Canadian GP: Max Verstappen leads the way in FP2

Max Verstappen set the pace in FP2 at the Canadian Grand Prix with him looking like the man to beat in Montreal.

The Dutchman leads the standings and is looking to build his advantage this weekend, with him setting the early marker.

Indeed, it’s a bit of a contrast to Baku last weekend where he failed to top any of the timesheets, though that, of course, proved to be of little significance as he won the race.

He’ll be hoping things aren’t reversed this weekend, then, but he is looking strong, with Charles Leclerc the only man particularly close to him in FP2 as he produced a time just eight-hundredths slower than the Dutchman.

Behind them, Carlos Sainz went third fastest in the other Ferrari whilst Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso proved their class with the fourth and fifth fastest times, again suggesting they’re on for good weekends after finishing in the top ten in both FP1 and FP2.

Pierre Gasly was sixth in the AlphaTauri ahead of George Russell, who appeared to have the better set-up in the Mercedes compared to Lewis Hamilton, with the latter complaining his car was ‘undriveable’ towards the end of the session.

He’d finish outside the top ten, behind the likes of Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon in the other Alpine, with him surely pleased to get in some good running after his FP1 was hit by overheating brakes thanks to a lodged bit of paper towel.

Up next on the agenda is FP3 tomorrow afternoon.