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.
Live Standings
Summary
Live Text
Verstappen's lead is gone and the errors of Norris and Russell are now absolved.
Safety car
Sainz is on the grass facing the wrong direction and Albon is in the wall on the opposite side of the track at Turn 7.
A big issue for Perez. His rear wing has gone and that will be his race done.
A nightmare weekend for the Mexican.
Sainz makes his way past Albon for 10th as Stroll gets through on Tsunoda for seventh.
It's Russell's turn to have a costly moment this time, clipping the Turn 8 kerb before hopping across the grass. Norris retakes second but they are now five seconds off Verstappen.
"I can't touch any kerbs, it almost knocks me out," complains Verstappen. If the chasing trio can work together, they could reel in the Red Bull.
But Norris drops to third after running ride at the hairpin, gifting Russell a chunk of extra speed on top of the DRS advantage.
Sainz is back in a car which looks like it is working. He is all over the back of Albon for 10th - those two part of a train behind seventh-placed Tsunoda.
"The ride is very bad. It's like a locked suspension again," reports Verstappen. The gap is coming down at the front once more.
Norris comes out of the pits and leads!...for all of two seconds as he has to dart across the wet part of the track to get to the racing line. Verstappen now leads by 3.9s.
In comes Norris for medium tyres. At the same time, the stewards rule no further action on his leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Tyre temperature is proving crucial, as proven by Gasly as he takes the fastest lap, Remember, he was first to pit.
"Box this lap, give it everything," is the call from McLaren to Norris.
Norris stays out again, setting another fastest lap with a 1m22.272s. He is extending his lead over Verstappen and this will be extremely close when he eventually leaves the pits.
The stops have seen Tsunoda remain in seventh, Stroll in eighth, Ocon up to ninth and Albon 10th.
Norris is now under investigation for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Verstappen returns to the track in second, as does Russell but after a very slow stop.
Verstappen and Russell pit but Norris stays out again, and sets a new fastest lap once again!
"Box, box." Verstappen is called in.
Verstappen, Russell and Norris all continue on intermediates, but Piastri and Alonso stop for slicks. They file out with Hamilton between the pair.
In fact, almost everyone is taking the chance to stop.
Norris has just set a new fastest lap of the race with a 1m23.671 and you have to think that the top order will now stop for slicks.
Ricciardo, Sainz and Perez all take on slicks now.
In comes Hamilton. He bails on a move on Piastri as Verstappen deems it too early for slicks. Mediums, it is.
Leclerc team radio: "Retire the car."
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.
Magnussen is the next into the pits and switches to mediums.
A new fastest lap of the race for Russell with a 1m23.783s.
Gasly goes straight off track but recovers. Not a great start for the slicks.
Here's a gamble and great info for the frontrunners - Gasly goes to hard tyres!
Russell reports that only Turns one and two are unsuitable for slicks now, as DRS is activated once again.
The Ferrari really isn't functioning here at all. Sainz makes a hash of the first corner and almost lets Gasly into P13.
The dry line is appearing again, and these are the conditions in which Norris thrived earlier.
Finally some positive news for Perez, who makes a move on Magnussen at the final chicane for 15th.
Pain for Leclerc, who gets shown blue flags having pitted again for inters.
Hang on, Hamilton is back with the leaders, now free from Alonso who ran off at the final chicane.
The answer to the Sainz question is yes, he clipped the Sauber at the hairpin as he struggled to slow the Ferrari down.
Like at the start, the top four are largely sticking together but Hamilton has fallen two seconds back on the quartet.
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?
By: Autosport Staff
