Gasly fires warning about major risk at 2022 Canadian GP

Pierre Gasly got his best qualifying and race result of the year last weekend in Baku after he finished fifth having started sixth.

AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly predicts that this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix will pose a big challenge to the drivers due to the raised kerbs at the final chicane.

Fresh off his best result of the year with a P5 in Baku last time out, Gasly heads to Montreal for the first time since 2019 this weekend aiming to build on that form and establish the Faenza-based squad as the best of the rest in the midfield battle.

The cars this season are bouncing a lot more due to the new technical regulations which have brought back ground effect aerodynamics, and the ride heights are lower as a result.

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The added abrasion with the track surface, coupled with the new aerodynamic concept, has caused “porpoising” and bouncing for a lot of the teams, particularly Mercedes.

It is therefore easier for the balance of the machines to be offset by kerbs, so the raises kerbs at the infamous wall of champions will be something for the drivers to watch out for.

“Canada is another street circuit and I think that this year, the Montreal circuit will be really challenging,” said Gasly.

“Especially with these new cars that are very stiff, much more so than their predecessors. The big kerbs and the high speeds will be a real test as will the final corner and the famous Wall of Champions!

“We will have to avoid the kerbs a lot more, whereas in the past you needed to ride over them to do a quick lap. 

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“Although it’s another street circuit like the last two races, it’s a much faster layout with quicker corners.

“On paper that suggests it might be a bit more complicated for our car, so it means we must make sure we arrive fully prepared and are able to get everything out of the package we have.

“Operationally, the team must be on top of its game if we want to get the results the car is capable of delivering, as we saw in Baku.”

Gasly is now tenth in the Drivers’ Championship after a mixed opening eight rounds of the 2022 season.