Circuit Mont-Tremblant is a road racing circuit located in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, approximately north of Montreal, Canada. It is the second-oldest racing circuit in the country. Originally known as Circuit Mont-Tremblant–St-Jovite, the venue was renamed in the 1970s. Situated near the Mont-Tremblant ski resort, the circuit features a twisting fifteen-corner layout that follows the natural topography and elevation changes of the surrounding terrain.
History
The concept for Circuit Mont-Tremblant originated with local business owners and hoteliers seeking to extend tourism beyond the winter ski season. Construction was completed in two phases. The original layout opened in 1964, and the circuit was extended the following year to .
The 1960s – 1970s Circuit Mont-Tremblant hosted its inaugural race on 3 August 1964 on the original twelve-corner layout. By September of that year, construction of the bridge, pit stalls, and media and officials’ facilities had been completed, enabling the circuit to host sports car and prototype events.
The expanded circuit debuted in September 1965 with the Player's Quebec Sports Car Race. On 11 September 1966, the circuit hosted its first Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) race. In 1967 and 1968, it hosted consecutive USAC Indy Car twin 100-mile double-header events.
The circuit hosted the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix on two occasions, in 1968 and 1970. The 1970 event was notable for marking the Formula One debut of Tyrrell Racing as a constructor.
Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Circuit Mont-Tremblant was a regular venue for major North American racing series, including Can-Am, Trans-Am, Formula 5000, and Formula Atlantic.
Notable drivers who competed at Circuit Mont-Tremblant during this period include Mario Andretti, Chris Amon, Alan Jones, A. J. Foyt, Gordon Johncock, Parnelli Jones, Jacky Ickx, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren, Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Roger Penske, Peter Revson, Jochen Rindt, Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Al and Bobby Unser, and Gilles Villeneuve.
The 1980s – 1990s During the 1980s and 1990s, Circuit Mont-Tremblant regularly hosted prominent Canadian national racing series, including the Rothmans Porsche (Turbo) Cup, Players GM Challenge Series, Honda-Michelin Series, Export A Formula 2000, and the Canadian Formula 1600 Championship. These series played a significant role in the development of Canadian racing talent, including Paul Tracy, Scott Goodyear, Ron Fellows, Greg Moore, Richard Spenard, Patrick Carpentier, and Alex Tagliani.
The Jim Russell Racing School Circuit Mont-Tremblant is home to the Jim Russell Racing Driver School, established in 1969. The school has produced a number of internationally successful drivers, including Gilles Villeneuve, Jacques Villeneuve, Lance Stroll, and Nicholas Latifi.
A CIK-FIA–rated karting facility was added in 2010 to support driver development programs and has hosted Canadian national karting events.
The 2000s – present In the 2000s, new ownership initiatives focused on upgrading the facility to improved FIA standards while preserving the circuit's original character. Improvements included track resurfacing and widening, pit lane expansion, and increased run-off areas. These upgrades enabled the return of major racing categories, including sports car racing, open-wheel events, superbike racing, and historic motorsport.
The circuit continues to be used extensively for club racing, corporate events, manufacturer programs, and vehicle launches. On 21 July 2022, the Circuit Mont-Tremblant complex was acquired by 11938053 Canada Inc., a company owned by Montreal businessman Gad Bitton of the Holand Automotive Group.
Events
Current
May: Classique Printemps July: Classique Été September: Classique Automne
Former
Atlantic Championship (1975–1976, 2007–2008) Can-Am Mont-Tremblant Can-Am (1966, 1969–1971, 1977–1978) Canadian Superbike Championship (2003–2004, 2006–2007, 2012–2013) Canadian Touring Car Championship (2012–2013) Champ Car World Series Mont-Tremblant Champ Car Grand Prix (2007) Formula One Canadian Grand Prix (1968, 1970) Grand-Am Cup (1998, 2002–2004) IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge Canada (2012, 2019) Rolex Sports Car Series 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant (2002–2005) SCCA Continental Championship (1967, 1969–1970) Trans-Am Series Trois Heures du Circuit (1968–1971, 1977–1978) USAC Championship Car Saint-Jovite 200 (1967–1968) United States Road Racing Championship (1968)
Former series and major race winners
FIA Formula One World Championship
Year Race Driver Constructor Report 1968Player's Canadian Grand Prix Denny Hulme McLaren-Ford Report 1970 Jacky Ickx Ferrari Report
Champ Car World Series
Year Race Driver Team Chassis Engine Report 2007 Mont-Tremblant Champ Car Grand Prix Robert Doornbos Minardi Team USA Panoz DP01 Cosworth Report
USAC Championship Car (IndyCar)
Year Race Driver Team Chassis Engine 1967 Labatt Indy Mario Andretti Dean Racing Enterprises Brawner Hawk Ford 1968 Saint-Jovite 200 Mario Andretti Andretti Racing Enterprises Brawner Hawk Ford
SCCA Can-Am Series
Year Date Race Driver Team 1966 Sept 11 Player's 200 John Surtees #3 Team Surtees 1969 June 15 Labatt's 50 Denny Hulme #5 McLaren Cars 1970 June 28 Mont-Tremblant 50 Dan Gurney #48 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing 1971 June 27 Mont-Tremblant 50 Jackie Stewart #1 Carl Haas Racing 1977 June 12 Tom Klausler Schkee Cars 1978 June 25 George Follmer U.S. Racing
SCCA Trans-Am Series
Year Date Race Drivers Car Distance/Duration 1968 July 21 Les Trois Heures du Circuit Mark Donohue Chevrolet Camaro 3 Hours / 96 Laps 1969 Aug 3 Les Trois Heures du Circuit Mark Donohue Chevrolet Camaro 3 Hours / 97 Laps 1970 Aug 2 Le Circuit Trans-Am Mark Donohue AMC Javelin 70 Laps 1970 Aug 2 Le Circuit Trans-Am Mark Donohue AMC Javelin 70 Laps 1971 Aug 1 Player's Quebec Trans-Am Mark Donohue AMC Javelin 70 Laps 1977 Sept 11 Molson Trans-Am Peter Gregg Porsche 934 38 Laps 1978 June 25 Molson Trans-Am Monte Shelton Porsche 935 38 Laps
SCCA United States Road Racing Championship
Year Date Race Over 2.0 Winning Driver Over 2.0 Winning Team Under 2.0 Winning Driver Under 2.0 Winning Team 1968 June 2 Championnat Nord-Americain Mark Donohue #6 Roger Penske Racing Horst Kroll #37 Altona Motors
SCCA Formula 5000
Year Date Race Driver Chassis Engine 1967 Sept 17 St Jovite Grand Prix Fred Ashplant Brabham BT21 Ford 1969 Sept 7 Le Circuit Continental David Hobbs Surtees TS5 Chevrolet 1970 Aug 1 Le Circuit Continental George Follmer Lotus 70 Ford
Atlantic Championship
Year Date Driver 1975 July 6 Elliott Forbes-Robinson 1976 July 11 Gilles Villeneuve 2007 July 1 Franck Perera 2008 June 29 Junior Strous
Grand American Road Racing Championship
Year Date Race Driver Team Chassis Engine 2002 Sept 156 Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant Didier Theys Fredy Lienhard Sr. Fredy Lienhard Jr. #27 Doran Lista Racing Dallara LMP Judd 2003 Sept 21 David Donohue Mike BorkowskiSascha Maassen #58 Brumos Racing Fabcar FDSC/03 Porsche 2004 May 23 Scott Pruett Max Papis #01 CompUSA Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates Riley MkXI Lexus 2005 May 21 Milka Duno Andy Wallace Jan Lammers #2 CITGO Howard-Boss Motorsports Crawford DP03 Pontiac
Canadian Superbike Championship Year Date Driver Motorcycle 2003 August 17 Tom Kipp Kawasaki ZX-7RR 2004 August 22 Jordan Szoke Honda CBR1000RR 2006 June 4 Jordan Szoke Kawasaki ZX-10RR 2007 June 3 Jordan Szoke Kawasaki ZX-10RR 2012 August 12 Jordan Szoke BMW S1000RR 2013 August 25 Jordan Szoke BMW S1000RR
Lap records
As of September 2019, the fastest official race lap records at Circuit Mont-Tremblant (St. Jovite) are listed as:
CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent Road Course (2004–present): Champ Car 1:17.327 Sébastien Bourdais Panoz DP01 Champ Car Mont-Tremblant 07 Formula Atlantic 1:21.157 Carl Skerlong Swift 016.a 2007 Mont-Tremblant Formula Atlantic round Daytona Prototype 1:29.308 Max Angelelli Riley MkXI 2004 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant GT1 (GTS) 1:31.856 Tommy Riggins Ford Mustang 2003 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant GT 1:35.910 Ferrari 360 Modena GT 2003 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant Porsche Carrera Cup 1:36.610 Parker Thompson Porsche 911 (991 II) GT3 Cup 2019 Mont-Tremblant Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge round Superbike 1:39.711 Jordan Szoke BMW S1000RR 2013 Mont-Tremblant CSBK round Supersport 1:42.080 Francis Martin Suzuki GSX-R600 2007 Mont-Tremblant CSBK round SGS 1:42.301 Randy Pobst Porsche 911 (996) GT3 Cup 2004 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant F1600 1:43.418 Michel Bonnet Vector MG95 2011 Mont-Tremblant Canadian F1600 round ST 1:46.847 Mathieu Audette Acura RSX Type S 2013 Mont-Tremblant CTCC round North Road Course: (2004–present): Superbike 1:21.691 Jordan Szoke Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R 2008 Mont-Tremblant CSBK round Supersport 1:23.482 Chris Peris Suzuki GSX-R600 2008 Mont-Tremblant CSBK round Road Course (1965–2003): LMP900 1:24.201 Fredy Lienhard, Jr. Dallara SP1 2002 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant DP 1:31.176 Terry Borcheller Doran JE4 2003 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant LMP675 1:31.803 Andy Lally Picchio D-USA-BMW 2002 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant F1 1:32.200 Clay Regazzoni Ferrari 312B 1970 Canadian Grand Prix Can-Am 1:33.400 Alan Jones Lola T333CS 1978 Mont-Tremblant Can-Am round Formula Atlantic 1:35.033 Gilles Villeneuve March 76B 1976 Mont-Tremblant Formula Atlantic round American GT 1:35.233 Rob Morgan Chevrolet Corvette 2002 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant GT 1:35.975 Bill Auberlen Ferrari 360 Modena GT 2002 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant Formula 5000 1:39.000 George Follmer Lotus 70 1970 Mont-Tremblant F5000 round Trans-Am 1:41.513 Ludwig Heimrath Porsche 934/5 1977 Mont-Tremblant Trans-Am round Group 7 1:44.900 Bruce McLaren McLaren-Elva Mk.IIB Chevrolet 1966 Labatt 50 Group 4 1:46.200 John Surtees Lola T70 Mk.2 1965 Player's Québec Mont-Tremblant Porsche Carrera Cup 1:46.932 Michael Levitas Porsche 911 (996) GT3 Cup 2002 6 Hours of Mont-Tremblant Group 2 1:52.100 Sam Posey Chevrolet Camaro 1968 Mont-Tremblant 3 Hours Group 3 1:56.700 Jean-Paul Ostiguy AC Cobra 1967 St. Jean 67, U.S.A.M. Mont-Tremblant Original North Road Course (1964–2003): Group 4 1:09.900 Jim Hall Chaparral 2A 1965 La Course Labatt 50 Prototype 1:16.600 Pedro RodríguezLudwig Heimrath Ferrari 275 PCooper T61 1964 Player's Québec Trophy Formula Junior 1:20.800 Walt MackayNorm Evenden Lotus 18Cooper-Chevrolet 1964 Regional Mont-Tremblant (Invitational)1964 Regional Mont-Tremblant (Trophy) Group 3 1:21.700 Jean Ouellet AC Cobra 1964 Regional Mont-Tremblant (Main)
See also List of auto racing tracks in Canada Other Montreal area race tracks Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Circuit ICAR Sanair Super Speedway
Notes
References
The Chequered Past: Sports Car Racing and Rallying in Canada, 1951–1991 By David A. Charters
External links
Official site