Red Bull’s Max Verstappen opened Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix weekend atop the timesheets as he led the way during Friday’s first practice session – the first time this season that the Dutchman has topped a session.
Verstappen, who on Thursday rejected suggestions that he should change his driving style, posted a lap of 1:13.302 on Pirelli’s Hypersoft tyres in warm and sunny conditions at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Points leader and reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton was second-quickest, just 0.088s behind, as he clocked his fastest effort on the purple-banded Ultrasoft compound.
Monaco victor Daniel Ricciardo was next up while Sebastian Vettel hauled himself up to fourth late on, above Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen, as the usual six drivers occupied the leading positions.
McLaren’s Fernando Alonso headed proceedings during the quiet opening half hour before he was shuffled down to seventh by the time the chequered flag was flown.
Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jr. finished eighth in a session that proved frustrating for team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, who stopped exiting the hairpin half an hour in amid a suspected gear selection issue.
Hulkenberg’s stranded R.S.18 required the session to be halted and he finished without a timed lap to his name.
Stoffel Vandoorne and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10, the Toro Rosso driver leading compatriots Esteban Ocon and Romain Grosjean.
Sauber pair Marcus Ericsson, via a spin through Turn 8, and Charles Leclerc placed 13th and 14th respectively, in front of Kevin Magnussen.
Brendon Hartley had a grassy excursion at Turn 1 on his way to 16th spot, while both Williams drivers encountered setbacks as the team’s challenging 2018 campaign continued.
Sergey Sirotkin spun at Turn 6 late on – making light rear-end contact with the barriers – while home representative Lance Stroll brushed the Wall of Champions and sustained a right-rear puncture.
Stroll finished half a second down on team-mate Sirotkin, with Force India tester Nicholas Latifi slowest of those who recorded a timed lap, almost a second adrift of the Williams driver.
Latifi’s appearance behind the wheel of Force India’s VJM11 was his first at a Grand Prix weekend as he took over Sergio Perez’s car for the session on home soil.
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