Breaking: Canadian Grand Prix 2025: Hamilton suffers as star Crashes in Chaotic F…read more 

Canadian Grand Prix 2025: Hamilton suffers as star Crashes in Chaotic F… read more 

The opening practice session (FP1) at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix proved to be a turbulent one for both Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, with unexpected performances from Williams and early drama involving Charles Leclerc. The session, held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, saw multiple incidents and surprising times on the leaderboard.

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in FP1, putting in the fastest lap to assert Red Bull’s dominance early in the weekend. However, the biggest shock came from Williams, with both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz delivering stellar performances to place second and third, respectively. Their pace raised eyebrows across the paddock, as few expected the team to be so competitive out of the gate.

For Ferrari, the session began on a sour note. Charles Leclerc’s outing was cut short just 15 minutes into FP1 after he crashed into the barriers at the second chicane. The Monegasque driver locked up under braking and slid off the track, causing a red flag that halted the session. The damage sustained ruled him out of the rest of the practice, leaving the team with limited data.

Lewis Hamilton, in his second season back with Ferrari, didn’t fare much better. Although he avoided the barriers, the seven-time world champion had a dramatic moment of his own when he spun at the Turn 10 hairpin. Fortunately, he managed to keep the car under control and rejoined the track without further incident. He ended the session in fifth place, trailing teammate Leclerc, who despite the crash, managed to secure tenth place.

Mercedes had a relatively solid showing, with George Russell finishing fourth and young rookie Kimi Antonelli ending the session in 13th. The team seemed stable, though not yet on the pace of Red Bull or Williams.

McLaren’s performance was among the most surprising disappointments. Championship leader Oscar Piastri struggled throughout FP1, managing only 14th place, while teammate Lando Norris could do no better than seventh. The team will be hoping to recover ground in FP2 and qualifying.

Racing Bulls also had a strong session, with Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson securing sixth and eighth positions, respectively. Pierre Gasly placed ninth for Alpine, while his teammate Franco Colapinto came in 19th. Yuki Tsunoda, now with Red Bull, finished 11th, narrowly missing out on a top 10 placement.

Further down the grid, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll took 12th and 15th, while Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg finished 16th and 20th. Haas had a tough outing as well, with Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman down in 18th and 17th.

With weather conditions and track evolution likely to shift over the weekend, teams will be working overnight to improve performance and reliability. All eyes are now on FP2 to see whether the pecking order remains or if Friday’s surprises were just early anomalies in what promises to be an unpredictable Canadian Grand Prix.