Valtteri Bottas emerged on top in the shortened first practice session at the F1 Canadian GP. Max Verstappen initially set the pace with a time of 1m20.154s in his RB19, equipped with an aerodynamic load-measuring device. However, Bottas quickly took the lead with a time of 1m18.728s, leading the limited group of drivers who managed to post their opening times before the session was halted.
The stoppage occurred when Pierre Gasly from Alpine experienced a driveshaft issue and came to a halt between Turns 7 and 8. As the session’s first five minutes concluded and Gasly’s car was moved off the track, it was expected that the session would resume. Mercedes sent Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to the end of the pit lane, anticipating the restart. However, a problem with race control prevented the circuit from reopening, prompting the cars to be wheeled back to the garages due to concerns about losing tire temperature.
Nearly 20 minutes into FP1, it was officially announced by the FIA that the session could not be restarted due to issues with the local CCTV infrastructure around the Montreal track. The FIA stated that the local organizers were working to resolve the problem and emphasized that safety reasons prevented the session from continuing.
As the clock continued to run down, the FIA provided further updates. The delay would be extended because the CCTV system was not synced correctly, requiring a fix before the track could be used. However, the session would not be extended as there needed to be a 2.5-hour gap between FP1 and FP2. Discussions were underway to explore options for extending FP2.
With only 10 minutes remaining in FP1, it was confirmed that the session would not resume. The event stewards announced that FP2 would start 30 minutes earlier and last 30 minutes longer to compensate for the shortened FP1 session.
The unusual conclusion to FP1 was preceded by problems with the event’s electricity supply, which affected the teams’ preparations. The strain on the electricity supply caused a power cut when the teams tried to heat their tires. While the teams resorted to generators, this issue was seemingly unrelated to the problems with the CCTV system, which operated on a different power system.
Valtteri Bottas topped the standings, followed by Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin, Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen. The top ten was completed by Oscar Piastri, Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg, Zhou Guanyu, and Carlos Sainz. Charles Leclerc and Nyck de Vries were the last drivers to set a lap time, while others faced challenges due to the Gasly red flag, team investigations, or never making it onto the track.
Full Results:
- Valtteri Bottas – Alfa Romeo – Ferrari – 1m18.728s
- Lance Stroll – Aston Martin – Mercedes – 1m19.175s (+0.447s)
- Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin – Mercedes – 1m19.807s (+1.079s)
- Sergio Perez – Red Bull – Red Bull – 1m20.154s (+1.426s)
- Max Verstappen – Red Bull – Red Bull – 1m20.231s (+1.503s)
- Oscar Piastri – McLaren – Mercedes – 1m21.496s (+2.768s)
- Kevin Magnussen – Haas – Ferrari – 1m24.045s (+5.317s)
- Nico Hulkenberg – Haas – Ferrari – 1m24.336s (+5.608s)
- Zhou Guanyu – Alfa Romeo – Ferrari – 1m24.961s (+6.233s)
- Carlos Sainz – Ferrari – Ferrari – 1m25.991s (+7.263s)
- Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – Ferrari – 1m26.809s (+8.081s)
- Nyck de Vries – AlphaTauri – Red Bull – 1m32.274s (+13.546s)
- Yuki Tsunoda – AlphaTauri – Red Bull – No lap time
- Lando Norris – McLaren – Mercedes – No lap time
- Pierre Gasly – Alpine – Renault – No lap time
- Alex Albon – Williams – Mercedes – No lap time
- Logan Sargeant – Williams – Mercedes – No lap time
- Esteban Ocon – Alpine – Renault – No lap time
- Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes – Mercedes – No lap time
- George Russell – Mercedes – Mercedes – No lap time
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about F1 Canadian GP
What caused the interruption in the first practice session at the F1 Canadian GP?
The interruption in the first practice session at the F1 Canadian GP was caused by Pierre Gasly’s car coming to a halt due to a driveshaft issue between Turns 7 and 8.
Why couldn’t the session be restarted?
The session couldn’t be restarted due to issues with the local CCTV infrastructure around the Montreal track. The organizers were working to resolve the problem to ensure safety before reopening the pitlane and resuming the session.
Were there any other technical problems during the session?
Yes, there were problems with the event’s electricity supply. When teams tried to heat their tires, the added strain caused a power cut. However, this issue with the power supply was unrelated to the problems with the CCTV system.
Who topped the standings in the shortened first practice session?
Valtteri Bottas from Alfa Romeo Ferrari set the fastest time in the shortened first practice session at the F1 Canadian GP with a time of 1m18.728s.
What adjustments were made for the subsequent FP2 session?
To compensate for the shortened FP1 session, the event stewards decided to start FP2 30 minutes earlier and extend its duration by 30 minutes. This adjustment aimed to provide teams with sufficient track time and make up for the lost practice time.
More about F1 Canadian GP
- F1 Canadian Grand Prix Official Website
- FIA Official Website
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Official Website
- Red Bull Racing Official Website
- Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team Official Website
- Scuderia Ferrari Official Website
- Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Official Website
- AlphaTauri Official Website
- McLaren Formula 1 Official Website
- Haas F1 Team Official Website
- Williams Racing Official Website
5 comments
Bottas is on fire! he showed his speed in the shortened fp1. can’t wait to see how he performs in the race. fingers crossed for a thrilling canadian gp!
the organizers really need to sort out their infrastructure problems. cctv not working, power supply issues… it’s a mess! they should’ve been better prepared. let’s hope things improve for the rest of the weekend.
omg! gasly’s car broke down, and they had to stop the practice session. total chaos! and then, the cctv system was down? seriously? what a disaster! hope they fix everything before the next session.
f1 canadian gp was so messed up this year! had all sorts of problms with the cctv, power cuts and whatnot. but hey, atleast Bottas topped the standings in fp1. can’t wait for the race!
such a shame that the practice session got interrupted. technical issues and power cuts are the last thing you want in a race weekend. hope the teams manage to make the most of the limited track time they had.