Montreal 2024: A snapshot of FP1, FP2, and FP3
Formula 1
Free Practice 1
The first practice session started very slowly. The track was bombarded with rain and hail, which kept the drivers in the garages. It wasn't until there were only 37 minutes left that the first driver got on the track.
Lewis Hamilton was the first one out. However, he was very slow, as the grip was still poor. Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton's old teammate, was the second one out. The two ex-teammates were the only ones on the track for a while before the other drivers began pouring out. The track dried fairly quickly, but the information gained will not be as helpful for Sunday because the track conditions will be different, they will be running different tires, and the car will have a different setup.
About 10 minutes after the drivers could start practicing, Zhou Guanyu hydroplaned into the barrier, damaging his front wing and wheel. A red flag was called as he could not drive the vehicle back to the pit. Once again, the drivers had to pause their practice session.
Before the practice session, it was revealed that both Mercedes vehicles received a full upgrade package. The package featured a brand new front wing and larger brake ducts, a Montreal-specific upgrade, as the track boasts many braking zones. Jack Doohan was also announced to be driving in the first practice session, taking the place of Esteban Ocon.
After the debris and Zhou's car were moved, a green light was given, and the session was back underway. Unfortunately, Jack Doohan's practice session was not ideal. He was kept in the garage for the majority of the session until the last few minutes. He was not able to do any flying laps and only drove three out laps.
As expected, the McLarens and Ferraris were swift, but the Red Bulls were unexpectedly slower than them. The results of the session are as follows:
Lando Norris
Carlos Sainz
Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen
Free Practice 2
The second practice session started opposite to the first one. Most of the drivers were immediately out on the track as heavy rainfall was projected. The rain had already started, but the teams deemed it light enough to go out. One of the first drivers on the track was Charles Leclerc, who went out on Intermediate tires. Race Officials almost immediately noted him for a "Tyre Usage" infringement. Stewards noted the infringement because Race Officials had not declared the track wet yet. Per FIA regulations, you are only allowed to use intermediate tires after the track is declared wet, even if the track is wet/currently being rained on. The stewards would investigate the incident after the practice session.
After a disappointing first practice session, Zhou Guanyu's team/mechanics fixed his car in time for him to participate in FP2. Esteban Ocon was also back behind the wheel after Jack Doohan drove for FP1. Ocon's future is still in the air, as earlier in the week, the Alpine team revealed that he was not being resigned from Alpine. Another driver's future in the air is Carlos Sainz. However, he has more prospects than Ocon, as William's team principal, James Vowles, has publicly stated that he would be thrilled if Carlos Sainz signed with Williams for 2025. This would leave Logan Sargeant without a seat for 2025.
Max Verstappen, after only driving four laps, was forced to retire. His vehicle was seen behind yellow tape, which means an electrical shock is dangerous. The mechanics worked furiously with thick rubber gloves to sort out the issue. They soon deduced there was no danger of electrical shock, but they were still trying to find the root cause of the issue. It has been reported as a suspected issue with the hybrid system. If this was the problem, that could be an issue, as they had already replaced the hybrid system earlier that morning. Similarly to the gearbox, you can only replace the system so many times before you are penalized. Max Verstappen was out for the remainder of the session.
FP2 results:
Fernando Alonso
George Russell
Lance Stroll
Charles Leclerc
Daniel Ricciardo
Free Practice 3
Contrary to the last two practice sessions, every driver wanted to be on the track immediately. The first out was Max Verstappen, hoping to make up for the time he was forced to sit out during yesterday's session. Some of the issues from yesterday were sorted out, as he was flying compared to yesterday. That is not to say that all problems were fixed as he was heard on the radio saying, "Mate, I don't know why, but the whole weekend already, this steering? Super weird for me." Sergio Perez had similar sentiments, although his results weren't nearly as good as his counterpart.
Zhou Guanyu did not have a comeback like Max Verstappen did. Once again, the Kick Sauber driver found himself in the barrier within the first 5 minutes of the session. His rear end locked up, sending him into a 180 spin and the wall. Thankfully, other drivers were having a better weekend than expected. Pierre Gasly, Fernando Alonso, and Daniel Ricciardo have all been showing great pace. Fernando Alonso found race pace following two disappointing grand prix, finishing P11 and P19. Daniel Ricciardo has had a difficult season, where he has continually been out-qualified and beaten by his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. However, he severely beat his teammate this weekend, especially in FP3.
While these results/times are exciting, qualifying is different from the practice sessions. For one, rain is forecasted for the qualifying session. The vehicle setups will differ, and some drivers will try to save their tires and hold back. Only time will tell for the results of qualifying.
FP3 results:
Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen
George Russell
Lance Stroll
Oscar Piastri