend on the back of a good result in Monaco, where he took his second podium finish of the year, and hopes to carry that momentum into Sunday’s race.

“I like it here,” says Mark. “The track is like another street circuit because the walls are very close in a few places and there isn’t much racing here during the year, so the asphalt rubbers-in throughout the weekend. There’s always a great atmosphere because the grandstands are close to the circuit and the fans are very passionate about F1.”

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is the first truly high-speed circuit of the year, with top speeds in excess of 310kph on the approach to the final corner. That places a lot of focus on straight-line speed and braking stability.

“After Monaco, which is the slowest circuit of the year, anything feels quick,” says Mark. “The end-of-straight speeds are pretty high in Montreal, so you need lots of horsepower and you also need good stopping power because you’re braking hard into some chicanes and hairpins. It’s an interesting challenge for the drivers and we usually get good races here.”

Montreal is also a fun city and it’s completely taken over by the race for the weekend. There are street parties and music festivals – not that Mark will get to see too much of that prior to the race.

“I still get to go to some pretty decent restaurants,” says Mark. “There’s food to suit all tastes in the city, so we’ll have some fun. Mitch [Evans] has a weekend off from GP2 this weekend, so he’s come to check it out and to get some experience of the circuit.”

Mark has only finished on the podium once in Montreal, in the rain-interrupted marathon of 2011, and he’s gunning for a repeat result on Sunday afternoon.

“The podium is my aim going into every race weekend,” says Mark. “The weather looks dodgy on Friday and Saturday, yet we have a dry race in prospect so it could be a challenging race from a tyre wear point of view. I’m sure it’ll be an exciting weekend.”

// ends

1 Comment

• 

  chris bugden

  on June 7, 2013 Reply

  Go you good thing, go.
  Go hard or go home.
  Smash em.
  Rip one up em.