MONTREAL Grand Prix Practice Day Recap
The start of the day at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was marked by thunder, lightning, and a heavy downpour that drenched the track, causing chaos before the first free practice session. The big news of the day quickly became Max Verstappen’s early exit in his smoky Red Bull, followed by the impressive performance of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who set the fastest lap of the day.
Verstappen’s session ended abruptly after just four laps due to a suspected battery issue causing smoke in his car. Red Bull is investigating the problem, with team principal Helmut Marko indicating that it is related to the electrical part of the engine.
Alonso, on the other hand, showcased his skills with a blistering lap time of 1 minute, 15.810 seconds, topping the time sheets. George Russell and Lance Stroll followed closely behind in the rankings.
Reflecting on the challenging conditions, Alonso remarked, “It was a tricky Friday for everyone, but it’s valuable information for the upcoming sessions and the race itself. Making the right decisions under such circumstances can make all the difference.”
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz showcased strong performances in the challenging conditions, with Norris setting the pace after the downpour delayed the first practice.
Following the unpredictable weather, event organizers had to ask spectators to vacate the grandstands for safety reasons, and police closed access to Notre Dame Island. However, the storm subsided, allowing the session to proceed, albeit under less than ideal track conditions.
Zhou Guanyu triggered a red flag when he aqua-planed and hit the wall, causing a brief halt in the session. Several other drivers, including Bottas and Stroll, also struggled with the slippery track.
With more rain forecasted for the weekend, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday could present further challenges for the teams and drivers.
FAQs
Q: What caused Max Verstappen’s early exit from the session?
A: Verstappen’s Red Bull experienced a smoke issue due to a suspected battery problem.
Q: Who set the fastest lap of the day?
A: Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin clocked the fastest lap time.
Conclusion
Despite the challenging weather conditions, the Montreal Grand Prix practice day provided valuable insights for the teams and drivers, setting the stage for an exciting weekend of racing ahead.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
