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Ile
Notre Dame,
located within the St.
Laurence river in
Montreal, was designed
to be the home of the
Worlds Fair in 1967, as
well as
the rowing
activities during the 1972
Olympics via a
man-made basin on the
island's
southern edge.
Afterward, when
the island's use
diminished, the city
found $2 million dollars
for upgrading the island
to a GP circuit, and
after a period of
frenzied rebuilding it
was ready for its first
Canadian GP on October 8
1978.
Many came to
cheer on rising Canadian
star Gilles Villeneuve,
and after Jean-Pierre
Jarier’s Lotus expired
on lap 49, Villeneuve
went through to claim
the circuit’s maiden
win, amid scenes of mass
rejoicing.
In 1982 the
Canadian GP had a
drastically different
atmosphere, as a month
before the event Gilles
died during qualifying
in Belgium, followed
abruptly by the death of
Ricardo Paletti on the
starting grid of at the
newly renamed Circuit
Gilles Villeneuve.
Since that year
of sadness, the circuit
has been home to many
memorable races,
including Jean Alesi’s
only win in 1995.
Due to Montreal's great
atmosphere it is one of
the most popular
circuits in F1, as the
favorable cuisine and
great nightlife allows
the teams to kick back
and have fun.
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