With unpredictable weather and the infamous "Wall of Champions," this weekend promises drama.
Montreal: Formula One returns this weekend with a significantly adjusted calendar, landing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Canadian Grand Prix. Usually a mid-June fixture, the end-of-May slot marks a vital early-summer checkpoint in a 2026 world championship season that has defied early expectations.
With four rounds completed, the paddock descends on Montreal’s notoriously unforgiving street circuit, complete with its infamous "Wall of Champions," under a high probability of unpredictable weather and mixed wet-dry conditions.
Lead Contenders and Championship Standings
The early portion of the 2026 season has belonged entirely to Mercedes AMG Petronas, which has firmly established itself at the front of the grid following F1’s latest technical evolutions.
Rookie sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the driver standings with 100 points, fresh off a dominant victory at the Miami Grand Prix. His teammate George Russell sits second with 80 points. Trailing the Mercedes duo are Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (59 points) and McLaren’s Lando Norris (51 points), both of whom are desperate to disrupt the Silver Arrows' early momentum.
ALSO READ:Lewis Hamilton slams retirement rumours, clarifies Ferrari future
Defending multiple-time champion Max Verstappen finds himself in a rare underdog position. Hindered by early-season reliability issues and a slow adaptation to the Red Bull car, Verstappen rests seventh in the standings with just 26 points. However, internal upgrades brought to Montreal could turn Red Bull into a major dark horse if they can piece together a clean weekend.
Top 5 Driver Standings Heading Into Montreal
| Position | Driver | Team | Points | Wins |
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 100 | 3 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 80 | 1 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 59 | 0 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 51 | 0 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 51 | 0 |
When to Watch in India (IST)
The Canadian Grand Prix features a high-stakes Sprint Weekend format. This leaves teams with just one single hour of free practice on Friday before thrusting them directly into competitive sessions.
Because of the time zone difference between Montréal and India, local fans will need to prepare for late-night viewing sessions.
Canadian GP Full Session Timetable
- Friday, May 22
- Free Practice 1 (FP1): 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM IST
- Saturday, May 23
- Sprint Qualifying: 2:00 AM – 2:44 AM IST (Late Friday night)
- Sprint Race (23 Laps): 9:30 PM – 10:30 PM IST
- Sunday, May 24
- Main Qualifying: 1:30 AM – 2:30 AM IST (Late Saturday night)
- The Canadian Grand Prix (70 Laps): 1:30 AM IST (Late Sunday night / Early Monday morning, May 25)
Where to Watch in India
Formula One fans in India can catch every single session live across multiple official broadcast channels:
F1 TV Pro: The sport’s premium over-the-top (OTT) subscription service remains the primary destination for comprehensive live coverage. F1 TV Pro offers access to all track sessions, onboard driver cameras, team radio channels, and real-time telemetry analytics.
FanCode: For localised digital streaming, the sports aggregator platform FanCode continues its broadcast partnership in India. Fans can purchase individual race passes or an annual token to stream the practice, qualifying, sprint, and main race sessions live via the FanCode app or website.
Published: 22 May 2026, 04:13 pm IST
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