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On Sunday, June 9, 2024, the Canadian Grand Prix, the ninth race of the Formula 1 World Championship, takes place at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal. In the lead-up to this event, on the morning of Thursday, June 6, 2024, the FIA presents the regulations that will be in effect from the 2026 season. The cars will be 30 kg lighter than the current generation, improving efficiency and handling. They will have a minimum weight of 768 kg, consisting of 722 kg for the car and driver combined with an estimated 46 kg for the tires. Downforce has been reduced by 30% and aerodynamic drag by 55%. The power unit will have almost 300% more battery power and an even split between internal combustion and electric energy. Greater overtaking opportunities are ensured by the new Manual Override Mode, which will allow for greater use of electric energy for the trailing car; while the leading car’s power decreases after 290 km/h and is cut off at 355 km/h, the trailing car benefits from the MGU-K Override mode, providing 350 kW up to 337 km/h and an additional 0.5 MJ of energy. The 2026 cars, which will be powered 100% by sustainable fuel, will also see changes in their dimensions compared to the 2022 regulations. The wheelbase will decrease from a maximum of 3600 mm to 3400 mm, while the width has been reduced from 2000 mm to 1900 mm. The maximum floor width will also be reduced by 150 mm. The 18-inch wheels introduced in 2022 have been retained, although the front tire width has been reduced by 25 mm and the rear by 30 mm, but with minimal loss of grip. The 2026 regulations are now set to be officially ratified by the World Motor Sport Council on June 28. FIA President Mohamed Ben Sulayem said:
"Today, the FIA is defining a hugely exciting future for the pinnacle of motorsport with the launch of a comprehensive new set of regulations for the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship and beyond. Following the publication of 2026 Power Unit Regulations two years ago we have taken the opportunity to redefine the chassis regulations to match the energy requirement of the new power units. Collaborating with our partners at Formula 1 and with the assistance of the sport’s 10 teams and all our stakeholders this represents a unique revision that will ensure our premier championship is even more relevant to what is happening in the world. The Power Unit Regulations have already resulted in a record number of PU manufacturers committing to the sport. And now, in tandem with chassis regulations that provide for lighter, more agile cars featuring innovative aerodynamic solutions, we have created a set of regulations designed to not only improve racing but also to make the championship even more attractive to PU manufacturers, OEMs and existing competitors. The key features of the 2026 F1 Regulations are advanced, sustainability technology and safety. Our aim, together with Formula 1, was to produce a car that was right for the future of the sport’s elite category. We believe we have achieved that goal".
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali added:
"These regulations mark a significant moment in the future of our sport as we look forward to a new generation of car and power unit that aims to give our fans closer and exciting racing. The new sustainably fuelled hybrid power unit presents a huge opportunity for the global automotive industry, the drop in fuel has the potential to be used by cars around the world and dramatically cut emissions. Its potential is one of the key reasons why we will have a record number of engine suppliers in Formula 1 in 2026. We enter this new regulatory cycle with the sport in the strongest position it has ever been, and I am confident that the work done by the FIA to create these regulations will further strengthen the position of the sport around the world".
Commenting on the advances contained within the 2026 regulations, FIA Single Seater Technical Director Nikolas Tombazis added:
"With this set of regulations the FIA has sought to develop a new generation of cars that are fully in touch with the DNA of Formula 1 - cars that are light, supremely fast and agile but which also remains at the cutting edge of technology, and to achieve this we worked towards what we called a nimble car concept. At the centre of that vision is a redesigned power unit that features a more even split between the power derived from the internal combustion element and electrical power".
And he adds:
"On the chassis side we have managed to reduce the size and weight of the car by 30kg resulting in a much more dynamic car. In addition we are introducing two exciting new features to enhance racing - active aerodynamics to achieve very low drag on the straights and the Manual Override system that will provide drivers with an on-demand burst of battery power when close enough to the car ahead of them. Lighter, more powerful and more focused on driver skill, the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations have been designed to provide closer racing among drivers, increase the competition between teams and improve the spectacle. In addition, we have opted for a higher electrical component of the power unit, a more efficient car overall, and fully sustainable fuels, as part of our drive towards a more sustainable future for our sport".
Despite the excitement of the FIA president, the CEO of Liberty Media, and the FIA Single Seater Technical Director regarding the new regulations, Adrian Newey expresses his reservations:
"We know the general principles of what the FIA is trying to achieve, namely the desire to reach parity between the internal combustion engine and the electric component. As to whether this is a good direction or not, it’s probably best if I don't comment. There is a will to make the cars a bit lighter, but the reality is that with such a heavy power unit, there’s not much that can be done. There is also the goal of making the cars more aerodynamically efficient, a goal I totally share and support. Unfortunately, in motorsport, we suffer from the same problem as the industry: we end up working within overly prescriptive regulations. Instead of zero emissions at the exhaust, we should simply aim to make the cars less harmful to the planet. If the insistence is on zero emissions from the exhaust, the only options left on the table are hydrogen or batteries, neither of which currently achieve the performance levels we expect for Grand Prix racing. If the aim was net-zero, many possibilities would open up. Biofuels are an interesting and growing concept. It is unclear whether they will ever be fully competitive in terms of cost. But as long as the insistence is on zero at the exhaust, these things cannot be done. The FIA seems to be heavily influenced by one or two manufacturers, hoping to please them and attract others. I suppose with Audi coming in for 2026, there has been some partial success in this regard, but I am not sure it is worth the overall compromise reached. The reality is that manufacturers come and go, with the exception of Ferrari. It is the teams that are the core of the business, and then, of course, the main focus is the audience. Therefore, it is essential to offer a good show and, within this, it is proven that variety is well rewarded. If you look at IndyCar, with a number of manufacturers involved up until the 1990s, it was very popular and even began to rival F1. It has slipped into a single-make series, and its popularity has decreased".
Max Verstappen also does not seem entirely enthusiastic about the changes proposed for 2026:
"What they have done is change a bit the way energy is used on the straights, and the more simulations are done, the more everyone will understand better. With active aerodynamics, they will mainly try to circumvent the problems that were present on the straights [the feared risk was having to downshift on the straight], but if it is something controlled, I think it’s the same for everyone".
Regarding the Manual Override Mode, Verstappen jokingly references the famous banana peels and red shells from the video game Mario Kart:
"I don't know how effective it will be, maybe we need some bananas and red shells. If it works, fine, but at the moment it seems a bit hard to understand. It will depend a lot on how well you can follow the car in front, how effective the boost is, and how slow the recharge mode is. There are many things that still need to be understood well, not just by me, but by everyone who is designing or putting together the rules. Everything will work well, but it is certainly more complicated".
Meanwhile, the revolution at Alpine, initiated by team principal Bruno Famin, continues. On Friday, May 31, 2024, the French team announces the separation from Operations Director Rob White, and on Monday, June 3, 2024, from lead driver Esteban Ocon, the latter at the end of the season after five seasons. BWT Alpine F1 Team and Esteban Ocon have agreed together to part ways at the end of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, the conclusion of the Frenchman's contract with the team. It brings a five-year collaboration between the team and Esteban to a close, during which, Alpine and Esteban recorded their first Grand Prix victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, a landmark moment for the brand, the team, and Esteban himself. Esteban recorded two further podiums during his five years, achieving second place at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, his first visit to the rostrum in Formula 1, and the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix where he finished in third place. He achieved a best finish of eighth in the 2022 Drivers' Championship, contributing to the team's fourth place finish in the Constructors' Championship that year. The team looks forward to continuing its hard work with Esteban for the remainder of the 2024 season and wishes him the best in his future endeavours. The team's 2025 driver line-up will be announced in due course. In this regard, Esteban Ocon says:
"It's been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula 1. While I've been here for five years as a full-time racing driver, my professional career started at Enstone back when I was a teenager, so it will always be a special place for me. We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone at the team for these memorable times. I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, my full focus is on delivering on track for this team and having a successful remainder of the season".
While Bruno Famin, Team Principal of Alpine, thanked the French driver:
"We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years. During his time, we have celebrated some fantastic moments together, the best of which coming at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with a memorable race win. We still have 16 races to complete in 2024 together with a clear objective: to continue to work tirelessly as a team to push for the best on-track results. We wish Esteban the very best for the next chapter of his driving career when that moment comes".
These recent decisions have surprised the Formula 1 community, and some speculate a possible sale of the French team. However, Luca De Meo, president and CEO of the Renault Group, clarifies:
"I want to be very clear. There is no chance that we will give up, it's not my style. We will not sell even a part of this project. We don't need money. I have had people making offers left and right, and then talking to the press about it. But we are not interested. It would be stupid and I will not do it. Alpine should be one of the most robust F1 teams because it has the backing of the Renault Group. I don't believe we currently deserve to be a top team, but we are not in F1 to be tourists, so we need to work hard. Of course, we have made mistakes. It can happen. But I think we did well to put F1 at the center of Alpine and to paint the car blue to represent a distinctive automotive culture. This brand is entirely legitimate because it has always been competitive. But it can do much better, and I don't want to lose this opportunity".
The following day, Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Oracle Red Bull Racing is pleased to announce that Checo has committed his future to the Team with a two-year extension to his existing contract. Since joining the Team at the end of 2020, Checo has enjoyed his most successful seasons in Formula One, finishing the 2023 season in second place in the Drivers’ Championship, the first time the Team had ever achieved a one-two finish in the Championship. Checo’s points tallies have contributed to two Constructors’ World Championships for Oracle Red Bull Racing, in 2022 and 2023.
34-year-old Checo, has five race wins to his name with Oracle Red Bull Racing, 29 podium finishes, and three pole positions, including a first pole position for a Mexican driver. The Guadalajara born driver, has been dubbed the King of the Streets and the Mexican Minister of Defence, following his memorable contribution to Max Verstappen’s maiden World Championship in Abu Dhabi, 2021. Checo has become the most successful Mexican in F1 history. CEO and Team Principal, Christian Horner said:
"Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo. Continuity and stability are important for the Team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the Team in the Championship last year. Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China. The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see. Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line up and with the Team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close fought Championship this year".
Commenting, Checo said:
"I am really happy to commit my future to this great Team, it is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track. I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this Team’s great history for two more years. Being part of the Team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole Team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it. I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more Championships to win together".
This announcement definitively closes the possibility of seeing Carlos Sainz Jr. in Red Bull Racing for the 2025 season. For the Spanish driver, there are few options left, including Williams. However, Sainz Jr. says about it:
"I have seen media articles saying I had signed. It makes me laugh; months ago, they said I had signed for Mercedes or Red Bull, and now obviously, that is not the case. Now they say I have signed for Williams, and it makes me laugh. It worries me that people can get away with this kind of thing. When I have something to announce, you will be the first to know, and I will talk about it openly. I can say that all the options I have on the table are good. With whoever I have spoken to, I feel appreciated, and that makes me positive for the future".
One of the options for the Spanish driver could also be Audi. Speaking of the driver market, Valtteri Bottas admits:
"I think I need to make my decision quickly; nothing is confirmed or signed from my side yet, so there are no big updates from last week. I am still evaluating all the options, and I need to make a move soon. I am not worried, but the next two or three weeks will be interesting".
And speaking about the future German team, the Finnish driver adds:
"I have the impression that, at the moment, they want to change a lot within the team, probably the same goes for the lineup. That is how I read the situation, and they are willing to wait for a long time. But I cannot wait forever. This team is definitely still an option, but I don't think I have the time to wait too long. That is why I want to speed things up. Personally, from what I have been told over the last twelve months or so, I have always been part of the project, but lately, things have been a bit quieter, so that is why I need to try to read the situation and do my things".
Returning to the main topic, the contract renewal of Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen says he had no decisive role within the team but is nevertheless happy with the decision:
"I had no role; I am just happy that Perez has renewed, I get along well with him, and for the team, renewing his contract was the best thing to do".
And speaking of the recent performance drop of Red Bull Racing in Monaco, the Dutch driver adds:
"We knew Monaco could be difficult for us, and it is always a chaotic weekend. We have a direction to work on to improve, and we will see if we can manage it step by step; the car is fast. Here, we will also have to deal with the weather; there are tracks that suit our car better and others less so. Surely the opponents have closed the gap a bit; we will see".
Speaking of the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, Pirelli, the sole tire supplier, offers a choice between C3, C4, and C5 compounds, the softest compound types in the entire range provided by the tire supplier. Since the 2019 edition of the Grand Prix, Pirelli has always set the same type of tires for this event due to the low abrasiveness and reduced grip of the track. Simultaneously, the FIA confirms the presence of the three Drag Reduction System (DRS) zones in use since the 2018 edition of the race, when the global motorsport body decided to increase the sections where the mobile device can be used to three on the Montreal circuit, after the two zones previously used in 2011, the season when the device was introduced into the category, and from 2013 to 2017, to facilitate overtaking. Drivers can activate the rear wing on the main pit straight and the straight between Turn 12 and Turn 13, with a single detection point after Turn 9, and between Turn 7 and Turn 8, the new additional section introduced later, with a detection point between drivers placed after Turn 5. Compared to the 2023 edition, the circuit has undergone some modifications. The track has been completely resurfaced. All curbs have been replaced with new ones of the same specifications. The track surface between Turn 7 and Turn 8 has been lowered to increase the clearance between the track and the bridge to a minimum of four meters.
The opening before Turn 2 on the left side at the pit exit has been moved a few meters forward. The access road to Turns 5 and 7 has been paved. The run-off area at Turn 8 has been rebuilt with asphalt and grass, and the walls have been realigned. The grass-crete behind the curb at Turns 1, 3, and 6 has been replaced with concrete. All walls have been realigned to ensure a height of one meter. The walls at the pit lane exit on the left side have been realigned. The fence wall on the left side after Turn 11 has been raised to 3.5 meters in height. All race direction buttons have a minimum height of 2.5 meters. The white line between Turn 2 and Turn 3 on the left side has been moved 1.8 meters closer to the wall, as has the line between Turn 7 and Turn 8. Additionally, the FIA stipulates at Turn 9 and Turn 14 that any driver who passes to the left of the orange curb at the apex of both turns must stay completely to the left of the orange marker positioned at the exit of both turns and rejoin the track at the end of the asphalt run-off area. Any driver who does not correctly navigate Turn 1 must rejoin the track at the end of the asphalt in the run-off area at the entrance to Turn 2. In Montreal, the three-way battle between Scuderia Ferrari, victorious in Monaco, McLaren, which triumphed in Miami, and Red Bull Racing, which has won five of the eight races on the calendar so far, is reignited. These statistics confirm the possibility of seeing the Anglo-Austrian team win again. However, Red Bull Racing consultant Helmut Marko is not convinced that the team is truly the favorite to win in Montreal:
"After three races, the title seemed so easy, but now it's clear that it’s not. We need to concentrate all our energy. Ferrari is universally fast on all tracks and will probably be the best on the pronounced curbs that characterize the Montreal circuit. We have a problem and have realized it; we’ll see when we manage to find a solution. There will be no updates to the car until Barcelona".
Lando Norris, on the other hand, is a bit more optimistic and looking forward to getting back into action:
"Canada up next! I enjoy racing in Montréal, it's a fun track with some challenging sections which make it more exciting. Our car has performed well at a few different types of circuits, but we know we might have our work cut out in Canada. Our competitors are likely to be strong here. It was nice to have a week off after the Imola-Monaco double header. We walked away with two podiums, and a lot of points for the team. I've had productive sessions with my engineers back in the MTC, and now I'm excited to see what we can do this weekend".
His teammate, Oscar Piastri, before addressing the topic of the next Grand Prix returns to the previous one, held in Monaco:
"Monaco was special. I felt it on all three days and getting a podium in Senna colours around those streets was sensational. As a young boy back in Australia, Monaco was one that I would dream about and so, it's nice to collect some silverware from one of the classics. I've been happy with where my driving is at the moment, especially the consistency that I've shown across the last three events. Progress is never linear but I'm enjoying showing what I can do and driving this car, which the team have done such a strong job with. Hopefully in Canada, we can pick up where we left off because it's so tight at the sharp end of the grid and we want more".
While for Andrea Stella, McLaren's Team Principal, the goals for the weekend are clear:
"We are pleased to have returned to the factory from the double header with two P2 trophies. Both Lando and Oscar's strong finishes enabled us to continue securing a stronghold in our Constructors' Championship position. However, we are still towards the start of the season, so we have to work hard to ensure these results keep coming. The Circuit Gilles-Villenueve is a driver and fan favourite, and one that poses a few new challenges when compared to circuits we've raced at so far this year. We go into this year's Canadian Grand Prix more optimistic than last year's, but with the understanding that we still face a tough battle to be competitive here. Our aim is to build a car that can be consistently competitive at all types of circuit, and the team are working hard to unlock that performance".
It is inevitable for Monaco Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc to return to talk even for a moment about the last round of the season before focusing on the next step:
"I’m not really the type to have big parties, but on Sunday in Monte-Carlo I made an exception... However, by Tuesday I was already focused on the following day’s tyre test, so I don’t think I went over the top. As a driver, it’s important to reset your mind after every race and in the same way that you mustn’t let a bad race affect you, so too you mustn’t get carried away with the joy of winning. In fact my approach doesn’t change. Each Grand Prix has its own story and you have to tackle it with a clear mind. I think we will have the same scenario we have seen in the last few Grands Pris, namely us, Red Bull and McLaren all very close. It’s hard to say if I’m favourite, we will have to wait until we go out on track and maybe even then, we might not yet have a clear picture tomorrow, given that it could be wet, while, at the moment, the forecast for Saturday and Sunday is more variable. As usual, it will be important to start off on the right foot in terms of car set-up and then we will see how things evolve".
While for Carlos Sainz Jr. the focus is all on the next Grand Prix:
"I think that over the past few Grands Prix we have always executed everything very well on the Sunday, maximising the potential from our package. We have to continue like this here in Canada where once again we can expect a very close contest".
So he adds:
"From what we have seen so far this season, it’s right to consider Red Bull as favourite, but we must continue working because we have got closer and we can put them under pressure so that they don’t have such a quiet time of it, maybe forcing them into making a few mistakes. It’s an exciting and unusual track. In 2022, I fought with Max right to the very last corner and it would be nice to give Red Bull and McLaren a run for their money again this weekend".
Rightly so, Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP, while recalling the recent success in Australia and Monaco, also turns his attention to the upcoming Grand Prix, which will be important to keep the tension high and not to miss the opportunity for a possible triumph on Canadian soil:
"Earlier this season, we went to Japan on a wave of enthusiasm following Carlos’ win in Australia and now we have that same feeling in Canada off the back of Charles’ triumph in his home race in Monaco. Everyone is pumped and prepared to the maximum for this Grand Prix. The Montreal track is very different to the one in the Principality, even if there are still some slow corners. But in general, it’s much faster, requires less aerodynamic downforce and there are more opportunities for overtaking. That doesn’t mean our approach to the weekend will change in any way. We are moving in the right direction on the technical front, on our strategy calls from the pit wall and in terms of how the team is working as one. Thanks to a lot of hard work, we have managed to further close the gap to the team leading both championships, but the gaps between us, McLaren and Red Bull are very close and so the slightest little detail can make the difference".
Mercedes' moment is certainly not one of the best in its sporting history. However, the team principal of the Anglo-German team, Toto Wolff, is not losing confidence and, on the contrary, is relaunching his team in anticipation of the next Grand Prix, as he is convinced that on this track the black-and-silver cars can become competitive again:
"We had an encouraging weekend in Monaco. We continued to make solid progress with our car, improving its overall balance and taking a step closer to those ahead. That progress isn't yet showing in terms of positions but if we can continue to close the gap to the fastest cars, we know it will in due course. Both drivers will have the updated front wing in Canada, plus some other development items for this event. It offered a small lap time gain around the tight streets of the Principality and should offer greater benefit on upcoming circuits. That said, the picture at the front of the field is incredibly competitive. The field has compressed, and we are under no illusions that others will continue to improve. We will have to continue to work hard and diligently to get ourselves into the mix. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a brilliant track. It offers a mix of low-speed corners and high-speed straights which makes for great racing. We always enjoy returning to Montreal as the fans are incredibly passionate about F1. We've enjoyed many good moments there over the years and hopefully we can add to those this weekend".
On Friday, June 7, 2024, before the start of the first free practice session on Friday, the third gearbox case and the third transmission were installed on Lewis Hamilton's car. On Esteban Ocon's car, the second gearbox case and the second transmission were installed. Neither driver will be penalized with a grid position loss since the newly installed components fall within the maximum number allowed by the technical regulations. The third unit of the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, and MGU-K was installed on the cars of Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Hamilton, Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Daniel Ricciardo, and Yuki Tsunoda. On the cars of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Oscar Piastri, the second unit of the energy recovery system and the electronic control unit was installed. On Valtteri Bottas's car, the second unit of the energy recovery system was installed.
The third exhaust system unit was installed on the cars of Hamilton and Albon, the fourth unit on the cars of Verstappen, Pérez, Gasly, Ricciardo, and Tsunoda, and the fifth unit on Ocon's car. None of the drivers will be penalized with a grid position loss since the newly installed components fall within the maximum number allowed by the technical regulations. Before qualifying, race management announced that during the official tests, drivers must leave space for faster cars between turns 12 and 13 by clearly moving off the racing line and proceeding on the right side of the track. Shortly before the start of the first free practice session, a violent hailstorm hit the track. FP1 started at the scheduled time, but the marshals allowed the drivers to take the track only after 24 minutes, due to the need to dry the areas that were still too wet. Lando Norris, the fastest in the session, managed to complete only one lap on slick tires. Behind him were the two Ferraris, which were fast even on wet tires. The session was interrupted again with the red flag due to an accident involving Zhou Guanyu, after the Stake F1 Team driver lost control of his car due to aquaplaning. The Chinese driver was unable to avoid contact with the barriers and could not stop his car in the safety area. Only seventeen drivers managed to complete a timed lap. The second session was also affected by rain. In this case, a light drizzle wet the track, at least in the first half hour. After a brief window during which the drivers were able to use slick tires, the rain intensified in the final part of the session, forcing the drivers to switch to intermediate wet tires. At the end of FP2, Fernando Alonso set the fastest time; the competitiveness of Aston Martin on this circuit was confirmed by Lance Stroll's third fastest time. George Russell placed between the two Aston Martin drivers. The two Ferrari drivers, who were unable to use dry tires, finished the second practice session with the fourth fastest time (Leclerc) and the thirteenth (Sainz Jr.). During the second free practice session, Max Verstappen was forced to return his car to the pits due to overheating in the ERS compartment. During the first two free practice sessions, Kevin Magnussen used a transmission assembly outside the allocation provided by the technical regulations. However, the Danish Haas driver was not penalized with a grid position loss, as this operation was within the maximum number allowed by the technical regulations. The first day of testing was not very indicative and did not allow the drivers to gather enough data to prepare the cars for qualifying and the race. For this reason, Charles Leclerc's end-of-day comment was quite laconic:
"There was not so much to learn today, as the conditions were very different each time we went out. We put in quite a few laps throughout the day, so that was a positive. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and we will try to put everything together for qualifying".
And even Carlos Sainz Jr. does not add much more than what his teammate said:
"A very Canadian Friday at this time of the year, with the weather changing a lot, alternating between dry and wet conditions. Despite the track changing all the time we managed to run as much as we could and put down some decent runs with both the slicks and the Intermediate compound. However, it’s not easy to extract many conclusions from the sessions today, so we need to focus on ourselves and be as ready as possible for tomorrow".
The first day of practice was even worse for Max Verstappen, as he was forced to stop in the pits due to a technical problem:
"Unfortunately FP1 was very affected by the weather and we also did not get many laps out of FP2. There was a suspected electrical issue so the Team told me to box. They are investigating what the issue is in the garage now and I’m sure we will get to the bottom of it. It is not ideal as I would have liked to have driven a few more laps and it is not how I would have liked to have finished the session. But now we just need to understand more about what happened and the implications that it will have for this weekend".
The only one in Red Bull Racing who was able to work was Sergio Perez, who said at the end of the day:
"I think overall it was a very tricky day with the conditions that we had. I think it is going to be very important in qualifying tomorrow to be out there at the right time. We could already see in FP2 that the conditions and track were changing quite a bit if you were not pushing on the right lap, it could be quite a big difference. We felt a few things in the car that we want to adjust, we have a good idea where we need to make changes, but I think it is very difficult to draw any conclusions on a track that was dictated by the weather today. We made some good progress on the inter tyre and that was quite positive, but on the slick, we were just not out at the right time, so I am not concerned about it and we will get to see the competitiveness tomorrow".
The McLaren drivers also did not have a chance to rehearse more. In fact, Oscar Piastri says:
"That's practice done. It's been a bit of a difficult day with the weather, so it's hard to read where we sit. I think we're looking good, but it's just difficult to know considering we didn't get in all the running we wanted to, but that's the same for everyone. Our pace and times on the Intermediates in P2 looked solid, so that's a positive, but I think it's going to be a jumbled up weekend for everybody. I'm looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow".
And Lando Norris adds:
"Tricky first day on track with the conditions which meant I didn't get in as many dry laps as I wanted to. We got a good amount in the wet and took a reasonable first step this weekend but it's hard to see where we stand. It's been a difficult Friday for everyone, and the conditions here can change everything. We'll now work hard overnight with the data we have and see where we can aim to be tomorrow going into Qualifying".
While McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella admits:
"Today's sessions were both affected by rain. It means we haven't learned very much about tyre behaviour, car set up or even our competitive position. That said, we may have learned the most valuable information already, because conditions may be the same as this for the rest of the weekend. So, the running was valuable, and at least we were able to offer something to all the fans that came out today to see us. We need to stay focused, use what we took from today and be ready for an eventful weekend".
If nothing else, at least George Russell says he had a good time:
"It was good fun out there today. It was difficult to take many learnings into the rest of the weekend as each lap the conditions were changing. First it was spitting, then it was drying, then it was raining again! The car was feeling good overall, but we will only learn about our position relative to others tomorrow. I had faith in the car today though and felt confident throughout. In FP3, you are usually very focused on your Qualifying performance. However tomorrow, we are also going to have to evaluate our race pace. We are going to have to be very clear on the changes we want to make ahead of Qualifying. In all honesty, there won't be a lot that any driver or team learnt today. The weather could be similar tomorrow though so it's going to be interesting".
While Lewis Hamilton says he felt comfortable with the car:
"It felt great out there today. I was raring to go throughout no matter what the conditions. I was pleased that we were able to maximise our time on track as that is what is needed around a circuit like this. It's all about building your pace. Today, it was also about understanding the conditions plus the new surface they've laid. The car felt strong throughout and I didn't even get to finish what would have been my fastest lap. This is one of the best circuits we go to, so I really enjoyed myself out there. Recently, Saturday's have proved more challenging for us, but I feel confident out there and that the car is reacting to my inputs. Ultimately, we won't know until tomorrow afternoon just where we are in the order but today was a really good day overall".
Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin, tries at the end of the day to draw a technical balance of these first two practice sessions:
"The goal for today was to make the most of the opportunities for running and learning in the mixed conditions. The team and drivers have done a good job of that. There's a chance of rain in both Qualifying and the race. We were therefore focused on covering as many conditions as possible and making sure we had the tyres in a decent temperature window along with understanding the car balance. The car seems to be working reasonably well, but it's impossible to draw conclusions on pace from a day like today. If we get a dry final practice tomorrow, then it's going to be busy as we've still got a lot of low and high fuel work to get through. The track is tough on the cars so ideally, we'll get a long run in to check everything is OK. Considering the conditions today ,it was a decent start to the weekend".
While Simone Berra, Pirelli Chief Engineer, admits that the day was riddled with problems, which did not give the drivers a chance to fully verify the quality of the tires they will presumably use in the race:
"It's very difficult to draw any conclusions from today, which saw the weather alternate between sunshine and showers. Track conditions never got close to optimal, as seen from the fact that lap times on the slicks were a very long way off, around four seconds in fact, of the average simulation times received from the teams prior to this North American trip. That still leaves two main unknown factors, namely how the tyres will suit the new track surface, and so far today we have seen very low levels of grip, so it is logical to expect a marked evolution if the cars can run consistently on a dry track, and secondly the level of graining. We have been able to gather some slightly more solid data on the crossover point from intermediate tyres to slicks, confirmed at around 112% of a dry lap time. Clearly, uncertainty surrounding the weather for the rest of the weekend will be a major consideration: for tomorrow, Meteo France is currently saying there is an 80% probability of rain for qualifying, while the figure is lower for the race, but we know that the situation can change rapidly here".
In conclusion, talking about the driver market and its evolution. After recent departures (Ocon) and renewals (Perez), the focus has shifted to the situation involving Carlos Sainz Jr. The Spanish driver seems uninterested in the prospect of racing with Audi, but there are few available seats. Therefore, Williams Racing team principal James Vowles is not missing the opportunity to sign the former Scuderia Ferrari driver:
"The fact that we are talking with Carlos shows that our approach has changed. We want two world-class drivers to be part of our team in the future. We want the world to realize that we are here and we are serious. We will announce soon, hopefully, that about thirty incredible people from other teams will join our organization, which we have planned over the last twelve months. The world is changing and someone like Carlos would be very important in this context, in terms of the overall picture of our situation. I think Carlos can see all the strengths. For me, it is easy to say this because I am with Williams and I wear the shirt, but I believe that the decision to come here is easy. But he has to make that decision himself".
Carlos Sainz Jr. responds:
"Of course, I appreciate James' interest and the kind words he has always had for me. The same can be said about my feelings towards him and his team. The reality is that I have not yet decided where to go next year. Right now, my mind is too focused on each race weekend. Every weekend, I am fighting for the podium or the victory. So, it is very difficult to think about the future when such important weekends are coming up. I will need some time to sit down with my management, with myself, have a conversation with myself, and then decide where I want to go. But at the moment, nothing is decided".
Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirms that there is no room for the Spanish driver in the Anglo-German team he leads:
"We want to focus only on Kimi. That is our future, young drivers. We want to commit to the young and that is what we have told Carlos".
On Saturday, June 8, 2024, the third and final free practice session is the only one that takes place on a dry track, allowing drivers to test their qualifying setups. Surprisingly, Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest time, ahead of Max Verstappen and his teammate, George Russell. The reigning World Champion seems less competitive in race simulations, as his Red Bull Racing car suffers from tire degradation during fast laps. The two Ferrari drivers finish the session in tenth and twelfth positions, complaining about a lack of speed on qualifying laps. The session is marked by two incidents: first, Alexander Albon hits the wall at the edge of the last chicane, damaging the right front suspension of his Williams, and later, Guanyu Zhou loses control of his Stake F1 Team car at turn 2, ending up against the barriers after a spin. A few hours later, some raindrops wet the track at turns 7 and 8, at the beginning of the qualifying session. This prompts many drivers to immediately leave the pits, trying to set a time before the potential arrival of heavier rain. Max Verstappen completes his first attempt with a time of 1'15"194. Sergio Pérez is far behind, while Lando Norris manages to go under the 1'15"0 limit right away. Carlos Sainz Jr. makes a driving error, unlike Esteban Ocon who positions himself between the two Red Bull Racing drivers. Logan Sargeant and Valtteri Bottas also do better than Pérez, with Bottas setting the third fastest time. Fernando Alonso then lowers the limit to 1'14"418, which is immediately beaten by George Russell with a time of 1'14"012. Oscar Piastri places himself behind Russell. Kevin Magnussen and Carlos Sainz Jr. see their times canceled for not respecting track limits. Shortly after, Kevin Magnussen sets the second-fastest time, while Lando Norris takes the lead with a time of 1'13"541.
As time passes, the track seems to improve quickly, allowing a reshuffling of the standings. The drivers decide to string together continuous laps in anticipation of possible rain. Yuki Tsunoda moves up to fourth place, while Lance Stroll climbs to second, just 0.002 seconds behind Norris. Logan Sargeant then moves up to fifth place, and Daniel Ricciardo to third. Shortly after, Max Verstappen retakes the lead with a time of 1'13"368, while Charles Leclerc climbs to fourth. Meanwhile, Lance Stroll brushes the wall after the chicane but continues his session. Fernando Alonso is now fourth, Daniel Ricciardo is sixth, and Carlos Sainz Jr. is fifth. George Russell climbs to first place again. Oscar Piastri, temporarily unqualified, complains about being hindered by the slower cars of Lewis Hamilton and Yuki Tsunoda. Charles Leclerc also makes a mistake at the first corner due to traffic. Sergio Pérez, also unqualified for the next phase, has to abort his fast attempt and returns to the pits with only five minutes remaining in Q1. Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly moves up to second place, but Lance Stroll does better, taking the lead with a time of 1'13"088. This limit is soon improved by Lando Norris (1'12"959); shortly after, Fernando Alonso climbs to third place, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda. Subsequently, the two Mercedes drivers demonstrate the competitiveness of their cars, with George Russell setting the second-fastest time and Lewis Hamilton clocking 1'12"851 to take first place. Carlos Sainz Jr. climbs to fourth, while Kevin Magnussen is eighth. Charles Leclerc is sixth, with Sergio Pérez only twelfth. Logan Sargeant moves up to sixth place, and Daniel Ricciardo beats the Mexican's time.
Max Verstappen, with a time of 1'12"360, is the fastest driver of the session. Q1 ends with Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon moving up to second and fourth places, respectively, while Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hülkenberg, and Guanyu Zhou do not advance to the next phase. At the start of Q2, rain wets much of the track. George Russell completes his first attempt with a time of 1'13"121, but Lewis Hamilton does better, while Kevin Magnussen, third, does better than Carlos Sainz Jr. Oscar Piastri does even better, clocking 1'12"462. Even Max Verstappen cannot beat the Australian's time. Alex Albon is seventh, just ahead of the other Williams driver, Logan Sargeant. Shortly after, Carlos Sainz Jr. moves up to second place, but Oscar Piastri improves again, staying ahead of the Spanish driver. Fernando Alonso then sets the second-fastest time, stopping 0.389 seconds behind Oscar Piastri; the Aston Martin driver's time is improved by Charles Leclerc, while Yuki Tsunoda sets the fourth-fastest time. George Russell soon climbs to the top with a time of 1'12"323, leaving Lewis Hamilton in third after a small mistake at the last corner. Max Verstappen is only ninth, before being overtaken by Carlos Sainz Jr., who is eighth. Meanwhile, Logan Sargeant moves back to fifth place, while Alex Albon is eighth. Lando Norris sets the provisional fastest time with a lap of 1'12"201. Daniel Ricciardo then climbs to fourth place, behind Yuki Tsunoda, who moves up to second. With less than two minutes remaining in Q2, Max Verstappen is not among the top ten. Charles Leclerc does not go beyond the ninth fastest time, while the Dutch Red Bull Racing driver, with the fifth fastest time, seems sure to advance to the final phase.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton sets a new limit of 1'11"979, which is soon improved by Russell with a time of 1'11"742; Carlos Sainz Jr. also improves but is only eleventh, while Alex Albon, with the sixth fastest time, eliminates Charles Leclerc. Besides the two Ferrari drivers, Logan Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen, and Pierre Gasly do not advance to Q3. In Q3, Oscar Piastri completes his first attempt with a time of 1'12"713, but this is soon improved by Max Verstappen, who clocks 1'12"358; Lando Norris is third, but is soon overtaken by Fernando Alonso. Lance Stroll is fourth, while the two Mercedes drivers delay their entry onto the track. Shortly after, Alex Albon moves ahead of Lando Norris, while the two Red Bull Racing drivers do two warm-up laps before attempting a time. The Mercedes cars are very fast: Russell sets a better time than Verstappen in the first sector and is then beaten by Hamilton. The two finish close: Russell clocks 1'12"0, with Hamilton just 0.280 seconds behind. The McLaren drivers attempt for the second time much earlier than their rivals to benefit from a clearer track. Thanks to the best third sector overall, Piastri moves to second place; Norris does better but remains 0.021 seconds behind Russell's time. Daniel Ricciardo places fourth, ahead of Fernando Alonso. Max Verstappen sets a time identical to George Russell's to the thousandth: the British driver, who does not improve on his second attempt, however, starts on pole position, having set the time before the world champion. An incredible finale, the likes of which have not been seen in years. George Russell thus takes his second career pole position and happily comments at the end of the qualifying session:
"It's been a great day! It was such a tight fight for pole position. The previous few races I've been a matter of hundredths of a second behind the car ahead, so it's nice to be on the upside of that today! In the end, Q3 was difficult. I did my best lap of the session in Q2, and I didn't improve on my last lap in Q3. I wasn't sure therefore whether I had taken pole position as I crossed the line. The new tyre is usually worth three to four tenths of a second but thankfully, my first run on the used tyre was good enough for P1. The car has been so good this weekend. Everyone at Brackley and Brixworth has been working so hard to bring updates and performance. This hard work is now translating into results which is fantastic to see. It's only been two races and on unique circuits, but the steps we've taken to get closer to the front are encouraging. Let's see what we can do tomorrow now. We will be aiming for victory but there are plenty of unknowns with this new surface and the weather. I'm feeling confident in the car and in myself though so bring it on".
Joy at the Mercedes' newfound competitiveness is shared by Lewis Hamilton, who in his last attempt, however, failed to make his car work as well as his teammate did:
"Firstly, congratulations to George. It is amazing for the team to take pole position. Everyone at Brackley and Brixworth has done such a great job pushing the car and its development forward. They have worked tirelessly to bring the recent updates. It's been feeling great all weekend so, despite starting P7, I hope we can have a decent race. It is tough to overtake here and the cars ahead are quite close so it will be challenging, but I'll be doing my best. It was a tough session on my side. We were quick in FP3, but I struggled a little more in Qualifying. I found it difficult to get the tyres working throughout and that was the same on my final lap in Q3. Let's see what tomorrow brings and if we can make progress".
Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal & CEO, joins the party:
"Getting pole position is a great feeling. We've been saying it for a while, but we are going in the right direction. We have taken several small steps in recent races, and it is all adding up to bring us greater performance. That has helped us get closer to the front and we are now progressing to a car that can challenge there more regularly. Our final laps in Q3 weren't actually our best. Neither driver could improve on the new tyre, so it was very tight at the end. We will look into the data to try and understand why that was. George found himself just able to hold off Max, but Lewis was more unfortunate. Nevertheless, they've both showed great speed this weekend so we will see what we can do tomorrow".
While Andrew Shovlin, director of track engineering, said:
"It's great to get pole position. It is really encouraging for the whole team who have been working so hard to improve the car over the last few months. We've still got work to do, but it's great to see that the incredible efforts everyone has made to bring improvements are all helping move us in the right direction. It's a shame that we didn't get Lewis further up the grid but it's particularly disappointing for him as he's looked so strong all weekend. George was also unable to improve on his final effort, but his first lap was good enough for pole position. Obviously, the goal tomorrow with George is to keep him in front. Lewis also has a good opportunity to fight for a podium given his pace looked so strong on the long run in FP3 today. The weather may also play a part; it's been fairly unpredictable and keeping us on our toes but we've looked good in all conditions, so hopefully we are well set to cover whatever comes our way".
Max Verstappen seemed to be uncompetitive on this occasion. And, instead, the Dutch driver once again amazed everyone, setting a time equal to that of George Russell. A time, however, that only earned him second place:
"I’m happy to be on the front row for tomorrow’s race and it was certainly more than I thought was possible after FP3. We always knew this track was going to be a bit more tricky than others and it seems that a lot of the teams are catching up. Today it was about managing the tyres with the graining, but if you look at the pace we did well and improved nicely every run. We tried to do the best we can and just need to make sure we have a cleaner weekend as we have been slightly on the back foot. Looking to tomorrow, I think it will come down to the weather and tyre behaviour. The rain will make it more interesting, especially with the tarmac making it more slippery, the chicanes and the close walls. It has been a difficult weekend, but considering everything we definitely maximised the result in qualifying and I am looking forward to tomorrow".
The same cannot be said for Sergio Perez, who ran into an extremely bad day:
"In these conditions somehow, we weren’t able to switch on the rear axle, I couldn’t lean on it at all and I didn’t have any confidence at the time to push. Basically, I had no grip, I was sliding too much and that meant our qualifying was a total disaster. We need to look at it and understand the reason behind it, it was stepping away from me all the time. In hindsight we could have done a lot of different things but at the end of the day we lacked some pace, simple as that. There are some fundamental issues that we need to address, understand, and figure out, to make sure we are able to improve in the coming races. I am angry with myself; we are a Team and it is not an ideal time for us but we have full focus on tomorrow and hopefully we are able to save something and score some points. The weather can hopefully help us, it can make things unpredictable, and we will see what we can do with the strategy as well".
In this regard, Red Bull Racing's external consultant Helmut Marko, speaking about the Mexican driver, says:
"It's not a car problem, you can see it with Max. I think it's more psychological. He came close (to passing in Q2, ed.), but it's already the third time and it's painful".
Christian Horner, CEO and Team Principal, concludes by saying:
"It was disappointing for Checo to miss out by such a small margin in Q1 as he struggled with the rear grip in the car. We’ll have to look into the reasons for that so that we can give him the best chance of coming through the field tomorrow, which we know he’s capable of. On a track which was rapidly evolving and where all teams were going through their tyre allocation quickly, Max just got stronger and stronger through the qualifying. To miss out on the top place whilst exactly matching the pole time was an outstanding effort after a tricky day yesterday and it’s great to be lining up on the front row alongside George, in an exciting looking grid".
Only 0.021s separate Lando Norris from pole position. Very little indeed. Nevertheless, past the disappointment of the third place gained, the focus is on the race:
"A great job done by the team today and congratulations to George Russell on his pole position. The session was tricky, it always is in Montréal, but it's why we love it and it's why we're all smiling. It's a nice feeling when you put a good lap in and end up in the top three. I'm excited to see what we can do in the race. The car has been great in the last three or four races and we're on a roll. There are fast cars ahead and plenty behind us as well so I think we could be in for an exciting one. We'll get our heads down overnight and see what we can do to move forward tomorrow".
No more could Oscar Piastri, who was fourth behind his teammate:
"P4. A very tight and difficult session but a fun one. I think many people are leaving thinking they could be on pole, and I'm one of them, but that's a positive sign in terms of pace. It's another start towards the front and we'll see what we can do tomorrow. We have good consistency, and we have the benefit of having two cars starting together, which is always a positive from the strategy side. Let's see what we can do tomorrow. I am looking forward to it".
However, Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal, can be happy with his drivers' result today:
"Qualifying today was intense. The field is getting more and more competitive, and you really have to nail your laps and get the most out of the tyres if you want to progress. On top of that, as is often the case in Canada, there are many variables in play: the weather, the tyre warm up, the small differences between new and used tyre performance. The drivers and the team coped well with these challenges today and ultimately the outcome is positive for us. The second row of the grid is a good starting position, but we know there is rain around and we have to remain focused if we want to capitalise on our good performance today".
Fernando Alonso also shows sincere happiness at the end of qualifying practice. After some disappointing races, the Aston Martin finally seems to be getting it right:
"It was a very unpredictable Qualifying session with the constant threat of rain lingering, but I think we have to be happy with both cars in Q3 in these conditions. After the last two events I was out in Q1, so starting in sixth position gives us a good chance of scoring points tomorrow. I don't think I did a perfect lap in Q3 and when you see at the end that I was only two tenths from pole position it hurts a little bit. In general the car has felt a little better this weekend and tomorrow we will see how we manage the tyres and pace as we haven't had a lot of long runs in the dry. If it rains tomorrow, it could be decided by fine margins and who switches the tyres at the right time, so we have to be prepared for everything".
Surprisingly, missing from the roll call are its Scuderia Ferrari drivers, with Charles Leclerc failing to qualify in Q3:
"We have to review this qualifying session and FP3, as we simply weren’t at the level we need to be. Tyre management will play a big role in the race so we have to focus on that and will push to gain positions tomorrow. With mixed weather conditions, there may be some opportunities coming our way and we must be ready to make the most of them".
So did his teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr:
"It's been a tough Saturday for us. We had trouble with grip and couldn't get the tyres to work properly. On the last lap in Q2 I tried everything but unfortunately I didn't nail the last corner and that's where I lost my chances of advancing to Q3. I stay positive for tomorrow and I think we can still bring home some good points. We will give it our best shot".
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP, bitterly admits:
"Everyone in the team is rather frustrated at the way today’s qualifying went. Today, since FP3, we were lacking something a little bit everywhere, even if yesterday it seemed we were going pretty well and the pace was there over a long run in both wet and dry conditions. I think everyone was struggling a bit with tyres, to the point that even Russell’s pole position was obtained on a scrubbed set, but we struggled more than others and we were unable to put everything together to switch on the tyres at the right moment. We will now analyse everything very carefully but we must keep our spirits up and remember that the points are given out tomorrow. As for the race, we will have to wait and see what the weather has in store because it’s the big unknown. I remember that last year here we also started from far back and we managed to move up the order".
While Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director, says, speaking of the performance of the Italian tires on the Canadian circuit:
"It was a very closely contested qualifying from start to finish with the times being incredibly close, evidenced by the fact that the two quickest drivers set identical times, while the top ten featured drivers from six different teams. So far, the weekend has been affected by changing weather conditions and everything would suggest that this will also be the case tomorrow. Even though all of today's running took place on a dry track, there was still only a very limited amount of data gathered, given that the teams were only able to do long runs in the third free practice sessions. As expected, the track which has been completely resurfaced since last year, is still very green and therefore we saw very obvious evolution. This also led to significant graining, particularly with the Medium, which is the compound that almost everyone used for long runs. Therefore, it is increasingly likely that, if we have a dry race, the most effective strategy is a two-stop, the predominant choice being to use two sets of Hard tyres and that explains why seven teams still have two sets available for each driver. The one-stop strategy, using a combination of Medium and Hard, is possible on paper, but it's very marginal. It's not impossible that someone might try to start the race with this in mind, while retaining the flexibility to switch to a two-stop".
The day ends with the Visa Cash App RB, which is happy to announce that it has taken up the option on our agreement with Yuki Tsunoda that will see the Japanese driver stay with the team for 2025. The 24-year-old has spent all four of his Formula 1 seasons to date with us, showing enormous progress to become the driver he is today: from a pure natural talent to a consistent, aggressive, technically well prepared racer. On his debut season, he even came fourth in Abu Dhabi and now he is a frequent top ten finisher. So far this year, he has been in the points in five of the eight Grands Prix and in the Miami Sprint. Beaming at the news, Yuki Tsunoda says:
"I’m very happy to be staying with Visa Cash App RB and it’s a good feeling to have my future decided so early in the year. For that, I want to thank everyone at Red Bull and Honda who have played such an important role in my career and will continue to do so. The team has a big development project ahead and I’m excited to be part of it. It’s great to know that everyone appreciates all the hard work I have put in and that the team believes I can help it move further up the grid. We have already made clear progress this season and that really motivates me to always give of my best and that’s what I’ll continue to do with VCARB. For the moment, I’m concentrating on the remaining races this season, with the aim of bringing home as many points as possible, always growing with the team, laying the groundwork to do even better next year. I watched Yuki’s progress in Formula 1 with interest even before I returned to Faenza and it’s been impressive, year after year".
Laurent Mekies, Visa Cash App RB Team Principal, adds:
"The step up he has made this year is simply phenomenal, and he keeps surprising us all, race after race. There’s no doubting his natural speed to which he has now added a much more mature approach and this combination makes him a very quick and consistent performer, and a great team player. We continue to get a better understanding of what he needs from us and vice versa, so we are progressing together, Yuki as a driver and the team, as Visa Cash App RB. We share the same ambitions, so there are several good reasons to continue our journey together. He still has a lot to give".
And Peter Bayer, CEO of Visa Cash App RB, concludes:
"Yuki is a graduate of both the Red Bull and Honda Junior Driver programmes and it’s thanks to a good job from all parties that he’s been able to reach his current level of performance. As the saying goes, ‘never change a winning team’, so we are delighted to confirm Yuki as part of our future. He is a valuable asset on and off the race track, as his engaging nature has made him very popular with fans around the world. We are excited that he is staying with us".
On Sunday, June 9, 2024, before the race, Valtteri Bottas' car has the third unit of the energy recovery system and the electronic control unit installed, along with the replacement of the rear wing under parc fermé conditions. Zhou Guanyu's car also has the rear wing replaced under parc fermé conditions. Both Sauber drivers are forced to start from the pit lane. Ocon is penalized five positions on the starting grid for causing a collision with his compatriot and teammate, Pierre Gasly, in the previous Monaco Grand Prix. Ocon, in addition to a two-point deduction on his super license, was initially penalized with a ten-second time penalty, but the sanction is changed as the driver retired from the race and was unable to serve the penalty. The start is held under intermediate conditions, with Haas opting to start their drivers on the wets. While George Russell keeps the lead, Kevin Magnussen immediately benefits from the wet tyres, and he climbs up to fourth while Nico Hülkenberg works his way up to the points. Charles Leclerc, who won the previous race at Monaco, suspects engine issues with his Ferrari SF-24, which disallows him pace and overtakes. On lap eight, the conditions start to shift. The rain clears up, so drivers switch to the intermediates. Magnussen runs into issues when his pit crew are not present with intermediate tyres. Lando Norris passes Max Verstappen with DRS on lap 20. Norris is now in the lead, with no potential safety cars in sight, but Logan Sargeant brings one out by spinning out of the chicane at turns 3 and 4. Norris fails to enter the pit lane, so other drivers, including Verstappen, gain a tyre advantage.
Norris drops to third behind Verstappen and Russell. The safety car exits the track on lap 29 and Leclerc switches to slicks. Verstappen keeps the lead ahead of Russell. Alexander Albon overtakes Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, but he soon encounters a spinning Carlos Sainz Jr. in his way. He fails to avoid the Ferrari, forcing both him and Sainz to retire. Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez, who got knocked out in Q1 for the second consecutive race weekend in a row, fails to finish once again after a wall he spun into hits the back of his RB20. During this time, Leclerc retires. This marks Ferrari's first double retirement since the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The safety car period allows drivers to change their tyres again. These drivers include Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who go wheel-to-wheel with Russell winning out. Russell also battles Oscar Piastri, with the latter keeping his car on the track as Russell is forced off the track in an incident that is ultimately deemed by stewards as a racing incident. Yuki Tsunoda loses control of his RB and barely escapes. However, Tsunoda is now out of the points as Verstappen crosses the line to win the race ahead of Norris and Russell. Russell's third-place finish is Mercedes' first podium of the season, and his teammate Hamilton scores the fastest lap. Change the addendums, but the result does not change: Max Verstappen wins GP number 60 in his career, and increases his lead in the standings. With a little luck, and a lot of skill.
"It was a really rewarding victory today, these kind of races are a lot of fun as you don’t know what is going to be thrown at you and I enjoyed racing today. With the weather so bad it was so easy to make a mistake; we had to be really focused as one tiny move off the racing line could result in us going off the track into the wall. The Team made all the right calls at the right time and remained really calm. If you look at the last few weekends that we have had in these conditions, we have typically always done well, so that gave me a lot of confidence going into today. We also got quite lucky with the safety car, sometimes it can work for you and sometimes against you but that is racing! Once we were on the slick tyres at the end, the car had pretty decent pace and we managed to keep it going until the end. It was a tough weekend but I am really proud to bring home my 60th win".
The same cannot be said for Sergio Perez, who ends the Canadian weekend with a retirement:
"I have lost a lot of momentum recently and I will be working hard in the next couple of weeks to get back to form. I picked up some damage to my front wing on the first lap when Gasly and I touched, which compromised my first stint and lost us some momentum. There was only one dry line for most of the race and it was so difficult to pass at times. Later the dry line started to open up and as it did my inters were a little bit too used, then when I went onto the new inter and changed front wing I had good pace but it was still tricky to get by. The incident was on me, I touched the wet part into turn six and I couldn’t stop the car, I couldn’t touch the brakes".
And he adds:
"It has been a very tough couple of weekends, we will regroup, keep our heads down and learn from the weekend. We identified a couple of issues after qualifying and they meant we would have qualified a lot higher. Hopefully we can be back to our form in Spain and get back to the level we were at earlier in the season. I am confident in that, there are good tracks coming for us".
Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing CEO and Team Principal, can therefore be satisfied with yet another victory, although dissatisfaction remains with Sergio Perez's performance:
"In a race like today with those variable conditions, so many things can go wrong but we made the right calls at the right times. McLaren were fast on the inters at the beginning of the race, but getting the crossover onto the slick tyre was really crucial, and once we gave away track position, we had some heat in the tyres and could really push. Max was incredible today. In those conditions you’re driving with your senses, but everything must work in unison and the Team lifted itself to the adverse conditions and delivered in every area. There are so many things you can get wrong on a day like today, but happily we got them right. It was however a horrible weekend for Checo, but thankfully Ferrari didn’t score with either of their cars and we were able to mitigate the damage. We’ll assess the car once we get back to Europe and Checo will put this weekend behind him. We know that he’s incredibly resilient and will dust himself off and come back fighting in Barcelona".
In addition, Pérez receives a three-place grid drop for the next race at the Spanish Grand Prix; after his car is damaged, he limps back to the pits, losing shards of carbon fibre in the process, under advice from the team, as they want to avoid a safety car situation. He can only be happy, however, Lando Norris. Although the entry of the SC interrupted a potentially winning ride, McLaren confirmed that it has potential and competitiveness at a really high level.
"That was eventful! To be honest, I felt like I drove a good race from start to finish. The conditions were so stressful inside the car but very enjoyable at the same time. The first two stints were very strong, but we were a bit unlucky with the Safety Car. Well done to Max Verstappen who drove a good race and didn't make any mistakes. I'm happy with second. It was good fun out there and we've scored good points for the team. The car's been great all weekend, so thanks to everyone at McLaren. It's nice to be so close and on the podium again. We'll keep fighting to get back onto the top step".
Oscar Piastri's weekend ended differently than initially expected. Unfortunately, the Australian driver failed to realize the potential of his car, and ended the race in P5.
"It's obviously not quite the result we wanted on my side of the garage, but we've got a good haul of points for the team and we've made more progress in the Constructors' Championship. The pace that the Mercedes had on the fresh tyres for the final stint was better than we anticipated, but the race had the potential to be chaos so I think we can be pleased with what we've done. We will now get our heads down into the triple header and I look forward to seeing what we can do".
How can Andrea Stella, Team Principal of McLaren, conclude the discussion regarding the Canadian Grand Prix?
"As expected, we had an entertaining and exciting Canadian Grand Prix. The field has compressed, and the competition is very tight".
So he adds:
"With the variable weather today, it meant several drivers were favourites for the win at different stages of the race and it's important that Lando was one of those. This is the key message we take away from Montréal: McLaren is competitive, able to take podiums and compete for victory in different conditions. The timing of the Safety Car was a little unfortunate for Lando, because it came when his pace was very strong and he was in the lead, opening a large gap, but this is racing and we won't dwell on it. He drove a very good race. Oscar was very strong also. It's great to see him in his second season fighting for podiums. Our focus has to be on improving the car and improving our operations so that we can consistently be at the front like we were here in Canada. We take home a big haul of points, once again more than our rivals, and consider this a positive outcome. My thanks to the team for another big effort this weekend, and on we go to Spain".
Can one be unhappy about a third place and first podium finish of the season? One can be in retrospect, when one considers that on this occasion, at the Montreal circuit in Canada, George Russell really had the opportunity to win the race. Were it not for a whole series of circumstances that did not allow the British driver to get his wish. For this reason, the Mercedes driver is not extremely satisfied at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix:
"I'm disappointed with myself today. I made too many errors that set us back and cost us a chance of victory. I was really pushing the limits out there. That said, it feels great to be disappointed with P3. We've made small steps over the past few races and to come to Canada, get pole position and a podium is really encouraging. We've been one of the fastest cars on track all weekend, so we've definitely made progress. There are many positives to take away from here. The conditions were incredibly challenging out there. Put a wheel even one millimetre off line and you would be in trouble. Unfortunately, the errors I made came with consequences as it let other cars past. Other drivers made errors too, but they didn't come at the same cost. We were still able to battle back to the podium though with the pace we had. We will continue to work hard, develop the car, and I'm looking forward to heading to Barcelona".
Lewis Hamilton is also not entirely satisfied, particularly with the fact that the team decided to mount in the last pit stop the Hard tires, instead of the Medium tires. An action that, instead, was made on his teammate's car, allowing him to finish the race in third place:
"We scored some good points for the team today. We're also looking like we've made a step closer to the front this weekend which is really encouraging. Thank you so much to everyone at Brackley and Brixworth who has worked so hard to deliver our recent updates. It has moved us in the right direction, and we will continue to put the effort in to continue that progress. On my side, it wasn't the best weekend. We had the pace to be fighting higher up but we ultimately ended up with P4. I'll go away and work out what I need to do to come back stronger. I made too many mistakes overall but the positive I will take away is the performance of the car".
Nevertheless, Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal & CEO, is all in all pleased with how things turned out, and with the final result of the Canadian Grand Prix:
"It has been an encouraging weekend. We have taken the right steps recently and brought updates that are working well. Directionally, we seem to be adding performance every Grand Prix. Everyone at Brackley and Brixworth continues to work incredibly hard and it's great to see their efforts rewarded with our first podium of the year. I hope that we can continue this positive trajectory. Looking ahead to Barcelona, it's a circuit that really tests a car. We are excited to go there and truly understand where we are performance wise".
So he adds:
"Today's race was a challenging one. When you finish P3 and P4, given where we have finished in recent races, then of course it is positive. Both drivers know that we could have achieved more though. We certainly could have taken one or two more positions and then maybe have fought for victory. It is a little bittersweet therefore but ultimately, if you had said to us before the weekend that we would be third and fourth, then we would have taken it".
Instead, it was literally a horrendous weekend for Charles Leclerc, who was forced to suffer at the start of the race due to a Power Unit problem before deciding to retire permanently from the Canadian Grand Prix, as he had no chance to fix the problem with a reset of the electrical system. The disgruntled and regretful Monegasque driver admits at the end of the race:
"If you consider the first stint with the engine being a second and a half slower, I think we didn't do so badly in the corners. It was just the engine; the problem was so big that we couldn't do anything about it. So, just as we didn't overreact after Monaco, we shouldn't overreact after this race, but this Sunday hurts, with two DNFs costing us points against our rivals. I think we shouldn't overdo the criticism of the car's pace: there have been good weekends and bad ones; on Saturday we missed Q3 by three hundredths of a second, we definitely weren't in tune with the car; we need to work on that and try to understand what went wrong, and for the race I wouldn't say the pace was bad. Honestly, there's not much to say, the engine problem cost us everything. At one point we tried to switch to slick tires when we knew it would be risky, but we had to try something because with the engine problems we would have been out of the points anyway. And that's it. Then it was extremely complicated to make all the engine adjustments that the team asked me to, and at the same time we were still losing 1.5 seconds per lap. We need to examine the engine problem because it will be complicated for the rest of the season. The fact that we change engines often is not a good sign. We need to analyze today's problem, but honestly, I don't know what it was. I was going a second and a half or 1.2 slower, it was really a difficult race to manage because besides what I was losing on the straight, I had a thousand things to do on the steering wheel. In the first part of the race, in difficult conditions, we had the same pace as the drivers around us, and that gives you a bit of confidence, but once the track was dry, you can take fewer risks than on a wet track, and I was losing 1.5 seconds. I was letting almost everyone pass and I knew the race was over there. Today the problem was only the engine, yesterday there was another problem that we need to analyze. We lost the race yesterday with what happened".
Despite having no particular problems, Carlos Sainz Jr. was stuck in the middle of the pack for quite some time before spinning out and unintentionally hitting Alex Albon's Williams. In short, even for the Spanish driver, the race result was a DNF, which shoots down any kind of ambition.
"A race to forget for the team. We knew today was going to be difficult because we have been struggling all weekend with grip and car handling. The entire race was on the edge, and when I tried to push in the DRS train to overtake I made a mistake on the kerb and for that I want to say sorry to the team and to Alex. We have work to do ahead of Spain to understand what has happened this weekend and make sure we don’t find ourselves again in this situation in the upcoming races. We move on".
In conclusion, Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP, comments:
"This has been a very tough weekend for us. On one side of the garage with Charles we had an issue on the engine which meant we lost around 80 horsepower for about 15 laps. We were hoping for a red flag to be able to do a reset and restart".
So he adds:
"There was no red flag, so we had to pit which cost us a lap and effectively that was the end of Charles’ race as he was lapped. With Carlos, he did not get a very good start and so he was in the pack and at one point there was contact in which he damaged the rear wing and also the floor, so it was impossible for him to continue. For sure, it’s not been a good weekend right from the very beginning. I hope it means we have had all our troubles in the one Grand Prix and that we will be back in Spain in much better shape. We will debrief and look at what we could have done differently. We didn’t expect this weekend to be so difficult especially as our long run pace was good on Friday. It’s a long season, so we will have ups and downs but I hope we don’t have too many ‘downs’ like this".
At least one Spanish driver can smile. In fact, Fernando Alonso managed to secure 8 very precious points for Aston Martin, thanks to his sixth-place finish at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix.
"It was a good race for the team and finishing in sixth and seventh positions in an extremely challenging race weekend is a good result. I think we can be more optimistic heading into Barcelona. It ended up being a lonely race for me despite the mixed weather conditions. There wasn't much we could do with the top five cars ahead as they were a little bit too fast today and there were not too many threats behind us. It was stressful with the changeable conditions, and you had to avoid making a mistake and also switch the tyres at the right time. Most importantly, we brought both cars home and scored double points for the team".
In conclusion, Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director, analyzes the race's progress and the behavior of the various tire compounds used this weekend:
"What a race! After the Monaco Grand Prix came in for criticism that, objectively, it was not exactly thrilling, Formula 1 answered its critics with an amazing show from the first to the last lap, with three drivers taking turns to lead and a further two also in with a chance of winning. Congratulations to Max for a great win, and also to all the other protagonists of this Canadian Grand Prix, because I reckon that everyone who loves this sport really enjoyed themselves. On the tyre front, we were able to see four of the five available types in action. Even the extreme wet, which usually is not used much, proved to be competitive on a low energy track with a lot of surface water. The Intermediate was also able to do very long stints, confirming its suitability for both very wet and almost dry conditions. As for the Hard and Medium, it's hard to say which worked best as the second Safety Car deprived us of being able to evaluate what might have been the price to pay in terms of degradation for those who had chosen the Medium to ensure more grip in the opening laps when the track was still damp".
The Canadian Grand Prix weekend ends, dampening Scuderia Ferrari's ambitions while boosting McLaren's, which shows it can be competitive on any type of circuit. It's evident that the English team still lacks one final step to consistently stay ahead of the competition without suffering excessively. As for Scuderia Ferrari, unforeseen and unprecedented limits emerged on this circuit. The feeling is that these problems encountered in Montreal are not purely technical but rather organizational. Not coincidentally, Frederic Vasseur spoke of setup issues, tire pressures, and asphalt temperature. A series of unresolved problems, perhaps due to the limited time available to adjust the car setups. Smiling, therefore, is Red Bull Racing, or at least Max Verstappen, who wins his sixth race of the season and dispels any doubts about his car's competitiveness. It is true, however, that the Anglo-Austrian team is evaluating the reasons limiting the use of the pull-rod suspension. During Friday's free practice, it was noticeable how the team used cameras and labels on the pull-rod axis to monitor its performance. Talking about a weakness seems excessive. But certainly, the team is taking the issue seriously. Also because McLaren is gaining ground. Despite Red Bull Racing having 301 points against Scuderia Ferrari's 252 and McLaren's 212, and Max Verstappen having so far collected 194 points against Charles Leclerc's 138 and Lando Norris's 131, you can never let your guard down in F1. Indeed, a technical anomaly or an accident is enough to lose all your advantage. What will happen in Barcelona? Will we witness another Red Bull Racing dominance, or will McLaren manage to show its full potential, securing the second victory of the season?