CANADIAN GP – George Russell three hundredths faster than Lando Norris in second practice
George Russell was fastest in second practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver set a 12.123 going just under three hundredths ahead of Lando Norris. Russell looked fast throughout the first half of the session as he matched the McLaren with his teammate Kimi Antonelli a quarter of a second behind Norris.
Mercedes has looked to be not too far off the front runners in recent races, but despite setting his time on the medium tyres hung on to stay ahead of the McLaren who continue to look to be largely the team to beat. Norris however did spend some of Friday testing a new front suspension design that is aimed at improving the ‘numb’ feeling on the front axle that has affected his ability to trust the car on the absolute limit in qualifying this season.
Antonelli was third as he went nearly a quarter of a tenth faster than Alex Albon who continued to show strong pace for Williams as he was just over a hundredth ahead of Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes appears to be in the hunt for pole position as Kimi Antonelli was third on his first outing in Montreal but it is unclear how the pecking order really stacks up due to variation on tyres. Pirelli has brought the softest tyre range to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the C6 soft, C5 medium and C4 hard, but the C6 proved problematic earlier this season in Imola due to its high tyre wear, even over one lap.
Most drivers continued despite the majority focusing their running on the medium tyres and struggled for grip.
However, it was a tough session for Alonso’s Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll who crashed in the opening ten minutes after hitting the wall at Turn Seven. Stroll joined Charles Leclerc, who did not start following the damage to his Ferrari in the first quarter of FP1 which resulted in a chassis change, as a spectator for the rest of FP2.
His car suffered understeer on the exit of the corner and the front washed out into the wall. Stroll had experienced the situation earlier in the lap but it was exacerbated in the incident by ‘dirty air’ from the traffic ahead.
Oscar Piastri put his McLaren sixth as he was a tenth off Alonso as he went eight hundredths faster than Carlos Sainz, the second Spaniard going just over two hundredths faster than Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen could only manage ninth a hundredth behind the Ferrari and eight hundredths ahead of Liam Lawson to complete the top ten.
McLaren look to be on the backfoot probably for the first time this season, they appeared to struggle for pace in both sessions with Montreal being a slightly more difficult place to overtake. Both Norris and Piastri along with Hamilton repeatedly cut the Wall of Champions / final chicane.
Verstappen and Hamilton who are the only other drivers to win races this season also looked to struggle. Despite topping FP1, the Dutchman reported his RB21 was feeling “more nervous” than in first practice and also struggled to slow the car down on cold brakes, as one of several drivers to bypass the Wall of Champions chicane.
Lawson was nearly half a tenth faster than his Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar who found himself frustrated by traffic, as he went three-quarters of a tenth faster than Pierre Gasly. Gabriel Bortoleto was just under two hundredths faster than his Sauber teammate Nico Hulkenberg, with Yuki Tsunoda a quarter of a tenth further behind.
Ollie Bearman was nearly a tenth faster than his Haas teammate Esteban Ocon, while Franco Colapinto was the final driver to set a time going over seven tenths behind the Haas duo.
Lance Stroll crashed out as he entered the second sector on his first hot lap, he hit the wall exiting Turn Six thanks to understeer. The Canadian had experienced the situation earlier in the lap but it was exacerbated in the incident by ‘dirty air’ from the traffic ahead.
Several other drivers misjudged their braking points and skipped over the grass at one of the chicanes with no damage.