Verstappen opens weekend in Canada fastest in first free practice
Published on 13 June 2025 by Florence Cobben
Max Verstappen has a flying start to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, setting the fastest time in the first free practice. With a time of 1:13.193, the Oracle Red Bull Racing-driver goes a fraction faster than surprisingly dominant Williams-drivers Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz, in a session interrupted by a crash from Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
It’s dry and sunny, with an air temperature of seventeen degrees celsius at the start of the first free practice on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal, Canada. The drivers have their elbows out at the start of the session, forming a generous queue in the pitlane before the light goes green. Almost immediately comes an omen of the chaos to come; during the first round of flying laps Franco Colapinto spins at turn two. The Argentinian Alpine-driver wrestles control back over his car and heads once more on his way.
After an otherwise peaceful first round, Max heads for gold in the second flying lap, topping the time sheets with a 1:14.478 time. Max continues to perfect his time, but Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lando Norris find extra speed and improve on the Dutchman's efforts.
When the timer hits 15 minutes, a red flag is waved. Charles Leclerc locked up into turn three and has spun into the tyre stacks. The Ferrari slows to a halt in the middle of the track, suffering from considerable damage. Thankfully Leclerc emerges from his car uninjured, and the session resumes after ten minutes.
When the session resumes, Verstappen re-emerges onto the track on soft tyres. With a hairs-breadth separating them, Max ducks under Leclerc's time with a 1:13.863 lap. Moments later, Russell goes fastest. Meanwhile, the session is raining yellow flags, as driver after driver make small detours through the grass thanks to the 'green' track.
After a brief stint in the pits, Max returns to the track on a set of fresh soft tyres, and sets a razor sharp time of 1:13.193, nestling the four-time world champion back at the top of the time sheets. The Williams drivers, Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz, are hot on his heels in second and third. The rest of the session sees no driver outperform Max's time, and he finishes the session fastest, with about 28 laps total to his name, followed by both Williams cars. Russell ends in P4, with Lewis Hamilton in fifth.
At 23:00 CET, the second free practice will commence.
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