In Canada we go back to basics, 90 minute free practice for FP2 on track at the Montréal Gilles Villeneuve circuit. And no, not because Domenicali came to his senses, but because during the first testing session two red flags reduced his track time to six minutes. First a failure on Pierre Gasly's car number 10, and then a problem with the internal closed circuit cameras on the Canadian track.
We almost don't leave
20 minutes from the scheduled start of FP2 no reassuring news arrives from the circuit, In fact, the problems with the cameras which would have synchronization problems encountered in the first session of the weekend, sending the images late to the race direction, do not appear to have been resolved. The fallback option? Use cameras located at the side of the track. Fortunately, however, ten minutes from the traffic lights, the FIA assured that the problems had been resolved and a backup plan had already been envisaged in the event of further breakdowns.
The first 30 minutes in Canada: the 27 smokes…
A first half hour in Canada which for the teams feels like a first session, which it is, in practice.
Everyone enters the track with red tires except the two Red Bull drivers, the two Aston Martins and Logan Sargeant. The reds continue on the red (excuse the pun) in search of a qualifying performance, the same plan also at Red Bull with Max trying to steal the fastest lap from the two Ferrari drivers. Different plan for the two Mercedes, who work on the long run with a reassuring race pace of 1.18.500. As soon as the reds are on, Max only manages to sneak into the reds, 74 thousandths behind Leclerc's time, before the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg complained of engine problems. A gust of smoke comes out of his rear and the red flag is immediately displayed. There's an hour to go until the end of the session and the rain seems to be approaching.
Canada, land of red flags
We start again, there is only time for Perez to tail off and almost put his RB19 against the wall, before seeing a red flag again. This time the cause is Ocon's Alpine, which is asked by the pit wall to stop the car. Two sessions, two problems for the French team. The two Aston Martins in ninth and tenth place seem anonymous, but there is a lot of confidence in the team of home protégé Lance Stroll, due to the updates brought this weekend. The schedules are reversed with Ferrari and Red Bull testing the race pace, the two silver arrows go in search of time. They placed in front of everyone, finding the lap on a more rubberized track with half an hour to go.
Ferrari's race pace is good and seems more stable than its two rivals Aston Martin and Mercedes. However, Sainz was fluctuating, complaining at the beginning of the session that he had little feeling with the car and who attempted with the team to vary the aerodynamic load to find the right balance.
The only one wearing white for the last 20 minutes of the long run is the Ferrari... the rain didn't have to be repeated twice, the Ferrari with the whites just means that it's time to fall. 15 minutes from the end the first drops arrive Canadian circuit.
In FP2 Canada the Mercedes prevail
The result of this long free practice session is not at all obvious, in the last few minutes the track becomes almost undriveable without wet tyres, only Lando Norris remains on the track probably to prepare for what promises to be a wet and hotly contested qualifying. One minute from the red light the drivers take to the track for some starting tests, but the rain prevents them from completing FP2 safely in Canada.
The check Lewis Hamilton, followed by his teammate. Carlos Sainz in third place, fourth Fernando Alonso fifth Leclerc, sixth Verstappen and below Bottas, Perez, Stroll and Gasly closes the top 10.
A follow Piastri, Magnussen, Norris, Zhou, Tsunoda, De Vries, Albon, Ocon, Logan Sargeant and Nico Hulkenberg.
