Fresh from his triumph in Baku at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend, Red Bull’s driver and current Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was quickest in the first practice session in Montreal. Behind him was Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in second, with Alpine’s experienced driver Fernando Alonso the third fastest.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fastest at the first practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
Verstappen will be looking to extend his lead in the 2022 drivers’ championship after winning at last week’s Grand Prix in Baku.
The current champion’s teammate, Sergio Perez was in fourth, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in fifth.
Ferrari were looking to put the disappointment of last weekend behind them after Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both suffered early retirements. The Spanish Ferrari driver took second.
However they are still enduring problems with Leclerc likely to need a power unit replacement, which would then incur a grid penalty.
Leclerc had already received a new ICE (engine), along with Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, with the latter suffering a smoking front right brake, leading to him retiring to the pits in the early moments of the session.
Lewis Hamilton has a record-equalling seven wins and six poles at Montreal, and he maintained his underwhelming season with an eighth-fastest tie.
The drivers remained concerned about the problems with porpoising, with perhaps the most vocal critic of his own bouncing car, Hamilton. Fellow Mercedes driver George Russell was sixth quickest.
Alpine driver Fernando Alonso put down a surprisingly quick lap, with the veteran the third quickest ahead of FP2, when potentially disruptive rain is expected.
