What is the longest race recorded in F1? All about the iconic race that changed the regulations

The 2011 Canadian Grand Prix was the longest race in F1’s history. The race lasted over 4 hours due to multiple safety cars, red flags, and suspension due to torrential weather. Let's have a detailed look at the 2011 Canadian GP and the iconic race that caused a change in F1 regulations.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was hit by rain showers early in the morning and persisted until the race started. The showers raised concern about the start, with a lot of standing water on the track. The race stewards decided to start the race behind the safety car with all the drivers on full wet tires to evacuate the standing water.

After five laps under the safety car, the race went underway with Sebastian Vettel leading the field to green. Further back, Lewis Hamilton made contact with Mark Webber in Turn 1, which spun the Red Bull driver around.

Just a few laps later on Lap 7, Hamilton, along with his McLaren teammate Jenson Button, would battle down the start-finish straight, which resulted in a collision. Lewis Hamilton retired from the race and brought out the safety car while Button continued, and was the first to change to intermediate tires.

Canadian F1 Grand Prix - Race - Source: Getty

Soon after the safety car came into the pits, Button was given a drive-through penalty for speeding under the safety car. Another rain shower hit the track and forced drivers back to full wet tires, and by Lap 19, the safety car once again came out due to visibility concerns.

The conditions only got worse with every passing lap, and the race was red-flagged on Lap 25. Already two hours into the race, it resumed as the rain eased. The race restarted under safety with all the drivers on full wet tires.

Button pitted for a set intermediate with Fernando Alonso coming in for the same, the very next lap. As Alonso came out of the pit, he had Jenson Button on already warm tires behind him. The two came together, forcing Alonso to retire from the race and bringing out another safety car.

After the race restarted, Button soon switched to dry tires and started moving up the grid. Heidfield and Kobayashi made contact on Lap 56, which brought out another safety car. The race restarted on Lap 64 with the field bunched up and Button in P4. He made the moves on Webber, Michael Schumacher, and leader Sebastian Vettel to take the historic race win.

The race lasted a record-breaking four hours, four minutes, and 39 seconds.

FIA’s change in regulations to reduce the maximum F1 race time

After the 2011 Canadian GP, the FIA introduced updated regulations that reduced the maximum race time to four hours, which included suspension and delays. Further, coming into the 2021 season, F1 updated the regulations, which reduced the race time to just three hours.

Article 5.3.b) read “should the race be suspended the length of suspension will be added to this [race] period up to a maximum total race time of three hours.”

The 2025 F1 Belgian GP came close to the three-hour mark because of the delay, but was finished within the mark.