Formula 1 is back in Canada, in Montreal for the second consecutive year after the 2020-2021 break. The Circuit named after Gilles Villeneuve has a special place in the hearts of all enthusiasts, and also of drivers eager to test themselves, after a week's stop, on the track created on the artificial island of Notre-Dame. Many questions and still few answers, considering that we are at the beginning of the weekend. But let's see what happened - or rather didn't happen, in FP1 which ended with the best time of Valtteri Bottas followed by Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. A truly particular classification but the result of an electrical problem with the cameras which prevented the drivers from taking to the track after the first red flag.
This is how you arrive in Canada
The weather is uncertain for this weekend too, and it could change the cards on the table. On the Canadian circuit there are several teams that have brought different measures, but one above all has brought a rather substantial package of updates, namely theAston Martin. The team has declared that it has great ambitions, aiming for a double podium, but will have to contend with the Mercedes. Ferrari, further back, needs to find a good pace after the debut of the SF-23 Evo in Spain and the mysterious problems experienced by Leclerc. For this weekend, the Monegasque wanted to pay homage to Gilles Villeneuve, with a helmet which almost faithfully reproduces the historic design of the Canadian pilot who died 41 years ago.
It starts with a red flag
FP1 starts immediately with a red flag caused by Pierre Gasly who, unable to engage the gears, is forced to stop on the side of the track. After a few attempts by the Frenchman, the race direction decided to suspend the session to recover the car, calling the other drivers to the pits. There were also those, like Mercedes, who had to bring Hamilton and Russell's cars back to the pits by hand because they stopped at the traffic lights as soon as the red flag came out. At the time of the interruption, the driver who had set the fastest lap was Valtteri Bottas in 1'18"728 ahead of the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Own There is particular attention on Aston Martins given the major updates that the team decided to immediately mount on both single-seaters.
The problems don't end
With no activity on the track – even due of another electrical problem, relating to the CCTV cameras which stole all the remaining time – attention shifts to the news on the Power Unit side. In particular, the Maranello team decided to take advantage of a fresh internal combustion engine for both drivers, reaching unit number 3 of the 4 allowed by the updated regulation.
FP1 ends with the engines off, 10 minutes from time and with one standings in half considering that most of the drivers didn't actually hit the track. Precisely for this reason the second free practice session, which will start early, at 22pm to make up for at least half an hour of the session that was not held.
