Kimi Antonelli tops Canadian GP FP1 as Mercedes dominates disrupted session

Kimi Antonelli headed a Mercedes one-two to kick off the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, with FP1 marred by three red flags and two FIA extensions.

The session offered the first look at Mercedes' upgraded W17, as the Silver Arrows aim to reclaim form in 2026. McLaren and Red Bull brought further updates, while Ferrari did not. This Sprint weekend meant FP1 was the only practice, originally 60 minutes but extended after delays.

Why it matters:

Antonelli’s early pace reinforces Mercedes’ resurgence, while the chaotic session highlighted reliability and track limit issues that could shape the race weekend. With a Sprint format, teams have limited time to dial in setups, making FP1 performance a critical indicator.

The details:

• Red flag 1: Liam Lawson parked his Racing Bulls car with a loss of power steering. The FIA extended FP1 by four minutes.
• Red flag 2: Alex Albon crashed heavily at Turn 6/7 after hitting a marmot, bringing out the medical car (Albon uninjured). Another extension added 15 minutes.
• Red flag 3: Esteban Ocon lost control and clattered the wall, losing his front nose. He returned to pits with a damaged Haas.
• Top times: Antonelli led with a 1:14.4, ahead of George Russell (0.15s back). Charles Leclerc was third, almost a second off. Max Verstappen struggled with downshifts and was fourth.
• Issues: Franco Colapinto suffered a power unit problem early; Valtteri Bottas reported an unknown issue. Ocon faces a post-session investigation for potentially leaving pit lane under red light.

What's next:

Free practice data is limited before Sprint qualifying. Mercedes look strong, but Red Bull and McLaren may close the gap overnight. The new FIA rear lights system for MGU-K derating also debuted without major controversy.