Albon Crashes Out of Canadian GP FP1 After Avoiding Groundhog

Alex Albon crashed out of the only practice session ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix after swerving to avoid a groundhog on the track. The Williams driver hit the wall at Turn 7, damaging the right side and rear of the FW48, but walked away unhurt.

Why it matters:

With the third sprint race of the 2026 season this weekend, FP1 is the only practice before sprint qualifying. Albon's crash robs Williams of critical track time as they try to build on a difficult start to the year.

The details:

• Williams confirmed Albon was unable to avoid the animal. Sky Sports commentator David Croft noted a replay might not be shown due to a "marmot" being involved.
• The team now faces a repair job, with engineers and mechanics led by James Vowles assessing the damage. Albon's helmet was cleaned by his trainer.
• Prior to the crash, Albon had set the ninth-fastest time in FP1 — a promising sign for a team still recovering from a delayed build of the FW48.
• This comes after a tough start to 2026: Williams missed private testing in Barcelona, arrived in Bahrain on the back foot, and scored their first double points in Miami with a major upgrade.

What's next:

Albon will miss crucial setup time before sprint qualifying later today. He currently sits 17th in the drivers' standings with just one point, making every session vital for Williams' recovery.

• The Grove team will need to repair the car quickly and hope Albon can still extract performance in the sprint race.
• For now, the focus is on damage control and making sure the FW48 is ready for qualifying.