OMNISPORT

Lewis Hamilton can equal a record set by Michael Schumacher when the Formula One bandwagon rolls into Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.

The defending world champion has prevailed on six occasions around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and making it a magnificent seven on Sunday would see him draw level with Schumacher as the most prolific winner of this race.

Last time out in Monaco, Hamilton finished third but was damning in his assessment of the spectacle, complaining that "it wasn't really racing".

That will have been of little concern to Daniel Ricciardo, who, despite an engine problem leading to a loss of power, held on to keep Sebastian Vettel at bay and claim his first win in the principality.

The feel-good factor may have worn off, however, with the Australian seemingly set to receive a 10-place grid penalty this weekend as Red Bull look to rectify the issue that almost derailed their triumph in Monaco.

TALK OF THE PADDOCK

The topic of Red Bull and their engine has been discussed heavily over recent weeks, with the constructor's existing relationship with Renault set to come to a close at the end of this season.

Sister team Toro Rosso have enjoyed an improved power unit from Honda, leading to suggestions that Red Bull could follow suit and switch to the Japanese manufacturer from 2019.

Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has been involved in initial talks with Honda, and team principal Christian Horner says the issue is taking priority above everything else - even Ricciardo's contract, which expires at the end of the season.

"You could say that it [Ricciardo's win in Monaco] has made Daniel more expensive and put his value up or it's [put] the team in a stronger position in terms of its value and potential to him," said Horner.

"The reality is it's finding a solution to conclude a deal with Daniel in the next couple of months. The first thing is to get the engine sorted and then very much follow on from there with the driver.

"We are about a month or so away. End of June, beginning of July is the timescale we have always talked about. We're waiting with great interest to see the relative performance of the two engines in Montreal."

STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 110
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 96 (-14)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 72 (-38)
4. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 68 (-42)
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 60 (-50)

Constructors

1. Mercedes 178
2. Ferrari 156 (-22)
3. Red Bull 107 (-71)
4. Renault 46 (-132)
5. McLaren 40 (-138)

RACEWEEK SCHEDULE (all times local)

Friday

FP1 (10:00-11:30)
FP2 (14:00-15:30)

Saturday

FP3 (11:00-12:00)
Qualifying (14:00-15:00)

Sunday

Race (14:10-16:10)

F1 FACT

Jenson Button won the 2011 Canadian GP, in what broke the record for the longest race in F1 history (four hours and four minutes). It was the only time there has been a rain-affected race at Notre Dame Island in the 21st century.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2017: Lewis Hamilton
2016: Lewis Hamilton
2015: Lewis Hamilton