Kimi Antonelli tops chaotic Canadian GP practice as Albon crashes after hitting marmot

Kimi Antonelli dominated a red-flag-strewn Canadian Grand Prix practice session on Friday, setting the fastest lap of 1:13.402s to finish 0.110s clear of Mercedes teammate George Russell. The session was halted three times—first for Liam Lawson's technical issue, then for Alex Albon's crash after hitting a marmot, and finally for Esteban Ocon's spin into the wall. An additional 19 minutes were added due to the stoppages.

Why it matters:

Championship leader Antonelli arrives in Montreal on a three-race winning streak, and Mercedes' strong pace—backed by a full upgrade package—suggests a serious challenge to Red Bull's dominance. With sprint qualifying later today, the practice results hint at a potential shift in the competitive order, especially as Ferrari and McLaren struggled to close the gap.

The details:

• Mercedes upgrades: Both Antonelli and Russell ran the W17's complete upgrade package, while McLaren brought the second half of its updates (first seen in Miami).
• Red flags: Lawson parked his Racing Bulls after 10 minutes with a power-steering issue, triggering the first stoppage. Albon's crash (hitting a marmot) caused the second red flag, and Ocon's late spin brought out the third.
• Ferrari struggles: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were third and fourth, but 0.774s and 0.953s off the pace respectively.
• Verstappen fifth: The four-time champion was 0.964s adrift, while McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri sat sixth and seventh, 1.4s and 1.6s behind. Piastri's best lap was on hard tires after a lock-up on softs.
• Surprises: Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), Nico Hülkenberg (Audi), and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) rounded out the top 10, with Alonso on mediums and Hülkenberg on hards.
• Bottom of the order: Franco Colapinto failed to set a time due to a power unit issue on his outlap, requiring a change before sprint qualifying.

What's next:

Sprint qualifying takes place later today, giving teams a preview of the pecking order at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mercedes looks strong, but Red Bull and McLaren will aim to recover. Given the track's low-grip surface and the risk of further interruptions, the session could once again be unpredictable.