Kimi Antonelli leads in the only practice session.
Sunny. Dry. Air +16…17°C, track +38…42°C
In 2026, the Canadian stage is held for the first time in a format with a Saturday sprint. The track on Ile Notre Dame requires settings for low downforce, which have not been used this year, and there was only one practice session.
Mercedes and McLaren brought significant updates to the stage, as nothing serious could be tested at the next stage in Monaco, and they didn't want to lose a month before Barcelona. As a result, the track was busy – as soon as the practice session began, the drivers immediately left the pits.
In the fourth minute, the first problems arose – Colapinto, unable to start a lap, almost stopped on the track, informing the team that his throttle was not working. He managed to return to the pit lane, where he handed the car over to the mechanics, but did not go out again.
In the ninth minute, Lawson's car stopped due to hydraulic issues – the power steering failed. A virtual safety car was first announced for its evacuation, and then red flags were displayed. The drivers interrupted their runs and returned to the pits, and the session was decided to be extended by four minutes.
The red flags appeared for the second time after Albon's crash at the seventh corner. Alex accidentally hit a groundhog that decided to cross the track and lost control of the car. The impact was strong, triggering the dangerous overload sensor. The driver was taken to the medical center for a mandatory check, but everything turned out fine. There were many debris, so the pause was prolonged – and the session was decided to be extended again – this time by 15 minutes.
At the end of the practice, the drivers put on Soft tires, speeds increased, and Mercedes demonstrated the potential of the updated car. First, Russell brought everyone half a second faster, then Antonelli outpaced Russell by half a second – 1:13.402, but on the next lap, George made up a bit of time.
A few more yellow flags appeared – Russell went off the track after a spin, and six minutes before the end, the session was stopped again – Ocon crashed the front of his car after spinning out of the fourth corner, scattering debris on the track. Esteban managed to reach the pits, while the others had to return to the pit lane, and that’s how the session ended.
Practice Results
Driver
Team
Time
Difference
Laps
1. K. Antonelli
Mercedes
1:13.402
-
31
2. D. Russell
Mercedes
1:13.544
+0.142
33
3. L. Hamilton
Ferrari
1:14.176
+0.774
34
4. S. Leclerc
Ferrari
1:14.355
+0.953
34
5. M. Verstappen
Red Bull
1:14.366
+0.964
29
6. L. Norris
McLaren
1:14.799
+1.397
30
7. O. Piastri
McLaren
1:14.963
+1.561
30
8. A. Lindblad
Racing Bulls
1:15.452
+2.050
31
9. N. Hülkenberg
Audi
1:15.698
+2.296
26
10. F. Alonso
Aston Martin
1:15.863
+2.461
29
11. G. Bortoleto
Audi
1:16.214
+2.812
31
12. A. Hadjar
Red Bull
1:16.253
+2.851
27
13. E. Ocon
Haas
1:16.497
+3.095
30
14. A. Albon
Williams
1:16.642
+3.240
15
15. C. Sainz
Williams
1:16.660
+3.258
34
16. P. Gasly
Alpine
1:16.809
+3.407
27
17. L. Stroll
Aston Martin
1:16.978
+3.576
28
18. L. Lawson
Racing Bulls
1:17.431
+4.029
5
19. O. Berman
Haas
1:17.770
+4.368
24
20. V. Bottas
Cadillac
1:17.868
+4.466
26
21. S. Perez
Cadillac
1:17.926
+4.524
26
22. F. Colapinto
Alpine
1
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