F1 practice LIVE: Canadian Grand Prix updates and times as Max Verstappen goes fastest in FP1
Follow the first practice at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as the build-up to the Canadian Grand Prix continues
Follow live F1 coverage as the Canadian Grand Prix weekend kicks off with free practice sessions one and two in Montreal.
The big news of the week is the FIA’s decision to “reduce or eliminate” porpoising on the advice of its medical team - just days after Lewis Hamilton suffered with severe back pain in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Hamilton required assistance to get out of his Mercedes after his car bounced up and down at high speed throughout last Sunday’s race.
Mercedes ran their machines close to the ground in Baku to produce lower downforce. But the move exaggerated the bouncing, and under the FIA’s new technical directive, Mercedes might be required to raise the ride height of their cars which could further slow them down.
At the front of the grid, Max Verstappen will be hoping to extend his lead over chief title rival Charles Leclerc after he took full advantage of the Ferrari driver retiring last weekend with the race victory.
Follow all the latest updates as we build towards this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix:
Q3: 7 minutes to go
Well, well, well, who fancied a shock?!
Fernando Alonso is in first - by three seconds! And who’s in second at the moment? Zhou Guanyu!
Max Verstappen also had a dramatic spin at the final turn of his flying lap but managed to keep it on the road!
Q3 is underway!
The two Ferraris are the first cars out on track, with Zhou Guanyu following in his Alfa Romeo.
The rain seems to have steadied slightly at Silverstone...
Q3: Top-10 shootout!
12 minutes for the top-10 to post the fastest lap which will set the grid for tomorrow’s race!
Who can spring a surprise at Silverstone? Is this Hamilton’s moment to turn his 2022 around? And can Latifi get any higher than 10th?!
Q2 DONE: Latifi makes it through!
With the rain getting heavier, these last laps are pointless and Nicholas Latifi sneaks through!
The bottom five in the closing minutes stayed the same: Gasly 11th, Bottas 12th, Tsunoda 13th, Ricciardo 14th, Ocon 15th.
Cue celebrations in the Williams garage! Latifi’s engineer sounds like he can barely believe it!
Q2: 2 minutes left
Amazingly, having not made Q2 all season, Latifi is currently on course for Q3 - for the first time in his career!
He’s tenth - and Leclerc is reporting that the rain is getting heavier. Bodes well for the Canadian driver!
Bottom five is still: Gasly, Bottas, Tsunoda, Ricciardo, Ocon
Q2: 6 minutes left
Sainz has got himself up into the top positions, going fourth fastest. Verstappen is out ahead on his own, four-tenths quicker than Hamilton in second.
Ricciardo is in 14th at the moment and sturggling, with McLaren team-mate Norris up in fourth.
Bottom five: Gasly, Bottas, Tsunoda, Ricciardo, Ocon
Q2: 9 minutes left
The Red Bulls lead the way at the top early on, with Lewis Hamilton complaining of vibrations in his Mercedes - he’s currently fifth fastest.
Current bottom five: Tsunoda, Ricciardo, Sainz, Latifi, Ocon.
Q2 BEGINS!
Latifi the first out on track at the start of Q2.
Only six cars out on track in the opening minute - seemingly the other teams are happy for initial cars to clear some of the standing water. Rain is now light, but persistent.
Who will be the top-10 to compete for the top spots in Q3?!
WEATHER UPDATE: Light rain to continue throughout qualifying
George Russell has just been told that light rain is set to continue throughout Q2 and Q3, gradually decreasing in intensity...
Albon, meanwhile, is livid at his team over the radio, insisting he had no grip due to doing cool down laps!
Albon didn’t make it, but Latifi did. Q2 to start shortly!
Q1: Time up!
Nicholas Latifi qualifies for Q2 for the first time this season, just ahead of his team-mate Alex Albon!
Those who have been knocked out: Albon, Magnussen, Vettel, Schumacher, Stroll.
Vettel can’t believe it when told he is out: “Not again, not again!”
A nightmare for Aston Martin once again in the rain!
Max Verstappen, not that it matters, was fastest.
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