Kimi Antonelli fastest in incident-hit Canadian Grand Prix practice as Mercedes impress

[p]The 19-year-old Italian, chasing a fourth win ‌in a row, lapped the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a ‌best time of one minute 13.402 seconds in ‌bright sunshine and cool conditions.[/p][p]Team mate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]George Russell[/a], last year's winner in Montreal and seeking to regain momentum after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a]'s ‌sizzling start to the season, was ⁠second fastest and 0.142 ‌slower.[/p][p]The Briton ended his session with a spin at Turn ​Two and glanced against the barrier, bringing out yellow flags.[/p][p]Ferrari's seven-times world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] ​was third fastest, ahead of team mate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a], with Red Bull's four-times champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a] fifth.[/p][p]McLaren's reigning ⁠champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] ​was sixth fastest, with team mate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] seventh.[/p][embed guid="abe892da-5e7a-4da7-bd7f-c4b5089dab74" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2057882470800822467" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 60-minute session, the only practice before sprint qualifying later on Friday, was interrupted by three red flags and ‌then extended to make up for lost track time.[/p][p]Racing Bulls' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lawson-liam/nap8RjeO/"]Liam Lawson[/a] stopped on track after losing power steering nine minutes into the session, causing the first stoppage.[/p][p]Williams' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/albon-alexander/OEbwYC7k/"]Alex Albon[/a] then crashed at Turn Seven after he was unable to avoid a groundhog, bringing out the second red flag.[/p][p]A final stoppage came five minutes from the end after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ocon-esteban/nZKY1D4O/"]Esteban Ocon[/a] stopped ‌on track.[/p][p]Racing Bulls' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindblad-arvid/bgk1rl5a/"]Arvid Lindblad[/a] was a surprise eighth ​fastest, with Audi's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hulkenberg-nico/GfW4SMu7/"]Nico Hulkenberg[/a] ninth and Aston ‌Martin's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-fernando/rVRhR90U/"]Fernando Alonso[/a] completing the top 10.[/p][p]Mercedes brought heavily revised aerodynamic components to Montreal, targeting improved downforce and flow structure, after rivals McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull introduced upgrades at Miami earlier this ⁠month.[/p][p]Qualifying for the points-paying ⁠Saturday sprint follows ‌later on Friday.[/p]