ANTONELLI LEADS EXTENDED PRACTICE AFTER ALBON HITS GROUNDHOG AND CRASHES

Andrea Kimi Antonelli led a chaotic Montreal practice session, extended by two red flags. Mercedes rookie Antonelli set the pace with a 1’13.402, edging out teammate George Russell by 0.142 seconds, demonstrating impressive commitment through the final chicane. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc followed in third and fourth for Ferrari, with Max Verstappen only P5 after encountering traffic.

The session saw significant disruptions. Alexander Albon wrecked his Williams after an unlucky encounter with a groundhog, sending him into the wall. Later, Haas driver Esteban Ocon added to the mayhem for the American team, hitting the barrier and taking the nose off his car, triggering a third red flag. Liam Lawson also brought out an early red flag with a technical issue. Teams now face limited data, making qualifying a high-stakes affair on this tricky Canadian circuit.