After going to my very first Grand Prix in Montreal, I can tell you that going to your first Formula 1 race is a very different experience from watching F1 on TV. When you watch Formula 1 at home, you get the commentary, the timing graphics, the pit stop replays, the onboard cameras and the luxury of knowing exactly what is happening every second.
When you are watching the race at the track, the experience is completely different. Going to Formula 1 live you get to hear the noise, feel the speed, enjoy the crowds, the energy and that electric atmosphere you just cannot get from your couch.
The Montreal Grand Prix was my very first Formula 1 race, and to be honest I felt the whole thing a little overwhelming, especially early in the weekend.
If your experience is anything like mine, your first F1 Grand Prix can feel a little overwhelming. Getting to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve can feel daunting, and once you are there, the grounds are huge, the lines are long and everything is expensive. It’s a crazy experience, but awesome all at the same time.
These tips for first-time visitors to the Canadian Grand Prix are based on my experience during a 5-day trip to Montreal for the Grand Prix. If this is your first time at the Montreal F1 race, here is what to expect, what to bring, how the weekend works, and how to make the most of your trip.
This post contains affiliate links.
First-Time Montreal Grand Prix Tips
Before You Go: Planning Your First Montreal F1 Weekend
Do Your Research Before Race Weekend
Be skeptical of what you read online about going to the Montreal Grand Prix. It seems that things at the Montreal F1 change from year-to-year and information may be outdated. (Please let me know if any of my info is outdated!)
For example, both Google AI and ChatGPT told me confidently that I could walk from downtown Montreal to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve via the Concord Bridge. I was having an amazing walk on Friday morning, until the police stopped me and told me the bridge was closed to pedestrians (at least there was a free shuttle from there).
If one detail really matters to you, verify it before race weekend.
Download the Montreal Grand Prix Apps
For the Montreal Grand Prix, there are two apps I recommend:
Formula 1 App
The official Formula 1 app is an important app for the Montreal GP for several reasons. It’s an excellent source for all race related news, so you can keep up on all the excitement on race day. But equally important is the ability to see live timing. During the actual race, it’s really nice to be able to peek at your phone to see who is leading, especially during events like qualifying when it is not always clear.
F1GPCanada
F1GPCanada is the official Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada app. It includes an interactive map, tickets, alerts, schedule, food and entertainment, transport and weather information
Go to the Montreal GP All Three Days
If your time and budget permit, go to the Montreal F1 race all three days. Friday is the perfect day to learn how to get around, find your seats, locate the bathrooms, etc. By Saturday you’ll feel more comfortable, and by Sunday (when it really matters) you’ll be walking around like a pro.
Choose Your Tickets Carefully
General admission tickets may be the most affordable way to attend the Montreal Grand Prix, but I wasn’t impressed with the seating locations you can choose from. The General Admission sections I saw were all very close to the race track.
On one hand, this is amazing as you get to enjoy the raw speed of the Formula 1 cars as they race past at top speed. But, on the other hand, being so close means that you’ll likely be missing out on the overall racing action.
Get Grandstand Seats with a TV Screen
As you can only see a small portion of the overall race from your seats, try to find a grandstand which has a viewable TV screen. This helps you keep track of the overall race, while still enjoying the live Grand Prix action in front of you.
Stay Somewhere with Easy Transit or Shuttle Access
Unless you have an official parking pass, plan on taking the metro, a shuttle, taxi/Uber drop-off, river shuttle or another approved route. No vehicles without a valid parking pass are permitted on site.
When choosing where to stay for the Montreal Grand Prix, look for hotels that are well connected to the Montreal Line 4 (Yellow) metro system. The Berri-UQAM station is the only Metro station in downtown Montreal connected to the Yellow line. You can browse hotels near Berri-UQAM station.
Alternatively, you could stay near the Uber pick-up / drop-off zone, where you can hop on a free shuttle to CGV. This was my choice; I stayed at a hostel near Concordia University which was very convenient for getting to and from the track.
For more information, see my review of the Grey Nuns Residence for the Montreal Grand Prix. If you are looking for affordable Montreal Grand Prix accommodations, be sure to take a look.
Getting to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Buy Metro Tickets in Advance
If you plan on taking the metro to the Montreal Grand Prix, go to a station and buy your return tickets ahead of time for the entire weekend. Don’t wait until right before or after the race, as you’ll get stuck in a lengthy lineup.
Arrive Earlier Than You Think You Need To
Arrive at CGV as early as you can each day, or at least give yourself plenty of buffer before the first event you want to watch. There will be lines for transit, security, ticket scanning, and it will also take a while to walk from the entrance to your grandstand. Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is massive, and with the crowds, the walk will take longer than you think.
Pay Attention to Where You Enter the Circuit
As mentioned already, CGV is a huge place, and I had trouble finding my way back to the shuttle bus after the racing was over on Friday. I easily walked 30 minutes longer than I needed to, plus wasted 30 minutes asking staff, who clearly had no idea what I was talking about.
My advice is to take a screenshot of your location in Google Maps when you first arrive at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Or, if you have an app like AllTrails, start recording your walking path from the moment you get off the metro or shuttle bus. That way, after the race, you can follow the recording back to the same spot where you arrived.
Getting Around Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Is Bigger Than You Expect
CGV is a massive place and takes quite a while to get around. On Friday it’s relatively easy to make your way around the grounds, but on Saturday I noticed that it was noticeably more crowded. All of a sudden, I couldn’t walk my normal pace and it took twice as long to get anywhere. Sunday was even worse than Saturday, getting anywhere took a very long time.
If, like me, you want to explore the grounds of Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, do so as early in the weekend as possible. Friday morning is the overall best time, but make it as early in the weekend as you can.
Enjoy the Fan Zone on Friday
If you are interested in the Fan Zone, try to do as much of it on Friday as you can. It’s already busy on Friday, but it’s really busy on the weekend.
Watch for Special Grand Prix Events
Watch for special events on the Montreal GP calendar. For example, when I arrived on Saturday morning, the schedule on the Montreal GP app informed me that the F2 paddocks were open to the public.
I had arrived at CGV nice and early and was able to take advantage of this special opportunity. This wasn’t some theme park attraction. It was a real working paddock, with mechanics hard at work. It was awesome!
Take Advantage of Sponsor Giveaways and Perks
AMEX is a huge race sponsor of the Montreal Grand Prix and has some excellent giveaways for cardholders. The year I went AMEX was giving away seat cushions, power banks for phones, race radios, little charms (for bracelets) and much more. I visited their tents several times over the weekend and brought tons of stuff home for the kids. If you have an AMEX card, leave room in your bag to bring your stuff home.
Another perk of being an AMEX cardholder is the priority lines at many of the attractions within the Fan Zone. I used the priority line to try the F1 racing simulator. The general public line was huge, but the AMEX line was way shorter.
Tips for Watching the Racing Live
Bring or Get an FM Radio for Race Commentary
As you can’t see the whole race from your grandstand seat, it helps to bring an FM radio to the track, or make plans to get a race radio at the track. They actually broadcast the race radio over loudspeakers during the race, but the cars are so loud, you miss half of what they are saying.
My original plan for listening to the commentary for the F1 races in Montreal was to listen to the F1 TV feed through the Live Timing on the official Formula 1 app. As this is the same TV commentary the F1 fans are seeing around the world, this is, in theory, the best feed to listen to.
In practice, listening to the race commentary on the F1 app was a terrible experience. AAny time I left the app to take a picture, send a text or do anything else, the commentary would stop. Plus, I had to stop my phone from going to sleep, or the commentary would stop. It was very annoying and I quickly decided that it wasn’t worth the hassle.
AMEX was giving away free race radios to cardholders, and I used my radio extensively. Using an FM radio freed me up to use my phone, and the commentary was never interrupted.
Get Close to the Track at Least Once
During a race you are not overly interested in (for example, the first F2 practice session on Friday), take a moment and find a General Admission area right next to the track. This is an outstanding opportunity to really see and feel how fast these cars are!
Take Photos and Videos Early in the Weekend
I found that the more time I focused on trying to take good pictures and videos of the F1 race, the more of the actual race that I missed. I recommend trying to get as many good pictures and videos as possible on Friday, leaving you free to keep your phone in your pocket, so you can enjoy the more important racing on Saturday and Sunday. You’ll still take a few pictures those days, but with a phone full of pictures already, you won’t feel the pressure and can sit back and enjoy the racing action.
Use the Formation Lap for Photos
The pre-race formation lap is a great opportunity to get pictures of the Formula 1 cars. They are usually all bunched up so you can get several cars in the same picture. Plus, they are going much slower than typical race speed, which should lead to clearer pictures of your favourite drivers and cars.
Take Video of the Opening Lap
The first lap of any race is the best photo or video opportunity of the entire race. All the cars are bundled together, especially the leaders. Decide beforehand whether you want video or photos. If you take my advice and take pictures during the formation lap, that frees you up for an exciting video of the opening lap.
Race Day Time Management Tips
Get to Your Seats Early
The bleacher seats at CGV are not very spacious and it can be hard to get to your seats if they are in the middle of a section. If your seats are in the middle of a section, do yourself, and everyone else a favour, and get to your seats well before the race begins.
Do Not Underestimate the Time Between Sessions
The time gaps between races go much quicker than you think, especially when it’s very crowded on Saturday or Sunday. It takes time for the crowds to clear your section, walk to the toilets, food stands or souvenir booths, and get back to your seat. I was always surprised how quickly the breaks went, especially on Saturday and Sunday!
Food, Water, Bathrooms and Comfort
Buy Your Food Early
There are a lot of food trucks at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, with a good variety of options. They start to get very busy in the afternoon, so if you don’t like long food lines, try to grab your food before noon.
Bathroom Lines May Be Better Than You Expect
Speaking of line-ups, you’ll be pleased to know there are not many lines to use the facilities at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. There’s an impressive number of port-a-potties and portable urinals around the track.
Even at peak times on Sunday, the wait lines were non-existent or quite small; the longest I ever had to wait was maybe 5 minutes. I even overheard some women talking about what a surprise it was that they didn’t have to wait very long.
Have a Hydration Plan
My grandstand seats were in the very middle of the section. Grandstand seats at CGV are very tight, making it quite hard to get in and out when a race is on.
To make sure I didn’t need to leave in the middle of a race, I had a hydration strategy. I would overhydrate in the morning, drinking as much water as I could several hours before the first race. That way I didn’t feel thirsty throughout the day, and I didn’t need to use the facilities much during the races.
There are water stations all over Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the race day.
Bring a Power Bank
A portable power bank for your phone is an absolute must. Between taking pictures and videos, checking the CGV map on the app, using Live Timing, etc., you’ll go through your phone battery in no time.
Keep your phone on low battery mode and bring a small magnetic power bank with enough juice for at least one full recharge. I needed to charge my phone all three days at the Montreal Grand Prix.
Bring Ear Protection
I brought some cotton balls to the Montreal Grand Prix, but I ended up not using them. My seats were reasonably high up in Grandstand 34, in the middle of the iconic hairpin turn. I found that in my location, the cars were loud, but not so loud I needed protection. Had I been sitting closer to the action, I’m sure I would have used ear protection.
Even if you do not use ear protection the whole time, it is worth having it with you. Cotton balls or ear plugs take up no room in your bag, and it is one of those things you will be happy to have if your seats are louder than expected.
Bring a Seat Cushion
The grandstand seats at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve are metal bleacher seats. If you value your comfort at all, you will bring a seat cushion with you every day. You’ll regret it if you don’t.
Check the Sun Location
Knowing where the sun will be can make a difference in your decisions about what to wear. Check to see what direction your grandstand faces to determine where the sun will be during the races. My section (Grandstand 34) was excellent as the sun was behind us most of the day. But the sun moves, and by the late-afternoon races it was hitting the side of my left eye.
Tips for Going to the Montreal Grand Prix in the Rain
I had beautiful, sunny weather at the Montreal GP for Friday and Saturday, but the weather turned and I awoke to a cold, windy, rainy day on Sunday morning. The forecast showed rain for the morning, but still a 40% chance in the afternoon. So I prepared to go to the Montreal F1 in the rain. Here are a few tips based on what I did right and what I did wrong:
Wear Layers
I wore all the layers I had to the race, which was a T-shirt, a fleece jacket and a rain jacket. I wore my quick-dry convertible hiking pants as I thought they would dry much faster than jeans when the rain stopped. I also wore my baseball hat.
The upper layers were perfect, keeping my top nice and warm, especially after I tucked my fleece into my pants like a dress shirt.
My legs were absolutely freezing from the wind. Since it ended up not raining much, jeans would have been warmer. But if it had rained harder, wet jeans and strong wind would have been miserable. I think the best option would have been a merino wool base layer and my quick-dry pants. The wool stays warm when wet and both would have dried quickly had it rained harder.
Bring a Quality Rain Poncho
I brought a cheap travel poncho for the rain, something I think I bought in Thailand a few years ago. It was raining pretty hard when I arrived at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, so I put the poncho on. It worked well enough until I needed to take my day bag off. This required me to take my poncho off and put it back on. It was so flimsy and cheap that it ripped right away.
If you are going to the Montreal Grand Prix in the rain and want to bring a day bag, I recommend bringing a good quality rain poncho, preferably one that won’t instantly rip, and one with snaps on the sides. Snaps would have allowed me to take my bag off without taking the poncho off. I saw plenty of people wearing ponchos with this clever feature, and I was jealous.
Bring a Rain Cover for Your Day Bag
When I set out from my hotel to go to the track, I realized that my daypack didn’t have a built-in rain cover. That would have been good to have. Instead I put all my water-sensitive belongings like my wallet, power bank, etc. into a large Ziplock. If your bag doesn’t have one built in, a rain cover is a good investment.
Bring Something to Dry Your Seat
If you live in Montreal and are going to the Montreal Grand Prix in the rain, bring along a little shower squeegee. I saw a few people with them and they went around squeegeeing the bleacher seats for everyone. This made them very popular!
If you are staying in a Montreal hotel, maybe sneak out a face cloth or something to dry your bleacher seat before you sit down.
What to Bring to the Canadian Grand Prix
Going to the Canadian Grand Prix is a full-day affair, so come prepared. Note, there are bag size limits at the Montreal F1 which are roughly the size of a personal item on an airplane. Check current regulations before you go.
Here is what I brought to the Montreal Grand Prix each day:
- Mobile ticket in my Apple Wallet (one for each day)
- Phone
- Wireless magnetic power bank
- Ear protection (I chose cotton balls)
- Travel sized sunscreen
- Refillable insulated water bottle
- Lunch and snacks
- Contactless credit card
- Seat cushion
As discussed above, the portable phone charger is a must. You will use your phone for tickets, photos, videos, messages, maps, race and event schedules and live timing. Race days are long, and your battery will drain fast.
I needed to recharge my phone battery all three days. I had a small, magnetic, wireless phone charger which was perfect for the day. It was small enough that I could keep using my phone and its camera without any issues, but also big enough that it could completely recharge my phone.
I didn’t end up using my ear protection. Perhaps I was far enough away from the action, but I found the noise levels within reason. If you are sitting close to the track or are taking kids to the Grand Prix, ear protection is a must.
What to Wear to the Montreal F1 Race
Now that the Montreal Grand Prix is being held in May instead of June, the chances of cooler, inclement weather are greater. During my three days at CGV, I experienced the whole range of weather, from sunny and warm to windy, rainy and cold.
So, I know you all want to wear your team gear, and you should, but don’t underestimate the Canadian weather in May. Dress with the weather in mind first, then find a way to display your team gear on top.
Here is what I wore (or had in my daybag), each day at the Montreal Grand Prix:
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Quick dry convertible pants. These are those touristy, hiking pants which can zip off into shorts. I was glad for the flexibility and wore them as shorts the first few days.
- A t-shirt, a fleece jacket and a rain jacket.
- Baseball hat.
- Sunglasses.
- Rain poncho.
Comfortable shoes are super important. The CGV grounds are really big and you’ll do a lot of walking.
If you are buying Formula 1 team gear, there is an insane amount of gear available on the race grounds. It may be just me, but it all seemed more expensive at CGV than it did in the off-track racing gear stores around town.
Final Thoughts on Attending Your First Montreal Grand Prix
As you can see, there is a lot to know about going to your first Formula 1 race in Montreal. I hope that my tips for your first Grand Prix will help your experience be the best it can be!