Antonelli tops chaotic Canadian GP FP1 as session is disrupted

Kimi Antonelli opened the Canadian Grand Prix sprint weekend on May 22 by setting the fastest time in the only practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where Mercedes finished one-two with George Russell second. Lewis Hamilton was third for Ferrari after a session Formula1.com said was interrupted by three red flags. Alex Albon did not make it to sprint qualifying after Williams said damage from hitting a groundhog in practice was too severe to repair in time. (formula1.com) The result put Mercedes at the top of the timing screens in Montreal at the start of a compressed sprint-format weekend, where teams had only one hour of running before parc fermé conditions and qualifying. (apnews.com) Antonelli, who Formula1.com said arrived with a 20-point championship lead over Russell, used Mercedes' upgraded package to post a 1 minute 13.402 seconds lap. ### How quick was Antonelli, and who was closest to him? Antonelli's 1:13.402 left him a little more than one-tenth of a second clear of Russell, according to Formula1.com. Hamilton was more than seven-tenths off the pace in third, with Mercedes the clear standout team in the limited running available. (formula1.com) Formula1.com said the session was the sole free practice of the weekend because Montreal was hosting the sprint format. That made every interruption more costly, with teams losing setup time before competitive running began later the same day. (formula1.com) ### Why did the session keep stopping? Three red flags interrupted the hour, according to Formula1.com. The stoppages turned the session into a series of short bursts rather than a continuous run plan, leaving drivers to chase representative laps whenever the track reopened. (formula1.com) F1i described the session as disrupted and incident-filled, matching Formula1.com's account of repeated stoppages in Montreal. The interruptions limited long-run work and left the final classification built around brief windows of clean track. (formula1.com) ### What happened to Alex Albon and the groundhog? Alex Albon crashed after striking a groundhog during practice and Williams later withdrew him from sprint qualifying. Reuters reported that the impact caused extensive damage, and the team said in a statement that, "Following the incident in FP1 involving wildlife on track, Alex will not run in this afternoon's sprint qualifying session." (formula1.com) RACER reported the incident happened as Albon exited Turn 7, when the animal tried to cross the circuit from the outside of the corner. The contact damaged the left side of the Williams and ended his only practice session early. (f1i.com) ### Why did FP1 matter more than usual in Montreal? Montreal's sprint schedule meant the May 22 practice session was the only unrestricted hour for teams to evaluate balance, tires and upgrades before qualifying. Formula1.com said Mercedes made the most of that window immediately, with Antonelli quickest from Russell. (thestar.com.my) Formula1.com also reported ahead of the weekend that teams had brought circuit-specific updates to Canada, including brake-cooling changes suited to Montreal's demands. That made the lost track time more significant for teams still trying to understand new parts. (racer.com) ### What came next after practice? George Russell turned Mercedes' practice speed into sprint pole later on May 22, with Antonelli second on the grid, according to the Associated Press. That left Mercedes occupying the top two spots again after leading FP1 earlier in the day. The sprint race was scheduled for Saturday, May 23, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with Antonelli, Russell, Hamilton and the rest of the field returning after a Friday shaped by red flags, repairs and a shortened preparation window. (formula1.com) (apnews.com) (formula1.com)