After two races in Europe, Formula 1 is once again moves into flyaway mode as the circus travels to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.
The semi-street Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, named after the legendary late Canadian driver, will test every element of a Formula 1 driver’s repertoire and never fails to provide an entertaining grand prix.
Both BBC Sport and Sky Sports F1 will broadcast live coverage of every session throughout the weekend, all of which will be at viewer-friendly times with both qualifying and the race in primetime evening slots.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve circuit always manages to deliver one of the most exciting races in any Formula 1 season.
With its low grip surface and the scope for plenty of overtaking, plus a very high likelihood of safety cars, it is always an entertaining event and hard to predict.
After the ultra-high downforce set-ups in Monaco, a very different challenge awaits the drivers in Montreal as Formula 1 makes its annual pilgrimage to Canada.
The circuit requires the second lowest wing levels of the season, only beaten by Monza, meaning fans are usually treated to thrilling slip-streaming action at 200mph.
The high speeds and heavy braking zones make it a paradise for overtaking, while the unforgiving walls which hem in the race track on all sides provide a drama all of their own.
Additionally, the weather rarely fails to play a part in the race. Searing heat and tremendous downpours have both been commonplace in recent years – either of which can serve to turn race strategy on its head.
So far this season, four teams – Lotus, Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes – have recorded victories in the opening six races as the championship nears up to reach its halfway point.
Despite each proving itself capable of dominating under the right circumstances, none has reached the top step of the podium without being made to work exceptionally hard for the privilege, and the Canadian Grand Prix promises no less.
Red Bull currently leads both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, but the Austrian outfit has never won in Montreal, while McLaren has ruled for the last three years but the chances of repeating that success with its uncompetitive car this year seem unlikely.
Sebastian Vettel extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ standings to 21 points last time out around the tight and twisting streets of Monaco.
But he was unable to claim the full 25 points as he crossed the finish line second behind Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, who secured his second F1 win, exactly 30 years on from his father Keke’s triumph at the famous race in a Williams.
Fans can follow all the action from the seventh round of the 2013 FIA Formula 1 World Championship on BBC TV and Sky Sports F1.
Read SOTB’s 2013 Canadian Grand Prix viewing guide below:.
FORMULA 1 ON BBC SPORT IN 2013
BBC Sport will have live free-to-air television coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix, its third live race weekend of the 2013 season.
All five on-track sessions will be shown live on BBC television, including the three practice sessions on Friday and Saturday.
Plus, as usual, both qualifying and the race will be shown live on Saturday and Sunday respectively on BBC One and BBC One HD in a viewer-friendly primetime slot on both evenings.
On Friday, the first 45-minutes of Practice 1 will be shown behind the Red Button, with BBC Two’s coverage starting at 3.45pm, while Practice 2 will be broadcast live on BBC Three at 7pm. Saturday afternoon’s Third Practice is live on BBC Two.
All the live action from Montreal will be introduced from trackside by Suzi Perry.
She will be joined by regular trackside experts David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan, both of whom will be on hand to provide lively analysis and discussion in the pits and paddock.
During the one-hour qualifying and race build-ups there will be plenty of new features and interviews to keep viewers informed and entertained, including David Coulthard’s grid-walk on race day.
Commentary comes from Ben Edwards and David Coulthard, with technical analysis from Gary Anderson, while Lee McKenzie and Tom Clarkson will provide pit-lane updates and conduct interviews with the drivers and team personel.
BBC Sport’s popular F1 Forum, presented by Suzi Perry, follows the conclusion of the BBC One race transmission on the BBC Red Button and online at 7.10pm.
The BBC Sport website will have live streaming of all live BBC TV broadcasts, as well as additional live video content during including extra feeds such as driver tracker, on-board cameras, pits channel and a choice of commentary, plus interviews and analysis.
All of the BBC’s TV coverage will be available to view shortly after transmission on BBC iPlayer.
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Friday 7th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 1 | Start: 15:00
LIVE: 3.45pm-4.45pm – BBC Two
LIVE: 2.55pm-4.35pm – BBC Red Button
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 2 | Start: 19:00
LIVE: 7.00pm-9.00pm – BBC Three
Saturday 8th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 3 | Start: 15:00
LIVE: 2.55pm-4.10pm – BBC Two
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Qualifying | Start: 18:00
LIVE: 5.00pm-7.10pm – BBC One
Sunday 9th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – RACE | Start: 19:00
LIVE: 6.15pm-9.10pm – BBC One
FORUM: 10.10pm-11.10pm – BBC Red Button
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Highlights
1.15am-2.10am (Mon) – BBC Three
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FORMULA 1 2013 ON SKY SPORTS F1 HD
Sky Sports F1 HD will also have extensive live coverage of every session of the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix.
After the early, European-friendly start times for coverage from Bahrain, Spain and Monaco, there’s a jolt to the system in store this weekend when F1 crosses the Atlantic for the first of two North American visits this season.
The Sky Sports F1 schedule will be based around viewer-friendly early-afternoon and early-evening starts.
Every practice session, Saturday’s qualifying and the race itself will be shown live in stunning high definition throughout the weekend.
Simon Lazenby will present full coverage of the Friday practice sessions, qualifying and the race itself, where he will be joined throughout the weekend by Martin Brundle, Johnny Herbert and Damon Hill.
Ted Kravitz will have the latest news and reports and from the pit lane, while Rachel Brookes steps in for Natalie Pinkham as the second reporter for this race, with Pinkham confirming via Twitter that she will be absent from Montreal due to family commitments.
Commentary on all sessions comes from David Croft with Martin Brundle joining him for both qualifying and the race. Guest commentators will fill in for Anthony Davidson on the practice sessions as he has racing commitments elsewhere.
Friday’s edition of The F1 Show will provide all the essential build-up to the weekend, presented by Ted Kravitz and Rachel Brookes, at 11pm.
Ahead of the Qualifying action on Saturday itself, commentator David Croft will be talking to two of the stars of the Monaco GP – Adrian Sutil of Force India and Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne, while Ted Kravitz is given a driving lesson by the Caterham team.
As for the main event, coverage of the Canadian GP on Sky Sports F1 begins at 5.30pm on Sunday afternoon.
Among the highlights in Sky’s race build-up will be an exclusive chat with McLaren’s Sergio Perez out on the track, the final part of the Red Bull’s Road to Greatness series, plus all the latest news and analysis ahead of what has traditionally been one of the most exciting races on the calendar.
Throw in Martin Brundle’s Grid Walk and Ted Kravitz’s post-race Notebook during the live coverage, plus a forecast of rain over the weekend, it promises to be another unmissable grand prix in Montreal.
A host of interactive additions, including on-board cameras, pit-lane feeds, the latest race stats and much more available via the red button and the Sky Sports for iPad app.
For those who won’t be at home, every second of the drama from the Shanghai International Circuit can be seen on Sky Go.
Further information, news and video content can be found at skysports.com/f1, and viewers are encouraged to interact with the live programmes via Twitter – @SkySportsF1, #SkyF1.
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Thursday 6th June
F1 Drivers Press Conference
LIVE: 4.00pm-4.45pm – Sky Sports F1
Gear Up For Canada
10.30pm-10.45pm – Sky Sports F1
Friday 7th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 1 | Start: 15:00
LIVE: 2.45pm-4.50pm – Sky Sports F1
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 2 | Start: 19:00
LIVE: 6.45pm-9.00pm – Sky Sports F1
F1 Team Principals Press Conference
LIVE: 9.00pm-9.45pm – Sky Sports F1
The F1 Show – Canadian Grand Prix Preview
LIVE: 11.00pm-12.00am – Sky Sports F1
Saturday 8th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 3 | Start: 15:00
LIVE: 2.45pm-4.10pm – Sky Sports F1
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Qualifying | Start: 18:00
LIVE: 5.00pm-7.45pm – Sky Sports F1
Sunday 9th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – RACE | Start: 19:00
LIVE: 5.30pm-10.00pm – Sky Sports F1
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Highlights
12.00am-1.30am (Mon) – Sky Sports F1
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BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra will have live audio commentary of every on-track session from the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
James Allen will lead the commentary team throughout the weekend, including full live coverage of the race on BBC 5 live.
Jennie Gow will be the pit-lane and paddock reporter gathering all the interviews and Gary Anderson will provide the latest technical analysis from the pits.
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Thursday 6th June
5 live Formula 1 – Canadian Grand Prix Preview
9.30pm-10.00pm – BBC Radio 5 live
Friday 7th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 1 | Start: 15:00
LIVE: 2.55pm-4.35pm – BBC Sport Website
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 2 | Start: 19:00
LIVE: 6.55pm-8.35pm – BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra
Saturday 8th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Practice 3 | Start: 15:00
LIVE: 2.55pm-4.05pm – BBC Sport Website
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – Qualifying | Start: 18:00
LIVE: 5.55pm-7.05pm – BBC Sport Website / Updates on BBC 5 live
Sunday 9th June
F1: Canadian Grand Prix – RACE | Start: 19:00
LIVE: 6.00pm-9.00pm – BBC Radio 5 live
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Sport On The Box 