Image by mibro from Pixabay

F1 fans flock to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for Canadian Grand Prix open house

Formula One racing fans hoping to get a taste of the action before tires even hit the track this weekend are invited to Île Notre-Dame on Thursday.

The annual open house at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the iconic racetrack for the Canadian Grand Prix, is taking place from 9-11 a.m.

Race enthusiasts can walk the grounds prior to the real festivities getting underway Friday.

People are expected to line up early – in some cases hours before 9 a.m. – outside the site at Espace 67, right outside the Parc Jean-Drapeau metro station.

A practice session and sprint qualifying is scheduled for Friday, while the sprint race and race qualifying are on Saturday. The race itself is at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Formula One rescheduled the Montreal race from mid-June to May 24 in order to reduce travel and environmental impact by moving the event closer to the Miami Grand Prix.