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Formula 1
Canadian GP
F1 Canadian GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race day
Minute-by-minute updates for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal
F1 returns to the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal this weekend for the first time since 2019, following two years of COVID-19 enforced cancellations.
Max Verstappen emerged victorious at last weekend's Azerbaijan GP as the Dutchman headed a Red Bull 1-2, as mechanical frailties struck Ferrari and title contender Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen, who starts the Canadian GP from pole position, has a 21-point championship lead over team-mate Sergio Perez, while Leclerc is third having slipped 34 points adrift.
Leclerc will aim to fight back from the last row on the grid in Canada, having taken an engine penalty following his retirement in Baku last time out.
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Summary
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- Verstappen holds off a charging Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton third
- Safety Car deployed lap 50/70 - Tsunoda crashes at Turn 2 after coming out of the pits
- Two early Virtual Safety Cars, Perez and Schumacher retire in separate incidents
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Leaderboard
- Verstappen, Red Bull
- Sainz, Ferrari
- Hamilton, Mercedes
- Russell, Mercedes
- Leclerc, Ferrari
- Ocon, Alpine
- Alonso, Alpine
- Bottas, Alfa Romeo
- Zhou, Alfa Romeo
- Stroll, Aston Martin
8 Days
11 hrs
57 min
28 sec
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Hello everyone, and welcome to our Autosport Live coverage for the Canadian Grand Prix! There's just under an hour to go until things get rolling in Montreal, and we're buckled up and ready for the late shift.
Breaking news
It was a wet old day at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, but it's shaping up to be a dry one today. For Charles Leclerc, who starts on the back row, it's going to be a tough ask to get a podium today - but there's a chance.
Now into his third year of F1, Nicholas Latifi will now experience his first home race. To celebrate this event, he will take place next to the large vat of butterscotch pudding - as is indeed tradition.
Let's have a quick recap of qualifying: Verstappen took pole having largely looked a cut above the rest across all three of yesterday's sessions, as Alonso had great pace in the wet to grab his first front row start since 2012.
Sainz had a bit of a slide on the final corner of his last lap, which means he starts third - but helpfully, his opposite number Perez hit the wall in Q2 and thus starts P13.
Hamilton starts fourth, and it's an all-Haas third row as the American team made the most of the opportunity. Ocon, Russell - after a slick gamble failed at the end of Q3 - Ricciardo and Zhou complete the top 10.
Bottas and Albon were knocked out in Q2, with Perez, Norris (who struggled with a PU issue) and Leclerc dispatched too. Leclerc starts 19th, ahead of Tsunoda on the back row.
Gasly was one of Q1's big scalps, as neither Vettel or Stroll could progress past the first session despite Aston Martin looking good in practice.
That's basically qualifying in a nutshell - but with dry conditions, the order could be mixed up once more.
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So, a tantalising prospect for a front row - Verstappen vs Alonso. In 2001, this was a back-of-the-grid battle; in 2022, it's something very different. And surprising.
Will Alonso have a go, or will Verstappen see him off? Will Sainz factor in the battle? Will Stevens won the LMP2 category at Le Mans. How many times have I done this joke over the years?
10 minutes to go, so it's not long until the Canadian Grand Prix is aboot to get going eh.
We've got the cringe out of the way, let's focus up on what could be a fascinating race. Risk of rain stands at 0%, and it's a temperate 20 degrees C out there.
Breaking news
Tyre news: everyone on mediums EXCEPT Bottas, Perez, Norris, Stroll and Leclerc.
Green flag
The formation lap gets under way! Let the anticipation build...
"Let's go baby, let's get some good points," Alonso's engineer says.
Lights out
And the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix is go!
Verstappen holds off from Alonso off the start, as Sainz goes with them. Hamilton and Magnussen having a lovely little battle into Turn 3, as Schumacher drops a spot to Ocon.
At the back Leclerc has made up a spot on Latifi, as has Tsunoda, which puts the Canadian to the back of the pack.
Russell makes a smart move up the inside of Schumacher at the hairpin on the opening lap to take seventh place off the Haas driver.
Hopes of Alonso nicking the lead from Verstappen have evaporated pretty quickly, as the Alpine driver has a mirror full of Sainz.
Bottas has an off-track moment at the final corner and drops behind Perez and Albon and into 13th place as a result.
Bottas has bonked the bollard at Turn 14 which could get him in trouble with the race stewards. The debris is picked up by the marshals so no immediate trouble.
Sainz breezes past Alonso with DRS on lap 3, and now has to get after Verstappen now.
Gasly is struggling with a car issue and has dropped down to 18th place behind Leclerc.
"We have small front wing damage, but it's having little effect," Magnussen is told. Russell's catching the Haas, however.
Sainz has now stabilised the gap to Verstappen which had opened out to more than three seconds, as Russell now clears Magnussen to get fifth.
Pit stop
Both Gasly and Vettel pit at the end of lap five, which is extremely early without a time-saving safety car.
Breaking news
It's a black and orange flag for Magnussen, which will be a big hit as Haas will have to change that.
Zhou dives ahead of Ricciardo at the hairpin to take ninth place to cement his strong start to the race.
Bottas has been shown the black and white flag for that first lap Turn 14 discretion.
Stopwatch
After starting with a bit of graining, Sainz is closing Verstappen down a bit now and does a 1m17.974s. The Red Bull responds with a 1m17.828s, however.
Mechanical problem
Leclerc has benefitted from those early pitters to climb to 14th place - make that 13th as Perez is crawling to a halt with an engine issue!
Pit stop
Magnussen pits for a new front wing, and gets new medium tyres as well. That puts him to the back - a shame for the Dane.
Safety car
"I've lost the engine man, I'm stuck in gear," Perez says over team radio. The Virtual Safety Car has been deployed.
Pit stop
Verstappen immediately takes the opportunity to pit, as does Hamilton. Hard tyres for both drivers.
Mechanical problem
Perez appears to lose drive instantly and that's his race run, as he stops at Turn 8. The marshals spring into action to push the stricken Red Bull behind the barriers.
Green flag
Sainz and Alonso hence assume the top two positions as Verstappen rejoined in third. Full racing pace resumes once more.
By: autosport.com
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