Fernando Alonso crash sparks Canadian GP sprint qualifying red flag

Fernando Alonso brought Canadian Grand Prix sprint qualifying to a halt after crashing his Aston Martin into a barrier, marking the fourth red flag of a chaotic day at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The two-time champion locked up his front-left brake entering Turn 2 and slid straight into the TecPro barrier, ending his session early.

Why it matters:

The incident underscores the treacherous conditions and high attrition rate during the sole practice and sprint qualifying sessions in Montreal. With multiple crashes, teams face a repair backlog ahead of qualifying and the race, potentially reshuffling the grid.

The details:

• Alonso was 14th on the timesheet when he lost control. His radio message: "Yeah, sorry. Lock up, mate."
• Earlier in practice, Liam Lawson stopped with a hydraulics failure; Alex Albon crashed after hitting a marmot; Esteban Ocon also hit the wall.
• Lawson and Albon sustained significant damage and did not take part in sprint qualifying.
• The repeated red flags disrupted track time, leaving some drivers with minimal running.

What's next:

Sprint qualifying resumed after Alonso's crash was cleared. With damaged cars and limited data, teams must regroup quickly. The full qualifying session later today will be critical for grid positions.