Buzz and smiles growing after Mercedes tops Canada practice

MONTREAL : Lewis Hamilton played down an impressive practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix on Friday, but the buzz and momentum is still building around the Mercedes with the seven-times world champion back at the top of the timing sheets.

Back at one of his all-time favourite tracks it was like old times for Hamilton, a seven-timer winner at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of team mate George Russell that offered signs and a bit of hope that finally a challenger to mighty Red Bull might be emerging.

While no one in the Mercedes garage is predicting victory on Sunday there were nonetheless plenty of smiles as Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen placed sixth and team mate Sergio Perez eighth.

"The car didn't feel bad but I think we've definitely got some work to do," said Hamilton. "It's just bumpy. I think everyone's having their struggles with the bumps.

"We've just got to improve our ride control and a bit of the balance through corners and I think we'll be alright.

"Overall the car is just a step forwards and I'm definitely feeling the improvements that we got in Monaco."

The upgrades in Monaco and Barcelona led to a double podium at the Spanish Grand Prix with Hamilton finishing second and Russell third behind race winner Verstappen.

And while the Mercedes men were back on top on Friday the outfit's technical director James Allison cautioned not to read too much into the result which was as much a product of strategy and luck with the weather.

"We chose, thinking that this rain was coming a little sooner than it came, we ran our long run at the beginning of the session and our short runs at the end," explained Allison. "Everyone else did it vice-versa, so we were doing our