» Montréal locked in for 2017

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montréal will continue to play host to the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix next year, it has been confirmed.

The Quebec circuit, which been a fixture on the Formula 1 calendar for all but two years since 1978, had signed a ten-year contract extension in 2014 to keep hosting the Grand Prix. Next year’s race was, however, provisionally listed by the FIA when its first draft of the 2017 championship calendar was revealed.

Located on the manmade Île Notre-Dame, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has continually faced criticism for its cramped and outdated pit, paddock and spectator facilities which fell well short of the standard of most other circuits on the calendar.

Official confirmation of next year’s Canadian Grand Prix, which takes place in June, will be made when the FIA World Motor Sport Council meets in Austria next week.

Next year’s even will also mark the fiftieth anniversary of the inaugural Canadian Grand Prix, which took place at Mosport Park.

Canadian fans will also have a local driver to cheer on for the first time in over a decade, with newly-crowned FIA European Formula 3 champion Lance Stroll earning a race seat at Williams.