NORRIS HEADS RAIN-AFFECTED FIRST PRACTICE SESSION IN MONTRÉAL

Norris Shines in Rain-Affected First Practice Session in Montréal

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montréal witnessed an electrifying start to the Formula 1 weekend as rain swept over the track, turning the first practice session into a thrilling showcase of skill and adaptability. Amongst the chaos of the wet conditions, it was McLaren's rising star, Lando Norris, who emerged as the standout performer, setting the pace and demonstrating his prowess in tricky circumstances.

As the cars took to the track under a canopy of gray skies, the rain-soaked asphalt presented a formidable challenge for the drivers, testing their ability to find grip and maintain control at high speeds. With visibility reduced and puddles forming in key braking zones, every lap became a delicate dance between caution and aggression.

In the midst of this watery chaos, Norris wasted no time in asserting his dominance, consistently setting quick lap times and showcasing his supreme confidence in the slippery conditions. The young British driver's performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he navigated the treacherous track with precision and flair, much to the delight of the spectators and fans alike.

Norris's success in the rain is a testament to his growing maturity and adaptability as a driver. Despite his relative youth in the sport, he displayed the poise and skill of a seasoned veteran, extracting every ounce of performance from his McLaren car and leaving his rivals in his wake.

However, Norris's stellar showing was not without its challenges. As the rain intensified and conditions worsened, several drivers found themselves caught out by the unpredictable nature of the track, with a number of spins and off-track excursions adding drama to an already tense session.

Nevertheless, Norris remained unfazed by the chaos unfolding around him, staying focused on the task at hand and delivering a masterclass in wet-weather driving. His performance not only bodes well for McLaren's prospects in the upcoming qualifying session and race but also solidifies his reputation as one of the sport's brightest talents.

As the rain continued to fall and the first practice session drew to a close, Norris emerged as the fastest driver of the session, a well-deserved reward for his skillful navigation of the challenging conditions. With the remainder of the weekend still to unfold, fans can look forward to more thrilling action from Norris and the rest of the Formula 1 grid as they continue to battle it out on the streets of Montréal.

McLaren's Lando Norris topped the timesheets in a stop-start opening practice session for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix that was disrupted by rain.

A heavy hail storm in the build-up to the opening hour of practice meant that although the session began on time, the pit lane remained closed while track workers cleared standing water from the newly resurfaced track.

After a wait of 21 minutes the pitlane opened and out went Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, on Intermediate Pirelli rubber. He was followed by Sauber's Valtteri Bottas on full Wets tyres, but he soon switched over the green-banded Inters when it became clear that the conditions were improving.

However, the session was soon halted, when Bottas' team-mate Zhou Guanyu aquaplaned off at Turn 5 and hit the wall on exit. The Chinese driver damaged the rear left corner of his car and the session was red-flagged.

When the session resumed, light rain had again started to fall, but it soon cleared and dry line began to form. That mean the headline times bean to fall with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda leading the way before Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc took turns at the top of the timesheet.

With a few minutes remaining and the with the track now drying quickly, Leclerc bolted on a set of Softs. He lower the benchmark at the top but then Norris appeared with a lap of 1:24.435 to steal P1.

Sainz then moved ahead of his team-mate, while Hamilton took fourth ahead of Red BUll Racing’s World Championship leader Max Verstappen. Oscar Piastri was sixth in the second McLaren, followed by Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Bottas.

Sergio Pérez, who this week signed a two-year extension to his Red Bull contract, finished ninth and the top 10 order was completed by Mercedes’ George Russell.

2024 Canadian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1

1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:24.435 8 185.937

2 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:24.763 0.328 11 185.217

3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:25.306 0.871 11 184.038

4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:25.970 1.535 11 182.617

5 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:26.502 2.067 10 181.494

6 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:26.754 2.319 7 180.966

7 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:27.584 3.149 8 179.251

8 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:27.670 3.235 11 179.076

9 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:28.058 3.623 10 178.287

10 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.541 4.106 9 177.314

11 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:28.582 4.147 9 177.232

12 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:28.723 4.288 9 176.950

13 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:29.052 4.617 8 176.296

14 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:32.826 8.391 5 169.129

15 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:33.411 8.976 4 168.070

16 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1:36.586 12.151 5 162.545

17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:40.530 16.095 4 156.168

18 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari - 4

19 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault - 3

20 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes - 4