Canadian GP 2022 - FP1: Verstappen on top, Sainz and Alonso very close

Max Verstappen topped the first practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, followed by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in P2 and Alpine's Fernando Alonso in P3.

Despite the heavy rain yesterday evening, and the weather forecast predicting thunderstorms for FP2 later, the conditions were fairly easy and normal for the drivers during FP1, apart from some gusts of wind being reported throughout the session.

Just a few minutes after the start of the session, FIA released the documents regarding the new PU elements used ahead of FP1, with Charles Leclerc changing pretty much all PU components, except for his turbo, avoiding a heavy grid penalty. On the other hand, Yuki Tsunoda will use a new ICE, TC, MGU-K and MGU-H, receiving a penalty, and will start this Sunday's Canadian GP from the back of the grid.

With 14 minutes having gone by, Esteban Ocon picked up some debris that seemed to cover the brake duct and caused it to overheat. The Alpine driver managed to return to the pits, with his mechanics removing the paper towel from his brake duct and went back out on the track, using a fresh medium set of tyres.

All drivers completed their fast laps in the first half of the session, with Verstappen clocking a 1:15.158 on the soft compound. Two Spaniards behind him, with Carlos Sainz in P2 and a very impressive Fernando Alonso in P3, having done his fastest lap on the medium tyre.

Sergio Perez in P3, followed by Charles Leclerc in P5 and the Mercedes pair, with George Russel in P6 and Lewis Hamilton in P8.

Both Aston Martin drivers in the top 10, with Lance Stroll in P7 and Sebastian Vettel P9, it looks like they found something on Canadian soil. McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo finished the first practice session of the weekend in P10, completing the top 10.