George Russell boasts four podium finishes this Formula 1 season.
Canadian Grand Prix
Venue: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal Dates: June 13-15 Race Start: 19:00 BST, Sunday
Coverage: Live commentary of practice and qualifying on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, race coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live; live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
Mercedes’ George Russell led McLaren’s Lando Norris in Friday’s practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Russell outpaced Norris by a mere 0.028 seconds. Kimi Antonelli’s second Mercedes trailed his teammate by 0.288 seconds, finishing third.
Williams’ Alex Albon and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso secured fourth and fifth place, respectively, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, the championship leader.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished eighth, behind Williams’ Carlos Sainz and ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, missed the second practice session following a crash in the first.
Leclerc’s incident at Turn Three, resulting from locked brakes and a misjudged corner entry, caused significant chassis damage, requiring a replacement before Saturday’s sessions.
Charles Leclerc returns to the pits after his Ferrari crash during the first practice session.
The Mercedes drivers achieved their fastest times using medium tires, whereas McLaren utilized soft tires.
Norris tested a new front suspension aimed at addressing a ‘numb’ feeling on the front axle, impacting his confidence at the car’s limit during qualifying.
While available to both McLaren drivers, only Norris used the upgrade on Friday. Piastri’s greater comfort with the car’s front-end contributes to their contrasting form since last year.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also crashed, suffering a glancing blow at Turn Six, breaking his front-left suspension. Understeer, exacerbated by dirty air, led to the incident.
Several other drivers experienced off-track excursions at the chicanes without damage. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto had a second spin of the day at Turn Two.
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