Red Bull's Max Verstappen quickest in Montreal first practice for Canadian Grand Prix, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fifth

18.06.2022 - 00:07 eurosport.com

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fastest at the first practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Verstappen will be looking to extend his lead in the 2022 drivers’ championship after winning at last week’s Grand Prix in Baku.

Ad/> The current champion’s teammate, Sergio Perez was in fourth, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in fifth. Canadian Grand PrixVerstappen blames F1 teams for their porpoising issues and claims it's their ‘fault’7 HOURS AGO Ferrari were looking to put the disappointment of last weekend behind them after Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both suffered early retirements.

The Spanish Ferrari driver took second. However they are still enduring problems with Leclerc likely to need a power unit replacement, which would then incur a grid penalty.

Leclerc had already received a new ICE (engine), along with Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, with the latter suffering a smoking front right brake, leading to him retiring to the pits in the early moments of the session.

FIA practice Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Sergio Perez Esteban Ocon Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Kevin Magnussen Spain Baku

Max Verstappen will start on pole in the Canadian Grand Prix after his dominant display throughout qualifying in tricky conditions. However, despite leading the drivers' championship and without the threat of Charles Leclerc in Montreal, the Dutchman is still aware of the danger that the experienced Spaniard, Fernando Alonso, can pose. Ad/> The 40-year-old Alonso has made it clear that he is going to “attack” Verstappen at the first corner and attempt to take advantage of his first front-row start since 2013.

Max Verstappen takes pole position for Canadian Grand Prix

In an intriguing and entertaining qualifying session, the 24-year-old Dutchman clocked a best lap in one minute and 21.299 seconds, beating nearest rival two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Alpine by seven-tenths of a second. Verstappen will start his 150th race from the prime start place after claiming his 15th pole in pursuit of a 26th career victory. His pole ends a run of four in a row by title rival Charles Leclerc who starts Sunday's race from the back of the grid after taking a new power unit on his Ferrari.

'I think I will attack Max on the first corner' - Fernando Alonso plans Verstappen challenge at Canadian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso celebrated a return to the front row after qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix by planning an early attack on pole sitter Max Verstappen. The current world champion was quickest in his Red Bull in difficult conditions as standing water and heavy rain gave way to a track with better visibility, but patches of track posed plenty of danger, as Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez and Mercedes’ George Russell discovered.