Canadian GP: Max Verstappen fastest in first practice in Montreal

Max Verstappen fastest in opening practice at the Canadian GP; Carlos Sainz second for Ferrari with Fernando Alonso third for Alpine; George Russell sixth and Lewis Hamilton eighth for Mercedes; watch Practice Two live on Sky Sports F1 at 10pm, with build-up from 9.45pm

Max Verstappen was fastest in the opening practice session at the Canadian GP

World championship leader Max Verstappen made a strong start to the Canadian GP weekend as he set the fastest time of the opening practice session in Montreal.

Verstappen, seeking to add to a run of four wins in his last five races, outpaced Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by almost a quarter of a second at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with Fernando Alonso taking third for Alpine.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez was fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who many expect to take a new turbocharger at some point during the weekend that will see him incur a 10-place grid penalty.

George Russell was sixth, two places ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, with the Silver Arrows separated by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll at his home race.

More to follow…

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