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The 2023 F1 Canadian GP this weekend is expected to see the weather mix things up a little.
To add to this, Aston Martin is bringing a major upgrade to the track that has everyone excited. The track in Montreal has delivered classics over the years and rain does make things far more interesting.
Who can forget the memorable 2011 F1 Canadian GP when Jenson Button turned the frown upside down for McLaren and won the race on the last lap?
This weekend though, while a few fans are reeling from what appears to be a predictable season, there are a few that are excited to see racing at Montreal.
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What can the fans then expect from the 2023 F1 Canadian GP? Well, click here to read our preview of the race weekend.
This feature is not for that. It's for the fun stuff where we sit back, shoot our shot, and share our bold predictions for the race weekend.
So without further ado, let's get straight to it.
#5 A dry race could bring tires into focus
Although rain is forecast and expected to make an appearance on all three days, in case the race is dry, we could see the tires playing a big role this weekend.
Pirelli has gone ahead with a more aggressive selection of tires this weekend and that could yield more stops during the race and hence more strategic options.
While there is a likelihood of rain making mixing things up on Sunday, if it doesn't we can bank on the tires keeping things interesting.
#4 Rain could mix things up
What we saw in Monaco was evidence of how even a slight change in conditions can help one set of cars over the others. This was evident with Ferrari starting to struggle in the wet weather while McLaren just found another gear with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
In normal conditions, expecting McLaren to be much of a factor is going to be hard, especially if we look at how the season has panned out for the team.
The wet weather might just be what Norris and Piastri need to bag a big haul of points at the 2023 F1 Canadian GP. Overall, rain does bring a level of variability that could make things very interesting.
#3 Mercedes might slip behind Aston Martin
Mercedes will be coming into the 2023 F1 Canadian GP race weekend high on confidence following its success in Barcelona.
Having said that, moving from a front tire-limited Barcelona to a rear tire-limited Canada has its own challenges.
Mercedes' struggles in Bahrain and rear-tire limited track are well documented, and what also cannot be denied is that Aston Martin is bringing a major upgrade package this weekend. If the upgrade has any level of impact, it should help the team be a bit more competitive this weekend.
Mercedes is P2 in the championship right now and the race in Canada is arguably a test that the team would be hoping to pass.
#2 Fernando Alonso secures podium No. 6 while Lance disappoints
While Papa Stroll might be targeting a double podium at the 2023 F1 Canadian GP, it's not as straightforward when the grid has Red Bull, the fastest car on the grid.
Aston Martin should take a step forward in either condition this weekend. The car showed impressive pace in the mixed conditions in Monaco as well.
This should make Fernando Alonso the primary candidate to secure P3 in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP. Things, however, don't look good for Lance Stroll this weekend. To succeed in Canada, one needs to nail qualifying because the track can be a bit of a pain when it comes to pulling off overtakes.
Stroll has displayed an inherent weakness when it comes to stringing together strong qualifying sessions. On a grid where the gap between the second and sixth-fastest car over a single lap is minuscule, we could be looking at another disappointing for Lance this season.
#1 Max Verstappen wins the 2023 F1 Canadian GP
There are things in life that are inevitable in life - death, taxes, and Max Verstappen winning the race.
The driver-car combo has been a formidable form and after Baku, the Red Bull champion is in a league of his own.
While the traction zones on the track could make things competitive with Sergio Perez, if we have to take a call, we're going with Max Verstappen to win the race.
