Antonelli Tops Disrupted Canadian GP Practice as Mercedes Shines

Kimi Antonelli led a Mercedes 1-2 in the sole practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix, as three red flags limited running in Montréal. The 60-minute session, crucial for Sprint weekend preparation, saw Antonelli set a 1:13.402, with teammate George Russell 0.142s behind before spinning late and lightly touching the barrier.

Why it matters:

With the Sprint format returning, practice time is at a premium. Mercedes' strong pace signals a potential shift in competitiveness, while Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren all showed promise but lacked the outright speed. The session also featured an FIA trial of a new rear-light system for MGU-K derating, which could impact future races.

The Details:

• First red flag (11 min): Liam Lawson stopped his Racing Bulls at Turn 4 with a technical issue. Earlier, Franco Colapinto had reported a throttle problem.
• Second stoppage: Alex Albon struck a groundhog at Turn 7 and hit the wall, causing a 15-minute delay. The Williams driver ended 14th.
• Final red flag: Esteban Ocon lost control over the Turn 7 exit kerb and hit the wall, losing the nose of his Haas. Ocon finished 13th.
• Mercedes dominance: Antonelli and Russell swapped fastest laps on Soft tyres, with Antonelli's 1:13.402 unbeaten. Russell later spun through Turns 1-2 but avoided major damage.
• Ferrari close: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc ended third and fourth, 0.774s and 0.953s off the pace. Max Verstappen was fifth for Red Bull.
• McLaren muted: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri ranked sixth and seventh, both more than 1.3s behind.
• Impressive rookie: Arvid Lindblad took eighth for Racing Bulls, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso.
• Rear-light trial: The FIA tested a colour-coded system for MGU-K power derating (yellow, red, superclip), replacing the standard flashing red. Teams revert to standard for the rest of the weekend.

What's next:

Sprint qualifying later today will reveal true order. Mercedes look strong on single laps, but Ferrari and Red Bull’s race pace remains unknown. The disrupted practice means teams have limited data, adding uncertainty to the Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix.