F1 Results Today: Verstappen misery continues as star suffers e

F1 Results Today: Verstappen misery continues as star suffers embarrassing c…read more

The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix weekend kicked off with drama, crashes, and surprising performances across both practice sessions in Montreal. Max Verstappen, who looked dominant early on, suffered a significant setback in FP2, while Mercedes’ George Russell emerged as the fastest man on track by the end of Friday.

In the first free practice (FP1), Verstappen led the timing charts with a solid lap of 1:13.193, showcasing Red Bull’s early pace. Behind him, Alex Albon surprisingly took second for Williams, just 0.039 seconds behind, with his teammate Carlos Sainz following closely in third. Mercedes’ George Russell finished fourth, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were fifth and tenth respectively, though not without incident.

Leclerc’s FP1 was cut short just 15 minutes in after locking up at the second chicane and crashing into the barriers. The impact triggered a red flag and ended his session prematurely. Ferrari later confirmed that Leclerc’s chassis needed replacing and wouldn’t be ready for scrutiny until Saturday morning, ruling him out of FP2. Hamilton also had a moment at the Turn 10 hairpin, spinning but managing to avoid the barriers and continue the session.

In contrast to their FP1 struggles, McLaren bounced back in FP2 with Lando Norris claiming second and Oscar Piastri sixth. But it was George Russell who stole the spotlight, setting the fastest time of the day with a blistering 1:12.123. His rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli impressed by finishing third, while Williams once again showed strong form with Albon and Sainz in fourth and seventh respectively.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso secured fifth, while Lance Stroll had a nightmare return to his home race. After missing the Spanish GP due to a wrist injury, the Canadian’s FP2 ended in embarrassment after crashing at Turn 7. Stroll clipped the wall and broke the front-left tyre off his car, failing to set a time in the session.

Red Bull’s day took a downturn in FP2. Verstappen could only manage ninth, struggling with pace and setup issues. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda also found himself outside the top 10 in fifteenth. The Racing Bulls duo—Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar—were 10th and 11th, respectively, showing consistent mid-field form.

Alpine and Kick Sauber continued to hover around the lower midfield, with Pierre Gasly and rookie Franco Colapinto finishing 12th and 18th, respectively. Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg ended FP2 in 13th and 14th for Kick Sauber. Haas drivers Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon languished near the bottom, with Bearman 16th and Ocon 17th.

As it stands, Russell looks poised for a strong qualifying showing, while Red Bull and Ferrari—especially Leclerc—have plenty to address before Saturday. With crashes, pace fluctuations, and a mixed-up pecking order, the Canadian Grand Prix weekend promises plenty mo

re drama ahead.