Photo credits: Mercedes AMG- Petronas F1
Quite a troubled start for the Canadian Grand Prix this year, as the first free practice session of the weekend was cut short – only a few minutes after the start – due to a CCTV issue that would have made it unsafe to resume track action.
To compensate for the missed runs FP2 is hitting off a half hour earlier than planned for a longer session, 90 minutes long.
FIA has assured that “the local organisers have now completed their work to resolve the CCTV issues and following a test of the system the delay in the feed appears to have been rectified.”
Either way “a backup system is in place to utilise the FOM trackside cameras as required,” were any further issues to happen throughout this second session.
But let’s dive in into this unusual free practice session taking place in a cloudy – with 40% chances of rain – but reasonably warm Montreal.
Firsts to go out on track are Bottas, Stroll and Alonso – the top three from short lived FP1 – followed by Pierre Gasly who was forced to park his Alpine for a driveshaft issue in the opening laps of FP1.
First timed lap is by the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas who closes his run in 1m16.895s. Medium tyres for Charles Leclerc who takes the lead, followed by the two Red Bulls on a softer compound.
Jumping ahead on the next lap, Verstappen opens the radio to report some annoyance with downshifts that are “a joke”.
As Albon is the last driver to join, Gasly goes fastest with a 1m15.224s lap seemingly having resolved the issues on his Alpine.
Time to switch to Softs for Leclerc who goes under the 0.15 benchmark and contend the top of the timesheet with Verstappen and the other Ferrari of his teammate Carlos Sainz.
While the Mercedeses are sitting at the back, Bottas puts his Alfa in the top three just as the clock strikes the first half hour of FP1.
As he approaches the last chicane the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg starts losing power and he is forced to stop as smoke comes out of the rear.
After a brief red flag to allow the car to enter the pitlane action is resumed, only to be stopped again shortly after as Ocon is warned on the radio “stop the car, stop the car”.
Cars rejoin the circuit with 40 minutes to go and Lewis Hamilton is now ready for a first run on Soft tyres that is worth a P5 with a 1m14.356s time.
Top 3 is the Ferraris followed by Verstappen, while it’s P9 for Oscar Piastri. Time to concentrate on long runs for most of the grid, as in the pitlane DeVries and Magnussen almost collide for what seems to be an unsafe release.
Approaching the last 30 minutes of FP1 Mercedeses go first and second fastest, just as rain seems to get closer.
Alonso goes fourth, as Gasly almost brushes the wall oversteering at Turn 4. Moments later it is Piastri touching the wall briefly, but he continues running without too much trouble and goes eleventh.
Set up changes for Ferrari who calls Leclerc into the pits to try out a different front wing.
Intermediates tyres for Sergio Perez despite the track being still dry, same set for Leclerc who chirps on the radio “there is no rain”.
A last minute run to the pitlane as rain finally comes in the closing laps of FP1 and it is pouring down when Valtteri Bottas loses control of his Alfa Romeo and goes into the grass, almost hitting the Ferrari ahead of him.
It’s ultimately Lewis Hamilton topping the order, followed by his teammate George Russell and Carlos Sainz, only P6 for Verstappen while Gasly’s Alpine just makes it into the top 10.
