2024 F1 Round 9 Canadian GP FP1: Norris leads in 1m24.435s from eight laps after rain and hail, Zhou crash triggers red flag

The 2024 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Round 9 of the season, began at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in the early hours of 8 June, Beijing time. In an opening practice affected by heavy rain and hail, McLaren’s Lando Norris topped the timesheets with a 1m24.435s, ahead of Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in second and third. Norris completed eight laps in total, while RB’s Yuki Tsunoda finished 12th.

Warm, moist air had continued to flow into Montreal during the week, leaving the atmosphere highly unstable. Rain and hail poured down before practice. The rain eased and the sky brightened as the start time arrived, but the pit exit remained closed for around 20 minutes while standing water and leaves were cleared from the circuit. Hamilton and Bottas were the first to head out, on intermediate and wet tyres respectively.

The combination of newly laid asphalt and standing water soon produced an accident. Zhou Guanyu lost control of his Sauber at Turn 5 and hit the wall, bringing out the red flag with around 30 minutes of practice remaining. Running resumed after a stoppage of about five minutes, but with rain forecast throughout the weekend and the track drying rapidly, more than half the teams opted to stay in the garage to save tyres for later sessions.

Before the switch to slicks, Sainz held the benchmark with a 1m27.485s on intermediates. As the session entered its final five minutes and a dry line developed, some drivers fitted soft tyres for timed laps. Norris secured top spot with his late 1m24.435s, leaving the top five as Norris, Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen.

The slippery surface after the rain challenged everyone. Verstappen briefly ventured onto the waterlogged grass, joking that it had been “a little off-road trip”, while several other drivers took escape routes at the chicanes. It was a particularly frustrating session for Jack Doohan, the Australian reserve replacing Esteban Ocon in Alpine’s A524. He had a rare opportunity to get behind the wheel but, like Williams’ Alex Albon, failed to set a time.

Second practice was scheduled for 05:00 on 8 June, Beijing time, with the teams continuing their preparations for an uncertain weekend on the basis of limited dry-weather information.