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:
3 minutes to go...
Plenty of cars now out on track to complete a lap or two before the end of the session, with many on soft tyres.
Only 10 drivers have set lap times so far...
Hamilton is back out on track!
To the applause of the British fans, the eight-time winner here is the only car back out on track with just over 12 minutes to go in first practice...
Bad news: it’s just started raining again...
All 20 cars are still in the pits with 15 minutes to go of first practice, which has turned into a bit of a damp squib here.
Lewis Hamilton has returned to his cockpit though... might we have a few cars run in the closing stages?
Lewis Hamilton takes out nose stud as Mercedes star backs down in F1 jewellery row
Here’s more on Hamilton taking out his nose stud for first practice on Friday:
Lewis Hamilton takes out nose stud as Brit backs down in F1 jewellery row
The seven-time world champion faced the prospect of missing Sunday’s race if he did not comply with the FIA regulations
No cars out on track at the moment
All 10 teams are waiting for the rain to clear...
Wet conditions means just a handful of cars are out on track at the moment...
Lap times are very varied at the moment, with some of the drivers taking it easy amid the wet conditions.
The good news? No more rain is expected in this session.
BREAKING: Reports are coming in that Hamilton - who has already been out on track - has removed his nose stud
It seems the Mercedes driver has complied with the FIA.
Hamilton and Russell are first out on the track!
Of course, it’s raining at Silverstone!
Not many cars out on track so far - Charles Leclerc is the only driver to have completed a lap so far.
10 minutes until FP1 starts at Silverstone!
Who will put down the early benchmark this weekend?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments