F1 Canadian GP Live Commentary and Updates – FP3 & Qualifying
Saturday's action from the ninth round of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Following Friday’s mixed conditions, all eyes will be on the weather to see how it will impact Saturday’s action.
Lewis Hamilton put Mercedes on top during a dry FP3, with Max Verstappen and George Russell filling out the top three positions.
Qualifying starts at 9pm BST (4pm local time) in Montreal.
Live Standings
Summary
-
Leaderboard
- Russell
- Verstappen
- Norris
- Piastri
- Ricciardo
- Alonso
- Hamilton
- Tsunoda
- Stroll
- Albon
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- It's pole position for Russell, but Verstappen sets the EXACT same time to finish second
- Shock as both Ferraris are knocked out in Q2 together with Sargeant, Magnussen and Gasly
- Perez, Bottas, Ocon, Hulkenberg and Zhou are eliminated in Q1
- Hamilton tops final practice by 0.374s from Verstappen
- Qualifying starts at 9pm BST (4pm local time)
Live Text
Good afternoon and welcome to Montreal for final practice at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Unlike on Friday, the weather for this session looks favourable, although the rain is expected to strike for qualifying.
Given all of the disruption to Friday's running, it is unsurprising that the fastest man of the weekend so far, Fernando Alonso, is eyeing up a "gamble" that could bring success.
Continuing weather talk, there is a band of rain approaching the circuit which is due to arrive at 4pm. However, the risk of it actually striking is reducing - 20% chance is the figure currently being banded about.
McLaren showed strong pace in FP1 with Norris topping the order. Could a second career victory be on the cards this weekend?
Verstappen was relegated to a spectator role for much of FP2 after a suspected electrical issue forced him back into the garage. The Red Bull driver has time to make up with McLaren and Ferrari breathing down his team's neck.
He is, however, "concerned" about the implications of the problem.
Less than two minutes to go and we will have cars on the track.
Final practice is go!
The queue at the end of the pitlane is made up of the vast majority of the field - although it was headed by the two Red Bull drivers.
Medium tyres are the early favourite compound, although Piastri and Norris have opted for hard rubber.
Such is the slow pace with which the drivers are exiting the pitlane, Verstappen has begun his first hot lap while some drivers are still making their way onto the track.
Currently, only the two Haas drivers have been kept in the garage.
A snap of oversteer costs Verstappen and it is instead Perez who goes to the top of the times in the opening exchanges - a 1m18.096s is the early target.
But there's Gasly! A rare moment at the top for Alpine this year as he puts in a 1m16.412s.
Having scrubbed their hard tyres with an installation lap, both McLaren drivers have now switched to the medium compound.
Red flag! Zhou has lost the rear of his Sauber and has made contact with the barriers on the outside of Turn 2.
That is the second red flag that Zhou has caused this weekend after striking the walls in the wet conditions on Friday.
Replays show how Zhou lost the rear through Turn 1 and was helpless to avoid heading to the scene of the incident.
"I have no idea what is happening. It's just so strange. The car just locked up the rears."
While we wait for green flag running to resume, the FIA is ready to listen to team concerns about Formula 1’s 2026 car plans, and will likely make changes to the rules over the next months to improve them.
After a quick cleanup, the cars are now headed back onto the track.
Before the first laps in the resumed session land, let's just take a moment to praise Alpine for the 1-2 the team currently enjoys, with Gasly leading Ocon.
But that has now changed, with Verstappen making the final chicane this time and crossing the line with a 1m15.495s.
Perhaps highlighting that the times shouldn't be paid much attention at this stage, Magnussen moves up to P2, although 0.7s back on Verstappen.
Albon just about keeps his Williams moving after having a snap of oversteer and running across the grass at the Turn 8-9 chicane. He questions if there is something wrong with the brakes as 'everything feels off'.
Bottas too makes use of some of the runoff when being somewhat baulked by a McLaren on a slow lap.
To the top goes Alonso with a 1m14.870s. Verstappen is on a flyer at the moment though...
But Alonso remains at the top as Verstappen bails into the pitlane.
Here come the McLarens. Norris and Piastri are P3 and 5, the pair split by a recent Magnussen time.
For the first time this weekend, Stroll is up with Alonso, as he jumps up to P3. He is, however, 0.561s off team-mate Alonso.
As Norris climbs to second, it appears we are about to see some long runs before the final qualifying simulations. With Friday running extremely limited, there is a lot to be done during this hour.
As we say that, not only does Ricciardo pop up into second, but Alonso has lowered the top time to 1m14.445s.
Verstappen appears to be nearing the end of his long run on medium tyres. With 10 laps in the bank, his times are considerably off the best that we've seen so far.
Soft tyres, and Sargeant launches his Williams to the top with a 1m14.355s. Now, we will begin to get a clearer picture.
Interestingly, Sainz was unable to better Sargeant, and went only P3.
It's now Russell at the top with a 1m14.279s. Only 0.076s faster than Sargeant though...
Albon will be next to complete his soft tyre run, and there are a fair amount of purple micro sectors. He goes fastest and is the first driver into the 1m13s, with a 1m13.975s.
But Leclerc immediately follows up with a better effort of his own, lowering the barrier by several tenths to 1m13.581s....and there's Hamilton, with a 1m13.464s! The times really are tumbling!
Norris is next up and goes purple in sector two, although Hamilton remains fastest in sector one.
Norris drops into second, falling short by 0.011s only.
Looking away from the top of the order, Perez is currently second last, with only Zhou - who is out of the session - slower.
By: Autosport Staff
