F1 Canadian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.
George Russell grabbed pole position for the Canadian GP having set an identical lap time to Max Verstappen in Q3, and duly gained top spot having set the lap time first.
Lando Norris heads an all-McLaren second row from Oscar Piastri, with Daniel Ricciardo impressing with fifth for RB – fresh from criticism by 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.
With Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso sixth and Merecedes’ Lewis Hamilton seventh, both Ferrari drivers will fight from outside of the top 10 after being dumped out in Q2, while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez starts from 16th following his Q1 exit.
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Leclerc's engine issue is really hurting him as Tsunoda gets through and into 10th. Sainz is next behind.
With a 5.4s lead, Norris is reporting that now is the time for slicks. Only Turn 2 is a risk, according to the race leader.
The Safety Car is out! This changes everything at the front!
This could be a game-changer, Sargeant is in the wall at Turn 4.
Norris stays out but Verstappen, Russell and Piastri have all stopped.
It's contact at the rear for Sargeant, who climbs out of his car.
Alonso and Hamilton both stop as well.
All the top order have fitted fresh intermediate tyres. If the rain comes now, Norris will be hoping it is a very low intensity.
Sargeant dropped it over the kerb and pirouetted into the wall. It was clumsy at best.
Norris now stops for intermediates but is passed by Verstappen and Russell.
Ricciardo serves his five-second penalty at his stop but still gets out ahead of Albon and Leclerc.
Tsunoda and Ocon are in seventh and ninth but haven't elected to stop.
Sargeant's Williams hasn't been moved an inch yet.
"What goes around, comes around. That's Miami back," Red Bull tells Verstappen.
That is in reference to Norris benefitting from a safety car on that occasion to score his maiden F1 victory.
Hamilton and Alonso's ding dong battle for fifth has somewhat gone under the radar with all of the action at the front. The pair will be on the tail of the leaders and will both firmly believe they can win this.
The safety car will be in this lap.
A gamble for Leclerc as hard tyres go on... but he isn't going anywhere.
Now he gets going after what must have been some steering wheel resets.
Verstappen pins it through the final chicane to get racing back under way.
The top order all make it through Turns one and two without problem.
Ferrari to Leclerc: "We think we've fixed the engine issue."
Good news for Russell as the stewards decide that no further action is needed with regard to his rejoin when being passed by Norris.
That gamble from Leclerc isn't paying off because the rain is falling.
Can he keep it on the track?
The rain is here, and there is a lot of it!
DRS has quickly been disabled in reaction to the change in the weather.
The onboard for Leclerc is pretty hopeless to be honest. It's ugly for Ferrari.
The dry line is still visible, but it is rapidly disappearing. Spray has returned and conditions are deteriorating.
What a move from Albon!
The Williams drive slices to the outside of Ricciardo and then to the inside of Ocon - through the middle - into the final chicane.
Move of the season, without question.
Sainz has had contact somewhere because his right front wing endplate just flew off on the exit of the hairpin.
Did he make contact with Bottas ahead?
Like at the start, the top four are largely sticking together but Hamilton has fallen two seconds back on the quartet.
The answer to the Sainz question is yes, he clipped the Sauber at the hairpin as he struggled to slow the Ferrari down.
Hang on, Hamilton is back with the leaders, now free from Alonso who ran off at the final chicane.
Pain for Leclerc, who gets shown blue flags having pitted again for inters.
Finally some positive news for Perez, who makes a move on Magnussen at the final chicane for 15th.
The dry line is appearing again, and these are the conditions in which Norris thrived earlier.
The Ferrari really isn't functioning here at all. Sainz makes a hash of the first corner and almost lets Gasly into P13.
Russell reports that only Turns one and two are unsuitable for slicks now, as DRS is activated once again.
Here's a gamble and great info for the frontrunners - Gasly goes to hard tyres!
Gasly goes straight off track but recovers. Not a great start for the slicks.
A new fastest lap of the race for Russell with a 1m23.783s.
Magnussen is the next into the pits and switches to mediums.
And a huge warning for McLaren, as Norris runs off at Turn one and slides across to the exit of Turn two. He retains his position but now has Piastri and Hamilton right on him.
By: Autosport Staff
