Canadian GP Sprint Qualifying: Antonelli Leads FP1, Albon and Ocon Crash

Kimi Antonelli set the pace in a wild Canadian GP FP1, clocking a 1:13.402 to lead George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The session was interrupted by three red flags, with Alexander Albon and Esteban Ocon both crashing, while Russell escaped a high-speed slide that nearly ended his weekend early. Sprint Qualifying now looms as the first pole of the weekend is decided.

Why it matters:

With only one practice session before the grid is set for Saturday's Sprint, every lap counts. The chaotic hour in Montreal has shuffled early form, and any mistake can prove costly for the championship fight.

The details:

• Antonelli topped the timesheets, 0.142s ahead of Russell. Hamilton, Leclerc, and Verstappen completed the top five, while McLaren's Norris and Piastri settled for sixth and seventh.
• Red flag 1: Liam Lawson stopped on track with a technical issue, delaying the session just 10 minutes in.
• Red flag 2: Alexander Albon crashed hard at Turn 7 after striking a marmot on the straight, losing control and spinning into the barriers. The Williams was heavily damaged.
• Red flag 3: Esteban Ocon damaged his front wing and scattered debris, forcing another stoppage in the closing minutes.
• Russell's scare: The Mercedes driver lost the rear at Turn 1, sliding toward the barriers before somehow saving the car. He avoided damage and continued.
• Officials extended FP1 by 15 minutes due to the interruptions, but the final session ended without major changes.

What's next:

Sprint Qualifying gets underway at 21:30 BST. With limited track time, drivers must adapt quickly. Antonelli looks strong, but the red flags and incidents mean grip levels remain uncertain. Expect surprises when the grid for the Sprint race is set.