FP1 in Canada: Verstappen fastest overall, surprise performance from Williams in P2 and P3. Hamilton fifth, Leclerc crashes. Tough start for McLaren
The Canadian Grand Prix weekend promises to be as thrilling as ever. The iconic Montréal circuit has always delivered excitement, both in qualifying and on race day. In 2024, Max Verstappen claimed victory in a chaotic race marked by intermittent rain, while Ferrari endured a costly double DNF.
A year later, the tables have turned: McLaren arrives as the team to beat, with Max—who risks a race ban—now their main challenger. Ferrari remains an enigma, and Mercedes could spring a surprise.
Session Report
20:30 — CHEQUERED FLAG! FP1 concludes here in Canada: Verstappen tops the timesheets, with Williams springing a surprise. Hamilton places fifth for Ferrari, while Leclerc ends up tenth after crashing early in the session. McLaren struggle the most: only seventh for Norris and fourteenth for Piastri, both grappling with major balance issues. Here’s the final classification:
- Verstappen 1:13:193
- Albon 1:13:232
- Sainz 1:13:275
- Russell 1:13:535
- Hamilton 1:13:620
- Hadjar 1:13:631
- Norris 1:13:651
- Lawson 1:13:737
- Gasly 1:13:817
- Leclerc 1:13:885
20:26- McLaren’s struggles continue: Norris in particular finds the hairpin tricky but manages to climb to seventh
20:20- Verstappen cements his lead, while Williams impresses with Albon in P2 and Sainz a close P3 McLaren underwhelms: Norris only twelfth, Piastri down in sixteenth
20:10- According to Sky Sports F1, Mercedes has debuted its third power unit of the season here in Montréal. Verstappen extends his lead with a 1:13.193, Sainz trails by just 82 thousandths. Hamilton sits fourth, all on soft tyres
20:05- The track is getting quicker: Russell sets the benchmark with a 1:13.535, while Hamilton climbs from fourteenth to sixth.
20:00- Tricky conditions for everyone: low grip and poor stability cause a Hamilton spin and errors from Russell and Hadjar. Meanwhile, Verstappen goes top with a 1:13.863, 22 thousandths ahead of Leclerc. McLaren sit fourth and tenth for now.
19:52- No major damage reported on Leclerc’s car, aside from a front wing and possibly a suspension arm needing replacement
19:46-LECLERC IN THE WALL! Red flag, driver unharmed. Car heavily damaged exiting the Turn 3-4 chicane after a lock-up.
19:42- Leclerc initially leads the session, followed by Verstappen. Meanwhile, Norris reports poor drivability on his McLaren. Track grip remains very low with times steadily improving
19:35- McLaren brings updates, while Max Verstappen complains of steering issues on his RB21
19:30- GREEN LIGHT! Session underway!
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Ferrari HP, Atlassian Williams Racing
