Max Verstappen went fastest in Formula 1 Canadian GP FP1 ahead of Williams duo Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz while Charles Leclerc crashed early, triggering the only red flag of the session.
The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix weekend began with a dramatic and tightly contested Free Practice 1 session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, setting the stage for what promises to be an enthralling race weekend.
The session began under overcast skies with the track surface still dusty and grip levels at a premium. Drivers were immediately on the limit, pushing hard to understand the nuances of the temporary circuit.
Franco Colapinto was the first to encounter trouble after spinning his Alpine at Turn 2 and briefly bringing out yellow flags. This was a sign of things to come, as the field struggled to find grip and rhythm in the early minutes.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton set the initial benchmark but his time at the top was short-lived as Max Verstappen, running on the softest C6 compound, quickly made his mark with a rapid flyer.
Despite reporting a heavy steering feel, Verstappen’s confidence was evident as he navigated the tricky conditions with characteristic precision.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli also found the limits after running wide at Turn 6 and complaining of rear locking.
However, it wasn’t long before the Canadian GP FP1 session saw its first major incident, just 15 minutes in when Charles Leclerc who had been the fastest man on track at the moment locked up into Turn 3.
Leclerc ran wide onto the grass and slammed into the barriers at Turn 4, damaging both ends of his Ferrari and bringing out the red flag. The Monegasque was uninjured but his session was over, leaving the Scuderia with a huge repair job and only Hamilton to carry the team’s hopes for the remainder of FP1.
After the red flag, the session resumed with drivers eager to make up for lost time. The track continued to evolve with lap times tumbling as more rubber was laid down.
Mercedes’ George Russell briefly took the top spot with a 1:13.535, showcasing the Silver Arrows’ continued competitiveness.
However, the real surprise came from Williams as Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon both delivered stunning laps to vault into the top three. Sainz in particular looked at ease in the FW47 while Albon’s late flyer put him just 0.039 seconds behind Verstappen, splitting the Red Bull and his teammate at the top of the leaderboard.
Behind the leading trio, Russell settled into fourth place just ahead of Lewis Hamilton who recovered from an early spin to post a competitive time for Ferrari.
Isack Hadjar impressed with a strong sixth-place finish for Racing Bulls while Lando Norris finished seventh, piloting a McLaren fitted with a revised front suspension.
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Norris endured a challenging session marked by multiple off-track moments while struggling to keep the rear of his car in check, particularly at the hairpin. Despite the issues he managed to deliver a solid lap time and showed glimpses of the car’s potential.
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson secured eighth place while Pierre Gasly delivered a tidy session for Alpine to finish ninth. Charles Leclerc despite his early exit held onto tenth place thanks to his initial laps before the crash.
Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda slotted into eleventh followed by Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin while Kimi Antonelli finished thirteenth for Mercedes.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri had a subdued Canadian GP FP1 by his standards, ending up fourteenth after a slide into the grass and persistent handling issues. His struggles mirrored those of his McLaren teammate, with both drivers searching for balance and confidence on the tricky track surface.
Lance Stroll, racing on home soil, finished fifteenth for Aston Martin just ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto in the Sauber. The bottom five was rounded out by Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Franco Colapinto and Nico Hulkenberg.
