How to follow the Canadian Grand Prix on the BBC

The 2026 Formula 1 season continued in Montreal with the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve from 22-24 May. This marked the fifth round of the season and included the campaign's third sprint event. In the previous race in Miami, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli achieved his third consecutive victory from pole position, with McLaren's world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing in second and third, respectively. As a result, Antonelli held a 20-point lead over his teammate George Russell, who finished fourth in the drivers' championship.

The sprint was scheduled for Saturday at 17:00 BST, and the main race was set to commence at 21:00 BST. The Canadian Grand Prix started two hours later than the previous year to avoid conflicting with the Indianapolis 500, which began at 17:30 BST.

BBC coverage for the race included commentary across BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, and the BBC Sport website and app. Listeners could also access the coverage by requesting "play BBC Radio 5 Live" or "play BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra" on most smart speakers. As a new feature this year, the post-race shows for every grand prix were made available for viewing on BBC iPlayer and YouTube.

The session timings were as follows (all times are in BST):
- Friday, 22 May
- First practice: 17:30-18:30
- Sprint qualifying: 21:30-22:14
- Saturday, 23 May
- Sprint: 17:00-18:00
- Qualifying: 21:00-22:00
- Sunday, 24 May
- Race: 21:00 (with a build-up from 20:45 on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Regarding the weather forecast for the Montreal race weekend, initial reports indicated the potential for wet conditions. Friday's sprint qualifying was expected to be dry and sunny, while Saturday's sprint and main qualifying were forecasted to have drizzle and light winds, with temperatures reaching 19°C. The main race on Sunday was anticipated to feature light rain and winds, with a high of 19°C.

The 70-lap race was part of Canada's first sprint event, with the shorter race set to cover 23 laps. The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is known for its fast layout, incorporating long straights paired with heavy braking zones, making it a favorite among both drivers and fans. Notable challenges included the 'Wall of Champions' at the end of the lap, notorious for previous crashes involving three world champions—Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, and Jacques Villeneuve—in 1999.

Following the Canadian Grand Prix, the last three sprint races of the season will be hosted at Silverstone in July, Zandvoort in August, and Singapore in October.