This Sunday marks the 60th running of the Canadian Grand Prix, the annual Formula 1 race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. F1 betting always picks up here at Bodog Sportsbook when the world’s top open-wheel drivers touch down on Île Notre-Dame. But the future of this iconic race is indeed hanging in the balance, adding even more Netflix-worthy drama to this week’s events.
As your No. 1 stop for motor sports betting in Canada since 1994, Bodog is particularly proud of our racing heritage. We’ve already got F1 odds on the board for both Sunday’s race and Saturday’s qualifying, as well as the overall Drivers and Constructors Championships, so let’s pull that crank and pop the hood on our exclusive 2025 Canadian Grand Prix betting preview.
History of the Canadian Grand Prix
Things may look somewhat chaotic right now on the Canadian auto racing scene, but this is nothing compared to 1961, when the first Canadian Grand Prix was held at Mosport Park in Clarington, Ontario. Formula 1 didn’t take over this event until 1967; earlier races (shared between Mosport Park and Circuit Mont-Tremblant, just outside Montreal) were part of the Canadian Sports Car Championship, attracting drivers from all over the world – including F1 drivers and soon-to-be drivers.
The first Canadian Grand Prix champion has a special place in this nation’s racing history. Peter Ryan was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Mont-Tremblant, where he became an Olympic hopeful for Canada in downhill skiing. That all changed in 1959 when Ryan crashed and broke both his legs, leading directly to a career change at age 19.
By 1961, Ryan was competing around the world across multiple circuits. On September 30, he won the first Canadian Grand Prix driving a Lotus 19, thus earning Ryan a shot with Lotus at the 1962 F1 United States Grand Prix. And that’s how Ryan, who was tragically killed the following year at Reims-Gueux in France while on the Formula Junior circuit, became the first Canadian to drive in an F1 Grand Prix race.
There have been 14 more Canadian drivers since Ryan’s lone F1 appearance, but only one has taken the chequered flag at the Canadian Grand Prix: Gilles Villeneuve, whose name now emblazons the track where Sunday’s race will be held. Villeneuve was born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on the outskirts of Montreal, and started racing snowmobiles as a kid before switching to open-wheel racing, working his way up the ranks and finally debuting for F1 in 1977 – as the third driver for McLaren.
That’s right: Villeneuve didn’t sign with Ferrari until later that year, having impressed team owner Enzo Ferrari with his three appearances for McLaren. Lo and behold, Villeneuve won the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix in his second attempt, then won another three races for Ferrari in 1979 while finishing a very close second to teammate Jody Scheckter in the Drivers Championship.
Villeneuve had limited success for Ferrari afterwards, winning only two more races in 1981, but he still became one of the most beloved athletes in Canadian sports history – only for it all to end in tragedy at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, where Villeneuve was killed during the final qualifying session. Montreal was the next stop for F1 that year; Île Notre-Dame Circuit, home of the Canadian Grand Prix since its completion in 1978, was renamed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve before the race, and remains so today.
Gilles isn’t the only member of his family to race in Formula 1. His younger brother Jacques-Joseph was known more for his Champ Car efforts in the early ‘80s, but did enter the Canadian Grand Prix in 1981 and 1983, albeit without qualifying. You’re probably more familiar with Gilles’ son Jacques Villeneuve, who won the 1995 PPG Indy Car World Series before joining Williams-Renault the following year and taking home the F1 Drivers title in 1997.
Jacques would become the second Canadian to score points on native soil when he came in second to teammate Damon Hill at the 1996 Canadian Grand Prix. His F1 fortunes took a tumble after he left Williams following the 1998 campaign; Villeneuve did manage a P9 finish in Montreal for Sauber Petronas in 2005, then it would be another 12 years before one of our own made the points at the Canadian Grand Prix. More on him in a moment.
Canadian Grand Prix 2025: The Favourites
It’s always extra-special when Ferrari does well at the Canadian Grand Prix, but their chances don’t look particularly good right now. McLaren are once again on top of the F1 scene, and Oscar Piastri (+125) and Lando Norris (+175) are the top two favourites at Bodog, well ahead of reigning Drivers champion Max Verstappen (+500) in the lead car for Red Bull. Charles Leclerc (+1400) is fourth, with Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton tied for fifth at +1600 alongside the Mercedes of George Russell.
Success in Formula 1 has always been more about the cars than the drivers, but that dynamic is even more pronounced now that the cars have gotten so big. The need for speed at newer “race circuit” events across the Arabian Gulf has put the squeeze on tighter Formula 1 “street circuits” like Montreal, where overtaking has become so rare, F1 officials have tweaked the rules to mandate at least two pit stops for tire changes – all to no avail.
If that weren’t enough of a challenge for organizers, the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix (won by Verstappen for the third straight year) was a complete boondoggle, mismanaged at just about every level – and that’s aside from the torrential rains soaking everything in sight. Formula 1 officials have reportedly taken a much more “hands-on” approach managing this week’s events, but this time around, it’s the smoke from our Canadian wildfires that could affect Sunday’s race.
Can Lance Stroll Compete?
There’s only one Canadian driver on the 2025 F1 circuit: Lance Stroll, who competes for Aston Martin. Stroll (born Lance Strulovitch in Montreal) is the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll, the man who brought the Pierre Cardin and Ralph Lauren clothing lines to Canada before buying the Force India team in 2018 and renaming it Racing Point, then acquiring a stake in Aston Martin and rebranding again for 2021.
If only the Stroll family could get these Aston Martins to run as well as the many Ferraris the patriarch keeps in his collection. Nine races into the 2025 F1 campaign, Aston Martin find themselves ninth out of the 10 teams on the Constructors table; Lance Stroll ranks 12th among drivers with 14 points, all of which were scored during the first two races in Australia and China. He hasn’t placed higher than P15 since.
F1 Betting: Bodog’s Best Bets
That doesn’t mean you can’t find a solid Stroll bet on Bodog’s F1 odds board. He may be one of the 10 drivers tied at +50000 as the longest shot to win the Canadian Grand Prix, but at press time, Stroll is also available at +2500 to win at least one race this year. He’s been on the podium three times in Formula 1, finishing third as a rookie in 2017 and twice more in 2020. Stroll even collected his first career F1 points by placing ninth at the 2017 Canadian Grand Prix. It could happen.
By the way, those overtake opportunities may not be quite as few and far between in Montreal as they are at other street circuits. Weather conditions notwithstanding, you have multiple long straightaways, interrupted by three hard braking points at Turns 1, 6 and 10 – that last turn being a 180-degree hairpin, and arguably the best vantage point for spectators – plus the Wall of Champions barrier at Turn 14. This layout leaves plenty of room for shenanigans, so if you’re thinking about supporting Stroll with a wager this weekend, consider that +50000 long shot to maximize your betting and entertainment value.
If you’re an old-school Gilles Villeneuve fan supporting Ferrari this week, or even if you’re just looking for a value bet outside of the two McLarens, Leclerc may be the right choice at +1400. Ferrari unleashed their “Phase 2” concept for the SF-25 car ahead of last month’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, hoping to take advantage of the new rules restricting front wing flexibility; Leclerc has been on the podium twice since then, finishing second on his home track at Monaco and third in Barcelona.
Still not convinced Ferrari can beat McLaren this Sunday? You can also bet on Leclerc to secure another Top 3 Finish at +160 – and you can get Hamilton at +300, if you think the former seven-time champion with Mercedes (and McLaren-Mercedes) is sufficiently pleased with the improved downforce his Ferrari is producing. Whichever F1 betting lines you choose, Bodog Sportsbook is Canada’s preferred pit stop for the best in auto racing. Check out our Motor Sports odds page right now for the latest numbers, and we’ll see you at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.