Canadian GP: Kimi Antonelli tops Mercedes team-mate George Russell in chaotic practice featuring three red flags | F1 News

World championship leader Kimi Antonelli maintained his superb form by outpacing his team-mate George Russell in Canadian Grand Prix practice as Mercedes produced an ominous display with their upgraded car.

Having won each of the first four races of the season, Mercedes delivered a statement showing in the sole practice session of the weekend after bringing their first major upgrade package of the year in Montreal, establishing themselves as heavy favourites for Sprint Qualifying later on Friday.

Antonelli, who has won the last three races to establish a 20-point lead over Russell at the top of the standings, topped his team-mate by 0.142s, with Lewis Hamilton almost eight tenths of a second back from the Italian in third for Ferrari.

The result places further pressure on Russell going into the remainder of the weekend, with the pre-season favourite having arrived at a circuit where he was victorious last year hoping to halt the 19-year-old’s momentum.

Instead, the Brit was outpaced and perhaps showed some desperation in the closing stages of the session as he spun off track and tapped a barrier, but avoided significant damage and was able to get his car back to the pit lane.

There were three red-flag stoppages during the action-packed session, the first caused by the Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson stopping with a technical issue, the second by Alex Albon crashing his Williams after unfortunately hitting a groundhog, and the third by Esteban Ocon shunting into the barriers at high speed after losing control of his Haas.

A total of 19 extra minutes were added to the session to make up for the time lost as the track was cleared under the first two red flags.

Hamilton was almost two tenths clear of his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in fourth, with Max Verstappen just behind the Monegasque in fifth.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris was 1.3s off Antonelli’s pace in sixth, with his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri a further couple of tenths back in seventh.

McLaren added a significant haul of upgrades to the package they brought last time out in Miami, but errors for both drivers during their attempts at flying laps made it difficult to pinpoint just how far behind Mercedes they are.

Franco Colapinto was unable to set a time for Alpine as a power unit issue restricted him to just one lap in the early stages of the session.

Sky Sports F1’s Canadian GP schedule

Friday May 22
6.55pm: F2 Qualifying*
7.40pm: Team Bosses’ Press Conference*
9pm: Canadian GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 9.30pm)*
10.55pm: F1 Academy Qualifying*

Saturday May 23
2.40pm: F1 Academy Race 1
4pm: Canadian GP Sprint build-up
5pm: CANADIAN GP SPRINT
6.30pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
7pm: F2 Sprint*
8.10pm: Canadian GP Qualifying build-up*
9pm: CANADIAN GP QUALIFYING*
11pm: F1 Academy Race 2*
11.45pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday May 24
3.40pm: F1 Academy Race 3
5pm: F2 Feature Race
7.30pm: Canadian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
9pm: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX*
11am: Canadian GP reaction: Chequered Flag*
12am: Ted’s Notebook*

*Also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 is in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and another Sprint weekend. Watch live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 9pm. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime