Canadian Grand Prix during qualifying for the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix. On 7 October 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix was dropped from the Formula One calendar, which left the Montreal race off the list for the first time since . In the provisional 2009 schedule released in June 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix was to have been held on 7 June, a date taken by the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix in the revised schedule. Since the United States Grand Prix was dropped after 2007, this meant that in 2009 no Formula One race was held in North America for the first time since
2000 Monaco Grand Prix the championship, winning the previous six races. Championship competitors Barrichello and Fisichella had gained second place podium finishes while Ralf Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen had achieved third place podium finishes. Following the European Grand Prix on 21 May the teams conducted testing sessions across European circuits between 23–27 May to prepare for the Grand Prix. Jordan, Sauber, Benetton, Jaguar and Arrows opted to test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo circuit which made its Formula One testing début that garnered mixed reviews from the drivers. Frentzen was fastest on the first day of testing, ahead of Sauber test driver Enrique Bernoldi.