Max Verstappen set the fastest time in a somewhat unusual first practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. McLaren appeared notably off their usual pace, seemingly using the session primarily for experimental testing of new components.
Verstappen`s best lap of 1:13.193 put him ahead of the Williams duo Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. The session was disrupted early by a crash involving Charles Leclerc`s Ferrari, which limited the Monegasque driver to less than 15 minutes on track for the day.
McLaren has been a dominant force in the first nine races of the season, rarely outside the top positions. However, in this session, world championship leader Oscar Piastri finished only 14th, with teammate Lando Norris managing seventh.
McLaren, currently leading the Constructors` Championship, brought a new front wing, front suspension, and rear wing to Canada. They were clearly focused on testing these updates, using aero rakes and flo-vis paint to compare the new parts against older versions.
Their apparent decision to dedicate the session to testing might reflect significant confidence after winning seven of nine Grands Prix this season. It would be surprising if they aren`t back near the top of the timesheets in the second practice session later on Friday.
Leclerc had just posted the fastest lap when he seemed to carry too much speed into the second chicane, hitting the barrier at Turn 4. The impact caused heavy damage to the entire left side of his car.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur stated after the session that he believes the damage will prevent Leclerc from participating in the second practice.
This incident is the latest blow in what has been a challenging start to the season for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton also showed signs of difficulty, spinning his Mercedes on his way to finishing fifth, almost half a second behind Verstappen.
George Russell secured fourth position for Mercedes. Racing Bulls continued their impressive form, with Isack Hadjar finishing sixth and teammate Liam Lawson eighth.
The session was further unusual due to the almost exclusive use of soft tyres. Only four drivers – Hadjar, Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Nico Hulkenberg – used the medium compound, while the hard compound was not used by anyone.
Tyre supplier Pirelli brought their softest C6 compound to this race. The potential short lifespan of this tyre seems to be leading many teams to consider saving their limited sets of the medium compound for Saturday`s crucial qualifying session.
As the track surface at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is expected to improve throughout the day, Friday`s second practice session should provide a more accurate indication of the teams` performance hierarchy heading into the weekend.
Canadian GP Practice One Results
| Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:13.193 |
| 2) Alex Albon | Williams | +0.039 |
| 3) Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.082 |
| 4) George Russell | Mercedes | +0.342 |
| 5) Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +0.427 |
| 6) Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.438 |
| 7) Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.458 |
| 8) Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.544 |
| 9) Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.624 |
| 10) Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.692 |
| 11) Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +0.734 |
| 12) Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.779 |
| 13) Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.809 |
| 14) Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +1.005 |
| 15) Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.010 |
| 16) Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.131 |
| 17) Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.327 |
| 18) Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.412 |
| 19) Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.452 |
| 20) Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | +1.628 |
Canadian GP Schedule
- Friday June 13
- 8pm: The F1 Show
- 9pm: Team Principals` Press Conference
- 9.30pm: Canadian GP Practice Two (session starts at 10pm)
- 11.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
- Saturday June 14
- 2.10pm: F1 Academy Race One
- 5.15pm: Canadian GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30pm)
- 7.30pm: F1 Academy Race Two
- 8.30pm: Canadian GP Qualifying build-up
- 9pm: CANADIAN GP QUALIFYING
- 11pm: Ted`s Qualifying Notebook
- Sunday June 15
- 3.50pm: F1 Academy Race Three
- 5.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Canadian GP build-up
- 7pm: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
- 9pm: Chequered Flag: Canadian GP reaction
- 10pm: Ted`s Notebook
Marcus Prine