canadian gp

It was the Canadian Grand Prix last weekend, and it was an absolute belter.

The Canadian Grand Prix often produces some classic races and it was a real shame it was off the calendar last year.

To be fair, part of the reason it does produce classic races is one of those artificial things, a bit like when it rains. Rain always produces an interesting race, because tyre strategies go haywire and of course the drivers struggle with grip.

Well, the circuit for the Canadian GP is a bit of a weird one - it's built on a man-made island that was created with the spoil from when they built the Montreal subway. That means that, while it is designed as a proper circuit, it's also a public park and people can drive on it.

This means that few other races are held on the circuit, but it also means the tarmac is not like normal racing tarmac. The stuff they use on racetracks is a lot stickier and softer than they use on normal roads. In that way, it's a lot like a street circuit, like Monaco.

It's also like a street circuit because there aren't really any run-off areas - there's barriers and walls right next to the circuit. But, unlike a normal street circuit, the track is quite wide like a proper circuit and has proper bends and chicanes in. It's a kind of hybrid between a street circuit and a proper race track.

And those factors contribute to it being an interesting race - the tarmac means the tyre strategies can go bonkers, like we saw this last weekend and the circuit itself lends itself to exciting racing, providing a real challenge to the drivers and also good opportunities for overtaking.

And my Dad was there. He's gone on a combined race weekend holiday to Canada, which lasts for about 10 days. The first bit is at Montreal for the race and this second week is in Quebec, I think - he told me, but I have an awful memory.

I'd have loved to have gone too, but it would have cost a fortune and I'm still reeling from the expense of Monaco last year :/.