Canadian snowboarder Sebastien Toutant is getting to grips with a Red Bull steering wheel.

There's a few celebrities in attendance today, with Patrick Stewart and Jackie, Marlon, Tito and Jermaine Jackson in the paddock.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Montreal

Fernando Alonso was very proud of the lap he put in to qualify 12th on this power circuit on his return to Formula 1 after his Indianapolis 500.

“We know from our estimations how much we lose on the straights so being at that distance from the Q2 best time we were very, very competitive today,” the McLaren-Honda driver said. He would not expand on what “very competitive” meant, but the twinkle in his eye made it obvious what he was implying. McLaren believe the Honda is a little over 90bhp on a Mercedes in its Q2 mode (Mercedes have an extra engine mode for Q3 which is another 0.2secs, or 12bhp). That equates to nearly 1.5secs, which would have made Alonso’s lap 0.3secs quicker than Lewis Hamilton’s in second qualifying, assuming engine parity.

The picture looks a little different after Q3, in which Hamilton found a second, putting the McLaren 0.7secs down in chassis terms. But that margin is probably pretty evenly distributed between track evolution, engine mode, and a lap Hamilton reckoned compared with any of his career. Alonso’s team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne continues to struggle to get the most out of the tyres and was knocked out in Q1, in which he was 0.5secs slower than Alonso.

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Image source, Getty Images

Speaking of Michael Schumacher, here's a close up of his face from said 2004 victory in Canada.

Can you name the F1 drivers reflected in his sunglasses?

You've got until 18:30 BST.

Image source, Getty Images

Ferrari's last win in Canada? 2004, when Michael Schumacher triumphed ahead of team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

McLaren have won 13 times in Canada to Ferrari's 11.

Image source, Getty Images

Championship leader Sebastian Vettel starts from second on the grid, behind his closest contender, Hamilton has been speaking on the drivers' parade.

"There is a lot of Ferrari support here - it feels like being in Italy! It's amazing!

"This is difficult to predict - we are hoping for a good start but the race is long, there are a lot of chances to make places up so we will see."

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Montreal

Image source, Rex Features

McLaren’s Saturday afternoon media briefing was a difficult affair for Honda F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa. Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne have been rooted to the bottom of the speed trap figures all weekend. Hasegawa was quizzed on the delayed upgrade planned for this race - it wasn't technically delayed, he said, because he had never promised it publicly, only to go on to admit he had hoped there would be one. Would it be in Baku for the next race? “I can’t promise if it is ready,” Hasegawa said. How did the Honda bosses feel about the engine’s lack of performance? “Obviously they are not happy about the current situation but they are thinking this is a long-term project so although we can't wait, they are committed to this project very well,” he said. “But, yes, every day they are pushing me to get good result but they understand it is a very difficult challenge.”

He was even asked whether he thought he should resign. “Maybe there is someone who can lead this programme better,” Hasegawa said. “If he is here, OK, I have to change the position. But I am trying my best. This is the only thing I can do.”

It’s all very sad, because Hasegawa is a nice man and a gentle soul to whom it is impossible not to warm. But F1 is a brutal business and at the moment Honda are just not delivering.

Tom Middler: Not memorabilia as such, but I bumped into the World Champion with his new Trophy in Vienna, I would frame the pic, but...y'know...

Image source, .

Kenny Handkammer
Former F1 chief mechanic

Image source, Getty Images

Going to Canada, you always had to stash your fishing rod somewhere because everyone went fishing.

We had the raft race – Williams owned the rulebook and you had to go scrutineering. It had to be stuff that belonged in the freight. I remember once Zakspeed used their spare chassis and taped up on their holes. They got in and started rowing and it sank.

From the race point of view I had more lows than highs. I found it a very difficult place to win for a while. We went there with Alessandro Nannini, who hit a beaver. It made a heck of mess, picking bits of it out of the car was not very nice.

As for the track, it is very demanding on the brakes. The Wall is always challenging. All the best have been into the wall and there is always rubber on it, drivers come that close. It was always a mild relief from our point of view when they get past that.

Image source, McLaren

Fernando Alonso said he would stay at McLaren if they won races before September... well they have!

Last night they came out on top of the Formula 1 teams' raft race - a popular event in Canada during the 1990s that has been revived by Liberty Media.

Mechanics from the teams were given an hour to construct a raft and race their rivals on the waters around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where McLaren powered to victory.

The fact they didn't need an engine probably helped...

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Romain Grosjean, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have given us a few words on the drivers parade...

(Literally just a few words from Kimi...)

Image source, Getty Images

Grosjean, who starts from 14th: "Qualifying yesterday wasn't as good as we wanted.

This race can be very long and it's very warm today, it's heavy on the brakes but hopefully we can use my experience of Montreal to get a good result."

Image source, Getty Images

Raikkonen, who starts fourth: "There are a lot of people here so it's great for us. Everything is possible - can only do our best. It's a long race - but very windy and tricky conditions".

Image source, Getty Images

Alonso, who starts from 12th: "I have spent the last few weeks travelling backwards and forwards to Europe but have really enjoyed spending time in North America.

"I think Montreal is a long, difficult race - we all know it's tricky to get out of the walls. We want to be in the top 10 today but we will wait and see".

Image source, .

How do you think the top 10 will look at the end of the race?

Make your predictions here.

Lewis Hamilton's lap yesterday was up there with his best but what's the most memorable qualifying display you can remember by any driver? Let us know via #bbcf1

Lewis Hamilton moved level with Ayrton Senna on 65 career pole positions but Michael Schumacher leads the way. He has the record with 68.

Who do you think is the best qualifier? You can vote now via this page. The vote closes at 18:45 BST. Check terms and conditions here.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Montreal

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton’s pole, and particularly the margin he had, came something out of the blue, given that Ferrari had seemed to have a small advantage throughout the weekend up to that point. Sebastian Vettel talked of a messy final lap, but accepted Hamilton was “the better man today”.

But the world championship leader is confident of a strong race. “The car is very good,” he said. “I expect a close race. It has been very close in every race so far. Maybe Monaco they were struggling a bit more in terms of pace but everywhere else we went it’s unfair to say one was quicker than the other. We were in the same 10th in race pace. That’s great. Not so easy to overtake if you are that close, no matter where you go but we’ll see. It will be a long race.”

Seagulls lurking, watch out Sebastian Vettel!

The German blamed them for scuppering his chances of victory in last year's race, which Lewis Hamilton won.

Richard Double: My grandparents lived next door to someone who worked as pit crew. Got me @ayrtonsenna, external autograph in a Senna book for my birthday.

Lewis Hamilton's qualifying lap for pole was sensational, no doubt, but Sebastian Vettel's lap was excellent as well. He did a 1:11.789, three tenths down on Hamilton. Given Ferrari's race pace, this race promises to be incredibly close.

Lights out is at 19:00 BST and the drivers are currently sat on the back of a collection of classic cars for the drivers' parade.

The sun's out, but there's a bit of a breeze.

Lewis Hamilton says being given Ayrton Senna's race helmet is more special than any trophy. As F1 memorabilia goes, it's pretty special.

What's your most treasured F1 momento? Let us know - and send a picture if possible - via #bbcf1