David Coulthard explains why Canadian GP Wall of Champions is so brutal

Former System 1 driver David Coulthard has mentioned the intricacies of the well-known Wall of Champions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, residence of the Canadian Grand Prix.

The wall on the exit of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s remaining chicane earned its nickname throughout the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix when three F1 champions, Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, all crashed into it throughout the identical race.

Talking alongside former F1 TV presenter Will Buxton and Sky Sports activities analyst Naomi Schiff on the Up To Velocity podcast, Coulthard defined: “The Wall of Champions is on the very remaining chicane. Truly, simply earlier than you go into that remaining chicane, it is a barely odd one as a result of it is also the pitlane entry, which may catch a driver out.

“In the event you’re following one other automobile over 200mph and approaching the, for instance, 120m braking level into that chicane, if the automobile in entrance is heading to the pits, you are making an attempt to anticipate them braking for the chicane after which abruptly they do not decelerate as a result of they are going to the pitlane and it confuses you.

“Out of the blue, you assume the brakes have failed, however then you definately realise rapidly they’re heading to the pit. So that may catch a driver out as you commit 800kg of race automobile over 200mph to braking greater than 5G of longitudinal braking pressure. And because the velocity’s coming off, the downforce is coming off, the automobile is beginning to load itself onto the left aspect, that inside wheel is getting mild, and you have an enormous kerb apex to hit.

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Group, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Picture by: James Sutton / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures

“And as you hit one kerb, it bounces the automobile onto the apex of the left kerb. You hit that, and for those who hit it an excessive amount of, it bounces you right into a concrete wall. In the event you hit it completely, you get on the ability, you drive the automobile out to the wall, simply lacking it by millimetres after which drive to the road and end your lap.”

The previous driver added: “So, it is an fascinating one as a result of as a race driver, you are approaching for a number of seconds at very excessive velocity, considering, ‘If I get this nook proper, I may be in pole place. If I get this nook incorrect, I’ll lose one aspect of the automobile.’

“You’ve gotten the great racing driver on one shoulder and the adverse racing driver on the opposite shoulder and someway you have to clean all that out and decide to the nook and the best of the nice, your Schumachers, Hakkinens, I believe even Lewis Hamilton, who actually is without doubt one of the biggest however I am simply not picturing him within the Wall of Champions, nevertheless it’s so named as a result of a few of the greats have ended up in that wall.”

Images from Canadian GP – Thursday