Max fifth in shortened Montreal FP1

Published on 16 June 2023 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen was fifth quickest in the opening practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix. Due to issues with the track side cameras used by race control, the effective running time of FP1 was limited to just four minutes. Of the twelve drivers that clocked a time, Valtteri Bottas was quickest in the Alfa Romeo, followed by the two Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Max' Oracle Red Bull Racing team mate Sergio Perez was fourth fastest.

When the pit lane opens at the start of the session, both Red Bulls are first out on track, soon followed by the two Aston Martins. The quartet all sport the soft Pirelli tyres whereas the rest of the on track runners opt for the medium compound.

Only a few minutes into practice, a yellow flag is waved, which soon turns into a red; the Alpine of Pierre Gasly has groud to halt at turn eight with the Frenchman unable to return the car to the pits. Five minutes into the session, the stricken Alpine is cleared but the red flag remains. The cameras along the race track are not working, meaning race control halts the sessions due to safety concerns.

With ten minutes to go, the FIA notifies the teams the session will not resume, but FP2 will be lenghtened by 30 minutes to allow the teams to catch up on some of the missed track time.

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Results first free practice Canada: