Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso topped the timesheets in Friday's practice sessions at the Canadian Grand Prix, despite interruptions from sporadic rain showers. Alonso's fastest lap, 0.463 seconds quicker than Mercedes' George Russell, came during the driest spell of the second session before rain returned to Montreal. The initial session, led by McLaren's Lando Norris, was also rain-hit, rendering headline lap times largely insignificant.
However, there were notable troubles for championship leader Max Verstappen, who endured an 18th-place finish in the second session after just four laps due to smoke emanating from his car's rear. Red Bull attributed the issue to a problem with Verstappen's energy recovery system, prompting the driver to focus on understanding its implications for the weekend and beyond.
Wet weather persisted throughout the day, with a heavy storm initially delaying proceedings and forcing the closure of the Ile-Notre Dame circuit. Once practice began, the track gradually dried, allowing for slick tire runs in the final minutes of the first session, where Norris led from Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. Alonso maintained consistency at the front in the second session amid brief dry periods.
Alonso, whose team-mate Lance Stroll secured third, described it as a challenging Friday with limited laps in both wet and dry conditions. Lewis Hamilton, despite the unpredictable weather, felt confident and enjoyed the track but highlighted the unusual conditions experienced throughout the day. Apart from one crash by Sauber's Zhou Gunayu, who lost control in the first session, and a spin by Leclerc in the second, drivers managed to navigate the challenging conditions without major incidents.
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