Canadian F1 drivers Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi sputter into Montreal Grand Prix

Their faces are splashed across billboards in Montreal as the two Canadians to cheer on this week at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

It should be a celebratory week for Canada's two Formula One drivers Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi, as the Montreal Grand Prix makes its triumphant return — finally — after the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the race in both 2020 and 2021.

"It's incredible," Stroll said on his first chance to race at home in three years. "I definitely feel it every time I come back to Montreal, it's always special to see the Canadian flags in the grandstands and the hometown cheering you on, it's an incredible feeling. It's energetic and it definitely makes it even more special when you get a good result here, it's even more special celebrating it in Montreal."

Latifi said it's nice to have two Canadians in F1, "because it's something great for the sport, in Canada in general, and especially now that we finally returned after a few years."

But both Canadians are having tough seasons. Stroll's best results were back-to-back 10th place finishes in Rome and Miami, but he crashed twice within two laps in a disastrous qualifying session last week in Baku, Azerbaijan, en route to finishing 16th.

Latifi, who is making his Montreal debut, was a season-high 14th in Miami, and there are rumours he won't keep his seat with Williams after this season. He picked up two time penalties last week in Baku and finished 15th.

Part of the inconsistency is around rule changes for this season. And they're certainly not the only two drivers reeling amid the changes.

On Thursday, Formula One's governing body said it's taking steps to reduce the bouncing effect that cars have struggled with this season after several