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:
LAP 34/52: Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton, Norris, Alonso, Perez
Hamilton pits - it’s a slow stop, 4.3 seconds! It’s the hard tyre.
The Mercedes driver comes out third, two seconds behind Sainz in second.
Leclerc is back out in front! That slow pit stop was pivotal...
LAP 33/52: Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Alonso, Perez
Leclerc has just posted a fastest lap - but is still 18.2 seconds behind Hamilton.
Less than 20 laps to go, Hamilton says: “I can’t keep this pace forever!”
LAP 31/52: Leclerc up to 2nd!
Sainz has not gone quick enough - he’s half-a-second too slow! Ferrari tell him to let Leclerc go and he obeys...
Hamilton, who is still on 28-lap old medium tyres, is now Leclerc’s next target.
LAP 30/52: Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Alonso, Perez
Hamilton is 18 seconds ahead of Sainz - and now Leclerc is within DRS of Sainz...
The Spaniard has been told the lap time he needs to match - and he asks for “one more lap.”
Looks like Ferrari could give a team order here...
LAP 29/52: Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Alonso, Perez
Hamilton now 19 seconds ahead of Leclerc in third... how long is the pit window? 19 seconds.
Leclerc is about a second behind Sainz in second - the Ferrari pit wall have said they can fight!
For now, no DRS for Leclerc though...
LAP 27/52: Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Alonso, Perez
Verstappen, down in eighth, is now complaining of a problem with the front of his car as well as the rear...
Meanwhile at the back of the field, Bottas and Gasly are among the cars who have had to retire in the last five laps!
We’re down to 15 cars.
LAP 26/52: Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Alonso, Perez
Leclerc pits - Hamilton takes the lead of the British Grand Prix!
And with the seven-time world champion still satisfied with his tyres, he won’t pit just yet...
Verstappen, meanwhile, is really struggling, and is not happy about being put on a set of hard tyres.
LAP 25/52: Leclerc, Hamilton, Sainz, Norris, Alonso, Verstappen
Hamilton is on Leclerc’s tail, within a second. He’ll get DRS next lap...
LAP 23/52: Leclerc, Hamilton, Sainz, Norris, Alonso, Verstappen
Hamilton keeping within two seconds of Leclerc.
Verstappen has pitted again, switching tyres. And Vettel - the birthday boy who started 18th! - overtakes the Red Bull on the pit exit!
Verstappen down to eighth...
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