Coulthard insists Schumacher can be caught

The Scot blamed himself for the stalled engine but insisted his team were also at fault after he came into the pits to change tyres on lap 43.
"I was the biggest culprit for stalling the engine but it was unfortunate as I thought I was definitely quicker than Schumacher.
"It's a real shame because the incident didn't affect the start of the race but rules are rules and you have to abide by them."

Coulthard survived a spin after a collision with the Arrows of Dutchman Jos Verstappen but any chance of a points-scoring finish was ended by the pit-stop.
"I could tell that the heavy rain was coming and I said something over the radio when I was going around the hairpin before my pit-stop.
"But I didn't say anything else until it was too late and we should have put wet tyres on the car.
"As a team we didn't do our job correctly and that is the most disappointing thing."

The next chance for McLaren to redeem the situation comes at the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours on July 2, and Coulthard acknowledged he must make up points on his German rival to keep his title hopes alive.
"We are now in the same positioon as we were before (the Monaco GP at) Monte Carlo and although we are disappointed we must put the pressure on Michael.
"We have to look towards Magny-Cours and put this (Montreal) race behind us. The championship is not over yet and although we cannot change what happened in Canada, we can try to close the gap."

Benetton pit stop strategy pays off

One hitch for Fisichella, whose finish was his fourth podium placing in the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal, came near the end of the race when he was pressured from behind by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen. The Italian went off slightly at the first corner before surviving the spin.
"We had started the race with very low downforce settings and in the wet conditions it was difficult to drive the car," he said.
Benetton managing director Flavio Briatore acclaimed a "good race and a great result".
"The team did an excellent job and used an excellent strategy. Fisichella brought home a podium in what were very difficult conditions for the drivers," he said.
Wurz said he was called into the pits immediately behind Fisichella, but his tyres were not ready, causing a long pit stop. Later, the Austrian clashed with McLaren's David Coulthard at the first corner, which cost Wurz seventh spot.

Coulthard insists victory was on cards

Schumacher's victory put him 22 points ahead of Coulthard who admitted it was a major blow to his title chances.
"Championship-wise I'm not where I wanted to be after winning in Monaco and it is disappointing after all the hard work we've put in.
"It's just a case of getting back down to business and trying to close the gap again. We must get on with it."

Canadian Grand Prix team-by-team

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FERRARI (Michael Schumacher 1, Rubens Barrichello 2)

Michael Schumacher maintained the lead from pole position and went on to drive a majestic race. Lost the lead briefly to team mate Rubens Barrichello during his first pit-stop, but recovered to take victory.
Barrichello completed a Ferrari one-two despite suffering brake problems throughout the race. A pit crew error also hindered his race when no wet tyres were ready when he came in.

BENETTON (Giancarlo Fisichella 3, Alex Wurz 9)

Giancarlo Fisichella boosted his and the team's confidence with an improved drive. The Italian timed his only pit-stop right on lap 47 as the rain started and he immediately went onto wet tyres. The other teams had to come in again.
Austrian Alexander Wurz failed to match the pace of his team mate and settled for ninth place. He clashed with David Coulthard three laps from the finish, but recovered.

MCLAREN (Mika Hakkinen 4, David Coulthard 7)

Mika Hakkinen claimed fourth place, but never stamped his authority on the race. The world champion was held up by Jacques Villeneuve in the early stages.
David Coulthard had no luck as he was punished with a 10-second penalty while challenging Schumacher for the lead. It effectively ended his race and a spin on the oil from Jos Verstappen's car also lost the Briton places on lap 25.

ARROWS (Jos Verstappen 5, Pedro de la Rosa retired)

Dutchman Jos Verstappen recovered from early engine problems on lap 25 to earn two championship points. He revelled in the rain and made up three places.
Verstappen's team mate Pedro de la Rosa started well on a light fuel load as he opted for a two-stop strategy. He retired from the race on lap 49 when in 12th place after touching wheels with the Sauber of Pedro Diniz and hitting a wall.

JORDAN (Jarno Trulli 6, Heinz-Harald Frentzen retired)

Italian Jarno Trulli drove a consistent race and always looked capable of scoring points. The power and reliability of his Jordan was also a positive.
Heinz-Harald Frentzen suffered a bad start, losing two places, and then had problems with his brakes. The German came into the pits when his pit-crew were not ready and decided to stop after just 33 laps.

BAR (Ricardo Zonta 8, Jacques Villeneuve 15)

Ricardo Zonta had a bad start and did not find the pace of the cars ahead of him. He continued to struggle in the mid-field before finishing eighth.
Jacques Villeneuve produced the best start of the race as he powered from sixth to third. An ambitious overtaking manoeuvre on David Coulthard ended his race as he crashed into Ralf Schumacher four laps from the finish when challenging for sixth.

SAUBER (Pedro Diniz 10, Mika Salo retired)

Pedro Diniz finished the race 10th after a tentative drive. The Brazilian failed to cope with the slippery Gilles Villeneuve track and consequently failed to find maximum pace.
Mika Salo retired on lap 42 with mechanical problems after a dismal weekend in which he failed to challenge the top positions.

BMW-WILLIAMS (Jenson Button 11, Ralf Schumacher 14)

Jenson Button made up a place at the start and pushed hard in the early stages. A broken front wing halfway through the race forced him into the pits and undid all the hard work as he finished 11th.
Ralf Schumacher defied his injured leg to produce an impressive drive. The German was challenging for sixth place when Jacques Villeneuve crashed into him on lap 65 and ended any hope of getting points.

MINARDI (Gaston Mazzacane 12, Marc Gene 16)

Gaston Mazzacane started from the back, and apart from a battle with Jenson Button near the end, the Argentine rarely troubled the rest of the field as he finished 12th.
Spaniard Marc Gene started well but never looked like making up any places. Spun off several times during the race, before one last spin on lap 64 ended his race.

JAGUAR (Eddie Irvine 13, Johnny Herbert retired)

Eddie Irvine stalled on the grid at the start and rejoined the race two laps down from the rest of the field. He spun on lap 49 with a rear suspension problem before finishing the race 13th, three laps down.
The luckless Johnny Herbert was the first driver to retire from the race. The Briton was forced into the pits on lap 14 as he reported a downshift problem with his gearbox.

PROST (Jean Alesi retired, Nick Heidfeld retired)

Jean Alesi stalled his car on his first pit-stop, losing half-a-minute. After rejoining the race he retired on lap 40 with engine problems.
Nick Heidfeld maintained his position near the rear of the field before his Peugeot engine blew up as he came out of the pits on lap 35. The engine caught fire and the young German had a short walk back to the garage.

Formula One world championship standings

Drivers' championship:
1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 56 points
2. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 34
3. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 32
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 28
5. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 18
6. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 12
7= Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 5
7= Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 5
7= Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 5
10= Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 3
10= Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 3
10= Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 3
13. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 2
14= Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1
14= Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Arrows 1

Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 84 points
2. McLaren 66
3. Benetton 18
4. Williams 15
5. Jordan 10
6. BAR 6
7= Sauber 3
7= Jaguar 3
7= Arrows 3

Schumacher dominates Canadian GP

"I have been through 10 years in Formula One and have a lot of experience in the business. I want to wait until the season is final before I can celebrate.
"It was a case of lucky 13 for me as nobody had won from pole for that many races. What went wrong for us in Monte Carlo went right for me here so I'm very happy."

Schumacher was not the only driver to run into problems in the first wet race in Montreal since 1989.

PENALTY

Schumacher's job was made all the more simpler when closest title challenger David Coulthard incurred a 10-second stop-go penalty after stalling before the formation lap.

Race stewards decided the Scot's McLaren mechanics did not leave the car quickly enough after rushing back on to the track to help him.
The penalty and a subsequent collision with the Arrows of Dutchman Jos Verstappen left Coulthard seventh and out of the points.
Schumacher added: "I guessed there was a problem with David and the team informed me over the radio.
"It didn't affect me at all and I just drove my own race. He was never close enough to attack me and once he was out I took things a lot easier.
"We had some kind of worry with the sensor so I just drove a safe race without pushing too hard.
"I locked up going into the first corner and went straight through the gravel but that was only because I didn't want to risk a spin."

Barrichello admitted that he was fortunate to close on his team mate in the final stages and said he would have remained behind the German.

CLUTCH PROBLEM

The Brazilian said: "I had a clutch problem so I'm happy with runners-up spot. I have no problem with backing off to protect Michael and it was a great result for the team."

"Whenever I have a chance to start in front of Michael and have my race, I am sure the team will let me win.

~It is just a question of playing by the rules. I respect very much the team," Barrichello said. "I am knocking on the door of my win."

Schumacher praised his team mate for protecting him late in the race as conditions and visibility deteriorated and pools of standing water appeared on the circuit, causing cars to aquaplane off.
"He protected me at the end, as I was going very slow just to play it safe," Schumacher said. "He is a good man, so one day I will pay him back for that."

Reigning champion Mika Hakkinen could only manage fourth place in his McLaren, with Verstappen a distant fifth. The Finn now trails Schumacher by 24 points.
Home favourite Jacques Villeneuve was forced out four laps from the end after a collision with the Williams of German Ralf Schumacher.
The Canadioan had been as high as second in his BAR after a storming start that vaulted him from sixth on the grid.
Villeneuve's charge certainly surprised Barrichello. "It was a strange feeling, but in a way it was better that it was Villeneuve than Mika (Hakkinen) because I knew that he couldn't go that fast so I would have a chance to overtake," Barrichello said.
"But it was only when it did start to rain a little bit that I had my chance."

Canadian Grand Prix result

Race distance: 69 laps, 305,049 kms):
1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1 hour 41 minutes 12.313 seconds (average speed 180.849 kph)
2. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 0.174 seconds behind
3. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 15.365 seconds
4. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 18.561
5. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 52.208
6. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 1:01.687
7. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:02.216
8. Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1:10.455
9. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Benetton 1:19.899
10. Pedro Diniz (Brazil Sauber 1:29.544
11. Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 1 lap
12. Gaston Mazzacane (Argentina) Minardi 1 lap
13. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 3 laps
14. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 4 laps
15. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 4 laps
16. Marc Gene (Spain) Minardi 5 laps

Did not finish (not classified):
Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Arrows 48 laps completed
Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 42
Jean Alesi (France) Prost 40
Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Prost 35
Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 33
Johnny Herbert (Britain) Jaguar 14

Fastest lap: Hakkinen 1:19.049 (average speed 201.338 kph)

Schumacher on pole; Coulthard misses pole but proves point

SCHUMACHER'S CHALLENGE
The German challenged Coulthard, whom he leads by 12 points in the championship, to prove he was faster than Hakkinen.
Coulthard responded with a majestic performance to force the twice champion to refine his words and acknowledge the Scot as a title rival.
Coulthard and Schumacher exchanged top spot only in the closing moments as they both set their best times on the final lap.
Schumacher was quickest in a thrilling qualifying session to earn his fifth pole of the season.
But he was just 0.098 seconds quicker than Coulthard, who continued the fine form he had shown in practice.
Schumacher acknowledged Coulthard's efforts but still insisted Hakkinen was his main threat this season.
"David is getting stronger and stronger with every race but of course I look to Mika as my main challenger because of the fact that he's won two world titles," Schumacher said.
"David has been slower than Mika in the past couple of years, but he's putting in a big challenge and it is possible that things might turn around."

MIND ON THE RACE
Coulthard was almost half a second quicker than Hakkinen, who could manage only fourth place on the grid alongside Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello.
Despite a solid qualifying performance Coulthard said his mind was focused purely on the race.
"The most important thing is to win the race and from that point of view I'm not too disappointed about (not) gaining pole," he said.
"It would have been nice to have a clear track in front of me when I begin the race but I knew it would be a close session.
"I qualified in front of Mika again but I'm not even looking at that. My goal is to win the race and although the car is tricky to drive on the limit, I'm feeling confident."

Canadian Grand Prix grid positions

Jordan says team needs better engine

Jordan refused to comment on any specific engine suppliers but admitted it was likely that his team would end their association with Mugen.
"We've had a lot of success with Mugen and they've got us to where we are but the indications are that the way forward is with a major manufacturer.
"Mugen, Hirotoshi Honda and myself have discussed this matter. Last year we were quick but not quick enough in real terms, so it could have been a distorted picture.
"We've tried to make everything lighter and up the game but we've suffered with electronic problems and we need to challenge the two teams in front."

Coulthard fastest in Canada GP practice

Canadian Grand Prix practice times

Relaxed Coulthard ready to fight for title

But the 29-year-old Scot insisted that the season was far from over and he would continue his preparations without getting distracted by talk of winning the title.
"I don't feel any different and there is still such a long way to go before the season ends," he said.
"There is no point in getting carried away at this stage and whatever people say will not change the way I set up or drive the car."

Coulthard is aiming for his sixth consecutive podium finish at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit and he said he was confident of stretching that run.
"I've only had one non-finish, in the first race in Australia, and the car is working well," he said.
"I have only finished here twice but I scored my first world championship points in Canada and I believe I can put in another good performance to keep my run going."

Barrichello ready to step out of Ferrari shadow

Barrichello left Stewart after seven top five finishes in 1999 and replaced Eddie Irvine, who also found it difficult to be the number two driver to team leader Schumacher.
"I have seven years of experience in Formula One and I sometimes make the wrong decisions," Barrichello said.
"There are times when I go with what the team has suggested and there are so many things you can change.
"There are things you can do with a top team that are impossible with a smaller team and it's great to be with a leading team."

He said he wanted to give his season a boost with a good result in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix after his second place in Monaco two weeks ago.
"I have only been with the team for four months and I need to get in more and more miles to get more experienced," Barrichello, 28, said.
"I've done two days of testing in Monza and one at Fiorano and the car seems well-balanced. I'm quite pleased with the low downforce and am optimistic for the race."

Villeneuve unsure of future

The 29-year-old Canadian has endured a disappointing two-year spell at BAR, collecting just five points this year after a pointless season in 1999.
Villeneuve began the current season with a fourth-placed finish in Australia but he admitted that his BAR car was unable to compete with most of his rivals on the grid.

FRUSTRATION
"For me it's been two and a half years of frustration and I need to see that the engineering and design departments are making progress," he said.
"We've gone downhill since the start of the season and I want to see us go uphill.
"I need to see that the car will work better than it has because my first priority is to be competitive."

The Quebec-born driver hit the wall in his last two attempts at his home race but admitted the low downforce required on the cars could be an advantage to his struggling team.
"The track should suit us better as the engine is good and the mechanical elements seem to be working well," he said.
"But although it is hard to make comparisons with other cars, it seems that we are not efficient enough in terms of aerodynamics.
"I hope I will not hit the wall this year as I've hit it twice before. I think it will keep on happening to drivers until the corner is changed but I'm hoping for a good race.
"It would be fun to be winning but it has been quite a while since I've achieved that."

Benetton track Schumacher

REASSEMBLE
Briatore is known to want to reassemble the team which won the world championship for Benetton in 1995 - not only Schumacher as driver but also Rory Byrne as chief designer and Ross Brawn as technical head. Both Brawn and Byrne are now working with Schumacher for Ferrari.
Meanwhile, Ralf Schumacher will know today whether he will be able to take his place on the grid for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old suffered a seven centimetre gash on his left leg in a crash during the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago and will undergo the so called `Zonta test' to determine whether he is fit enough to race.
The unusual test, devised by F1 medic Professor Sid Watkins, involves jumping off a chair without suffering undue pain or discomfort.
If he is not ready to resume driving then Jenson Button's partner at BMW Williams this weekend will be the man he beat to get the coveted drive, Brazilian Bruno Junqueira.
As Heinz-Harald Frentzen heads to the scene of his '99 season Waterloo this weekend, his boss Eddie Jordan is flat out trying to keep the German on board for the coming year.
The Dublin boss is happy with his driver line-up, despite reports that Button is on his way to the Irish squad.
Button is the darling of the British media, a fact not lost on the publicity-conscious Jordan and his main sponsor Benson & Hedges.
Frentzen is the subject of a rumoured $10m-plus move to Jaguar but is believed to prefer an extension of his association with Jordan, for whom he won two races in his extraordinary comeback '99 season.
Much depends on Jordan's ability to match, or at least go a lot closer to, the Jaguar offer, while the exact future of Jordan's engine supply and technical direction are also questions that Frentzen will want answered.
There are rumours that deposed Prost technical director, Alan Jenkins, could be on his way to Jordan to replace Mike Gascoyne, who is due to leave in July 2001, while current Arrows chief designer and former colleague of Jenkins, Eghbal Hamedy, is also a rumoured candidate.

Schumacher expects tough race in Canada

The biggest concern in the Schumacher camp is whether brother Ralf can compete in the race after he injured his left leg when his Williams crashed in Monaco.
The 24-year-old said: "The accident has caused the injury but the doctors are doing all they can to speed up the healing. I'm confident I can make it because Montreal is one of the best events on the calendar."

HAKKINEN CONFIDENT HE CAN WIN
Defending champion Mika Hakkinen is hoping for better luck after finishing sixth in Monaco where he had problems with his brakes and gearbox.
"It is my main aim to get back to the sharp end after my problems in Monaco," the McLaren driver said.
"The (Montreal) track has a street circuit feel but because it's used only once a year it is very dusty but I'm confident I can repeat the win last year."

Hakkinen won a chaotic race last year by heading off the determined challenge of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella in a Benetton.
The race was marred by the four appearances of the safety car, the last of which led the drivers through the chequered flag for the first time ever as the Finn earned one of his five wins of the 1999 season.
Team mate David Coulthard is on a run of five consecutive podium finishes, including wins at Silverstone and Monaco, and admitted he is intent on sustaining a challenge for the title with another victory in Canada.
"This is one of my favourite cities and I've been close here a number of times," said the Scot.
"My strategy is to continue our winning streak and really go for it to keep up the pressure on Michael (Schumacher)."

The McLaren team will be determined to mark a momentous milestone of 500 world championship races with a win on Sunday.
VILLENEUVE LOOKS FOR HOME WIN
British American Racing's Jacques Villeneuve will be hoping to secure a home win on the 4.42-kilometre circuit, situated on a man-made island in the middle of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which is named after his father Gilles.
"I always look forward to Canada and what you need to win is a powerful engine and good brakes," Villeneuve said.
"We can be pretty strong in both departments so I think we can begin to show some improvement. I hope we can put in a more competitive performance than the one we showed in Monaco."

Williams driver Jenson Button makes his debut on the circuit and insisted he is well-prepared for the race after a successful test in Monza.
"We spent three days in Italy preparing for the race and given how well the Monza test went for me, I feel good for Montreal," Button said.
"Like Monza, Montreal will probably be hot and heavy on both the cars and drivers but with the time I've spent studying on- board footage I'm quite upbeat about my chances."

All the competitors on the 22-strong grid will be eager to make a good start, as the short starting straight which leads up to a tight left-hand bend has often caused multiple shunts in recent years.
The circuit is a low downforce track with many heavy braking areas which gives drivers the best opportunity to gain position on the track.
But with power and handling the two major factors in the race, Ferrari and McLaren are expected to continue their intriguing battle as the championship enters its eighth round.

500-up for McLaren in Canada

Ralf Schumacher to decide next week on Canada race

Tost said Schumacher was unlikely to risk racing in Canada unless he had fully recovered.
"I can't imagine Ralf taking strong pain-killers to be able to line up on the grid," Tost said. "You have to think about the later consequences.
Williams began testing at Monza in Italy on Tuesday with Jenson Button and Brazilian Bruno Junqueira, the man the 20-year-old Button beat for the full Formula One drive before the start of the season.
A team spokeswoman said it was too early to talk about who might replace Schumacher if he was unable to compete in Canada.
Junqueira, who currently leads the FIA's F3000 championship after winning three successive races, is the BMW-powered team's official test driver.

Coulthard halts Schumacher's title charge

Coulthard's win ahead of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in the second Ferrari and Italian Giancarlo Fisichella in a Benetton hoisted the Scot to second behind Schumacher in the title race.
Schumacher has 46 points after seven rounds of this year's 17-race series and Coulthard 34.
Mika Hakkinen, Coulthard's McLaren team mate and defending world champion, is third with 29 points after collecting one more point for finishing sixth.
Hakkinen's race, from fifth on the grid, was blighted by brakes and gearbox problems but the Finn clocked the fastest lap in the closing stages when, as Dennis said, both Trulli and his Jordan team mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen had fallen by the wayside after holding them up.
McLaren's win was a record 11th for the team in Monaco in their 499th grand prix and prompted Dennis to say his team deserved greater recognition than it had received during Schumacher's runaway start to the year.
"On the one hand you could say Michael had a suspension failure while leading the race but if you are thinking that way you've got to look back at the two races we were leading in Melbourne and in Brazil and say they would have been comfortable victories for us," Dennis said.
"You can't look at any races in isolation when you are trying to see how points have evolved. It was also quite important to us that we had the fastest car out there once we were free of the Jordan 'chicanes'.
"David's drive was faultless from beginning to end and a very well executed pit-stop -- I don't think most people grabbed how smooth and quick it was at 7.7 seconds -- also played a major part."

Coulthard's win pushed McLaren into close contention again in the constructors' title contest in which Ferrari lead with 68 points to McLaren's 63.
"We have given away five points in the constructors' championship but we are still in the lead," Ferrari's sporting director Jean Todt said.
"I said right from the beginning of this weekend that the start and reliability would be two very important points. One of these factors did not work in our favour."

For Coulthard, notably, this win appeared to supply a massive confidence boost and the Scot said he felt he had no psychological disadvantage in racing against two double world champions for the title.
He said he always felt he could beat both Schumacher and Hakkinen but would let results dictate the outcome.

Venue: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

Race distance: 69 laps excluding formation lap (total 305.049 km/189.543 miles) each lap is 4.421 km/2.747 miles

Lap record:
Michael Schumacher (Germany) 1:19.379 (Ferrari, 1998)

Resume of last five races in Montreal:

1999
Michael Schumacher took pole and led from the start. But the safety car was twice called out early on and three former
champions -- Damon Hill, Schumacher and then Jacques Villeneuve -- then hit the wall at turn 15. McLaren's Mika Hakkinen inherited the lead to win. Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen would have given Jordan second place but he crashed with four laps to go and Italian Giancarlo Fisichella took the six points for Benetton. Eddie Irvine was third for Ferrari.

1998
David Coulthard took pole with Hakkinen alongside and Schumacher third. The first start was stopped after a big shunt at the first corner with Austrian Alexander Wurz rolling in front of other cars. He went on to finish fourth in the spare Benetton. Hakkinen pulled out with a gearbox problem early on and Coulthard retired on lap 18. Schumacher led but incurred a stop-go penalty, returning to storm back from third place to first. Fisichella was second and Irvine third.

1997
Schumacher was declared winner when the race was halted after 54 of 69 scheduled laps due to a massive accident involving French driver Olivier Panis, whose Prost hit the barriers at speed on lap 51. The race continued for three laps behind the safety car before being abandoned. Jean Alesi was second and Fisichella third. Coulthard might have won had he not pitted just before the accident and stalled.

1996
Briton Damon Hill, in a Williams, romped to a commanding victory from pole position. Local hero Jacques Villeneuve was second at the track named after his late father. Schumacher had to start from the back of the grid after a fuel pressure problem on the warm-up lap and retired on lap 43. Alesi was third in a Benetton after a crash in Saturday's qualifying.

1995
Alesi celebrated his 31st birthday with the first Formula One victory of his career. The Ferrari driver was feted amid delirious scenes, with the crowd running onto the track before the following cars had completed the race. Schumacher had seemed certain to win but after leading for 58 laps he was held up by gearbox problems. The two Jordans of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and Eddie Irvine were second and third.

Winners of the Air Canada Grand Prix: