The big day was finally here - race day! As with the other recaps this won’t be a full account, but will focus on adding some better photos and filling in some details of the day. I hope you’ve been enjoying the additional posts so far! I’ll try and break the day down into logical sections.

As mentioned in the original post, getting to the track on race day was a nightmare. That experience of getting to and from will be enough for me to be happy with having attended once, and not going back.

Ferrari Race

With the crowds to get in I was afraid we were going to miss the Ferrari race and I wouldn’t see how my guy in the teal car made out! Luckily we did make it in time to see the race - and what a race it was. I don’t know why, but I kind of expected the Ferraris to race with a little less… aggression. Well I was wrong - there was great racing, overtaking and some crazy stunts that ended up in big crashes!

I think my guy was starting in third for the race.

Off the start, and back into the pit straight at the end of the first lap the main group was all bunched up.

At this point my guy had passed up into second place.

The the craziness happened - the car in fourth tried to pass all three cars ahead of him into a corner and didn’t make it! He crashed into the lead car, leaving my guy in first place.

It was carnage. But my guy held on for the race win!

The Ferrari Challenge podium - I have no idea who these guys are, but that’s my guy on the top step of the podium!

The carnage on one of the cars in the crash.

The Driver’s Parade

Before every race, they parade the drivers around the track to wave to the fans. In Montreal that was quite cool because of the old cars they used, one for each driver. This is one thing Montreal did better than Abu Dhabi.

Each driver got taken around in an old Aston Martin.

Some of the cars waiting to start the driver’s parade.

Eventually the driver’s came out of the paddock and got into their cars for the drive around the track.

Russell and Verstappen

Perez and Alonzo

Schumacher and Riccardo

Albon and Leclerc

Bottas and Zhou

Norris

Stroll and Vettel

Hamilton

Stroll and Ocon

The Sky Crew and Vettel

Hamilton

Albon

Sainz

Schumacher

Lando!

Riccardo

Vettel

The Sky TV Crew

After getting the festivities completed, it was time to get drivers in cars and get them into the pit straight to the starting grid for the start of the race!

Hamilton pulling out to make his way to start in 4th.

Hamilton to the grid!

Angela Cullen, Hamilton's assistant

McLaren getting ready.

Pit lane chaos!

Hamilton's tires ready to go.

The lead cars in position.

Pushing Hamilton's car up to it's grid spot.

After driving the cars to the grid...

...the drivers get out for the anthem.

Sainz before the race.

Mattia Binotto, Ferrari team boss.

Guenther Steiner (Haas) and Toto Wolff (Mercedes)

Toto and Christian Horner (Red Bull)

They look pretty friendly for the TV animosity

Toto!

Finally it was time to go! The National Anthem, and then the racing was ready to start!

The National Anthem festivities. But where were the Snowbirds?!?!

The grandstands were packed!

As were the hospitality suites!

I didn’t take a lot of photos during the race, as I really wanted to watch and experience the event. But there were a few times where I caught some of the action.

We were all ready for the race to start!

Max and Alonzo on the starting grid.

There was some action and excitement during the race, including some crashed that warranted the safety car.

Which always triggers action in the pits.

Hamilton in for a change of tires.

Hamilton screaming down the pit straight.

The Mounties were enjoying the action.

Riccardo!

It was a great race, and at the end we had a Verstappen - Sainz - Hamilton 1-2-3. It was better than I had expected given Mercedes issues this year, so a great result.