Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen moved ahead during an incident-filled second practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix on Friday afternoon, as several drivers spun in tricky low-grip conditions.
Räikkönen, on Ultrasoft tyres, registered a time of 1:12.935, 0.215s quicker than Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who clocked the best lap in the morning session.
Sebastian Vettel finished third quickest, with Valtteri Bottas fourth, both drivers spinning during their longer runs, the title leader at Turn 6 and the Mercedes driver at Turn 1.
Max Verstappen finished fifth, within a tenth of Bottas, and less than half a second down on pace setter Räikkönen, but Red Bull encountered problems for both cars.
Verstappen came to a halt with 20 minutes remaining, smoke trailing from his engine, with the position of his stricken RB13 causing the session to be red-flagged.
Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, completed only eight laps amid a suspected engine problem, having slowed on track before returning to the pits.
Felipe Massa finished sixth, a second behind Räikkönen, while Fernando Alonso vaulted up the order during the closing stages to take seventh place, completing his Ultrasoft run far later than his rivals.
Alonso missed the first half of the session as work was undertaken on his MCL32, following the hydraulics problem which halted his car earlier in the day.
Force India duo Esteban Ocon and Sergio Pérez took eighth and 10th, the Mexican looping his VJM10 at Turn 2 late on.
Daniil Kvyat split the Force India drivers, spinning at Turn 1 before having a wild moment through Turn 6, taking to the grass as a result.
Romain Grosjean collected 11th spot but his session was punctuated by a trio of spins, the first two at Turn 6 on successive laps.
Grosjean later rotated his Haas at Turn 2, prompting him to comment “what the hell is going on, I’m starting to be a bit fed up.”
Nico Hülkenberg was 12th, with Carlos Sainz Jr. in 13th spot, as he retrieved lost time after missing the bulk of the first session due to an engine failure.
Kevin Magnussen placed 14th, in front of the stricken Ricciardo and Renault’s Jolyon Palmer.
Home runner Lance Stroll was a low-key 17th, his best time coming on Supersofts, while Marcus Ericsson brushed the wall exiting the final chicane en route to 18th spot.
Stoffel Vandoorne spun at the final chicane as he finished in 19th position, his quickest time coming on Softs, leaving Pascal Wehrlein to round out the field.
Discussion about this post