© Getty Images2024 Canadian Grand Prix - Free Practice ReportRain disrupts the Bulls on day one in Canada
WithheavyrainfallinginbothsessionsandMax’sRB20havingtoreturntothegarageforthemajorityofFP2,itwasatrickyfirstdayattheCanadianGrandPrixfortheTeam.
With Intermediates being the most used tyre on day one, Max finished P5 and Checo P8 in the opening session. In Free Practice Two, Max only completed one timed lap before having to return to the garage, finishing in P18. Checo finished P10 in another wet session.
Bulls In Formation© Getty Images
Due to a storm hitting the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve just before the start of FP1, there was no action for the first 20 minutes of the session. It started on time, but the pitlane was closed due to flooding at turn six.
When the pitlane was open the Bulls remained in the garage to see how the blue-walled wets or green-rimmed intermediates would perform. Max went out on the inters and completed one lap with a time of 1:42.310, placing him P3. As he was pushing on his second lap, Zhou Guanyu slid on the wet track into the wall, causing the red flags to come out.
When the track reopened, Checo went out on the inters and completed four timed laps, knocking more than a second off his time with each rotation of the track. His fastest time was 1:28.058, placing him P3 at that point in the session. Max went back out on the inters, but didn’t set another timed lap on them.
In the closing minutes, both Max and Checo switched to the slicks, opting for the soft tyre, which for the Canadian Grand Prix is the C5 – the softest in Pirelli’s range. Max improved on the softs with a 1:26.502, placing him P4. Checo’s three laps on the soft were not faster, so his best time was set on the inters.
At the chequered flag, Lando Norris was fastest with a time of 1:24.435, with the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in P2 and P3 respectively. Max finished P5, +2.067s behind Norris and Checo finished P9, +3.623s off the top spot.
Nice Weather For Ducks© Getty Images
Max had a difficult Free Practice Two, only being able to complete one flying lap before having to bring his car back to the garage for the remainder of the session.
With rain scheduled to fall during the session, the Bulls hit the track on soft tyres, but both returned to the pits because the rain started to fall. It seemed as if it wasn’t heavy enough for inters, so Max and Checo returned to the track.
Max set one push lap, setting a time of 1:19.311, which would see him finish P18 at the end of the session.
Checo completed three push laps on the soft tyres, his fastest time being 1:17.041, which places him P7 at that point, but would drop him to P10 by the end of the session.
As predicted the rain started to fall, and with just over 10 minutes remaining Checo decided to head out on the inters for nine timed laps to finish the session.
Fernando Alonso topped the timesheet with a 1:15.810, George Russell was second with Lance Stroll in third.
Max and Checo will be back on track at 12:30 track time (16:30UTC) tomorrow for Free Practice Three before qualifying. Join us back here for all the exclusive videos, images, and reports from the Team.
Leaping From A Stricken RB20© Getty Images
| Rank | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:24.435 | - |
| 2 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:24.763 | +0.328 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:25.306 | +0.871 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:25.970 | +1.535 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1:26.502 | +2.067 |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:26.754 | +2.319 |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:27.584 | +3.149 |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber | 1:27.670 | +3.235 |
| 9 | | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1:28.058 | +3.623 |
| 10 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:28.541 | +4.106 |
Checo On The Charge© Getty Images
