Following a curtailed opening session due to technical glitches with the circuit’s CCTV system, the second practice was prolonged by thirty minutes. This gave teams, who had only completed a brief lap in FP1, ample data to gather ahead of Saturday’s qualifying preparations.
Charles Leclerc was the first to set a pace with a 1m16.564s on medium tyres, but Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas quickly surpassed the Ferrari driver. Max Verstappen clocked a 1m15.333s despite having issues with his Red Bull’s downshifts, pushing the times into the 1m14s with a 1m14.726s.
Leclerc regained the lead with a 1m14.576s, subsequently shaving two tenths off his best time. His team-mate Carlos Sainz found even more time, setting a 1m14.196s, showcasing the Ferraris’ pace on their soft-tyre run.
Leclerc’s tenth of a second improvement put him back on top, a position he held until Nico Hulkenberg’s car started smoking, resulting in a red flag and approximately ten-minute delay with over 50 minutes left in the session.
Resuming from the pause, Sainz registered a 1m13.844s, landing him at the top, having been separated from the Ferraris by Verstappen before the first red flag. However, another pause in the session occurred as Esteban Ocon’s Alpine came to a halt at Turn 9.
When the session restarted, many teams commenced their longer runs with around 40 minutes remaining, and the threat of rain looming. Alonso’s initial pace with the soft tyres didn’t last, but still earned his Aston Martin a fifth-place spot.
Radio messages started hinting that rain was about 10 minutes away during the final thirty minutes of the session. George Russell made the most of the dry conditions and clinched the top spot with a 1m13.745s, only to be bested by Hamilton’s 1m13.718s seconds later.
While the anticipated rain didn’t arrive, allowing teams more time on a dry circuit, the high winds stirred up a pollen cloud. This, along with dropping track temperatures, prompted errors from drivers like Sainz and Alex Albon in the last 15 minutes.
The track at Turn 4 became slippery, prompting many to switch to intermediate tyres despite the absence of actual rain. A sudden downpour at the hairpin occurred with five minutes left, creating a challenging mix of wet and dry conditions across the track.
Lando Norris was the first to venture out on the intermediate tyres, but he eventually retreated to the pitlane. Aston Martin remained unfazed, with both Alonso and Lance Stroll trying laps on inters, followed by a few other teams.
However, the track had significantly moistened, making the inters barely able to manage the rapidly pooling water. Stroll and Sainz both narrowly avoided accidents at Turn 8, escaping to the run-off.
Hamilton’s time prevailed over Russell’s, with Sainz in third place followed by Alonso, who had separated the Ferraris after the Ocon red flag. Verstappen took sixth, just fractionally ahead of Bottas, while Sergio Perez and Stroll finished eighth and ninth respectively.
Despite close encounters with the wall, Pierre Gasly and Oscar Piastri claimed the 10th and 11th spots, with the McLaren leaving the corner relatively unscathed. The full results are as follows:
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1’13.718
- George Russell, Mercedes, 1’13.745 (+0.027)
- Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, 1’13.844 (+0.126)
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, 1’14.044 (+0.326)
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1’14.094 (+0.376)
… (Rest of the list) - Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, 1’16.369 (+2.651)
FULL RESULTS HERE
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about F1 Canadian GP FP2
Who led the FP2 at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix?
Lewis Hamilton led the FP2 at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
Who secured the second place in FP2 at the F1 Canadian GP?
George Russell secured the second place, making it a 1-2 for Mercedes at the FP2 session of the F1 Canadian GP.
Were there any disruptions during the FP2 session at the F1 Canadian GP?
Yes, the session was interrupted by technical issues with the circuit’s CCTV system, leading to an extension of the second practice by half an hour. There were also disruptions due to Nico Hulkenberg’s smoking car and Esteban Ocon’s Alpine coming to a halt.
Did any weather changes affect the FP2 session at the F1 Canadian GP?
Yes, rain was anticipated during the last half hour of the session, and while it didn’t fall as expected, the threat of rain affected team strategies. Near the end of the session, a sudden downpour at the hairpin affected conditions further.
Who were the top three drivers in the FP2 session at the F1 Canadian GP?
The top three drivers were Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), George Russell (Mercedes), and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari).
More about F1 Canadian GP FP2
- F1 Official Website
- Mercedes F1 Team Official Website
- Ferrari F1 Team Official Website
- Red Bull Racing F1 Team Official Website
5 comments
technical glitches…rain…smoking cars…sounds like a rollercoaster ride. But, F1’s always about surprises, isn’t it?
Pretty gutted about Leclerc’s performance here…but hey he was top initially. Hope he bounces back on the main day.
Max was doing fine but looks like the downshift issue played a role. Hoping for a stronger performance in the main race!
hey that’s some intense session right there. Hammy’s still got it! No rain can slow him down.
It’s always thrilling to see a race before a rainfall, it’s like racing against time itself, too bad it didn’t rain as expected.