Event: Canadian F1 Grand Prix
Track: Gilles Villeneuve circuit

Weather: dry  20.9°C
Tarmac: dry  36.9°C
Humidity: 64%
Wind: 6.8 km/h South

Hamilton Leads the Pack in Thrilling FP3 at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix

The third practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix has wrapped up, and it was Lewis Hamilton who emerged as the fastest driver. In a session filled with drama and excitement, Hamilton set the pace for Mercedes with a lap time that put him 0.374 seconds ahead of his closest rival, Max Verstappen.

Key Highlights:

  • Hamilton Dominates: Lewis Hamilton showed his mastery of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, topping the timesheets with a blistering lap. His performance signals a strong return for Mercedes, who have been chasing the frontrunners throughout the season.
  • Verstappen Close Behind: Max Verstappen of Red Bull was second fastest, demonstrating the competitive pace of his RB20 despite facing some handling issues during the session.
  • Russell in the Mix: George Russell secured third place, making it a strong showing for Mercedes with both drivers in the top three.
  • Incidents on Track: The session was not without its incidents. Zhou Guanyu brought out the red flags after spinning into the barriers at Turn 2. Alex Albon also had a moment, clipping the Wall of Champions, which damaged his car and forced him to limp back to the pits.
  • Ferrari's Struggles: Ferrari had a mixed session. Carlos Sainz encountered traffic issues and had a minor off, while Charles Leclerc reported problems with the car's performance, describing it as "extremely slow."

Session Overview:

The practice session saw varied strategies from the teams as they prepared for the qualifying session later in the day. While the track remained dry, the threat of rain looms over qualifying, with a 60% chance of showers expected.

Mercedes looked particularly strong, potentially running lighter fuel loads, but their performance hints at a car well-suited to the Montreal track. Hamilton's affinity for this circuit, where he has won seven times, was evident as he put together a near-perfect lap.

Red Bull, while competitive, had their challenges. Verstappen complained about the car's handling, particularly through the first sector, and Sergio Perez struggled to find pace, ending the session in ninth.

Notable Performances:

  • Oscar Piastri: The McLaren driver put in a commendable performance, finishing fifth. His teammate, Lando Norris, also showed pace but couldn't match Piastri's consistency.
  • Daniel Ricciardo: Ricciardo was sixth fastest, indicating that his team has made significant strides with their car setup.
  • Lance Stroll: The home favorite thrilled local fans by securing fourth place, showing that Aston Martin could be a dark horse in the upcoming qualifying session.

Halfway Order and Sector Times:

Halfway this FP3 session the top 10 order was:

  1. SAR 1:14.335 | S
  2. ALO +0.090 | M
  3. SAI +0.159 | S
  4. RIC +0.425 | M
  5. STR +0.499 | H
  6. NOR +0.556 | M
  7. VER +0.628 | M
  8. MAG +0.689 | M
  9. TSU +0.778 | M
  10. PIA +0.883 | M

The fastest sector times during this session were:

  • Sector 1: 20.229 sec. by Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes W15.
  • Sector 1: 22.994 sec. by Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes W15.
  • Sector 1: 29.317 sec. by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB20.

As we head into qualifying, the big question remains: Can Hamilton carry this momentum and secure pole position? The prospect of a wet qualifying session could shuffle the order, making for an unpredictable and thrilling battle for grid positions.

Stay tuned as the action resumes at 16:00 local time (20:00 UTC), with qualifying promising to deliver even more excitement.

The quickest lap time of last years FP3 was a 1:23,106 set by Max Verstappen in the wet with the Red Bull RB19.

FP3 Times Table 2024 Canadian GP

PNoDriverTeamTime1st GapLapsTyres
144Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:12,54930????S
21Max VerstappenRed Bull1:12,923+0,374s31????S
363George RussellMercedes1:12,957+0,408s32????S
418Lance StrollAston Martin1:13,026+0,477s26????S
581Oscar PiastriMcLaren1:13,266+0,717s31????S
63Daniel RicciardoRacing Bulls1:13,279+0,730s33????S
74Lando NorrisMcLaren1:13,293+0,744s31????S
814Fernando AlonsoAston Martin1:13,340+0,791s29????S
911Sergio PérezRed Bull1:13,342+0,793s28????S
1016Charles LeclercFerrari1:13,349+0,800s28????S
1120Kevin MagnussenHaas1:13,439+0,890s29????S
1255Carlos SainzFerrari1:13,570+1,021s33????S
1377Valtteri BottasSauber1:13,642+1,093s31????S
142Logan SargeantWilliams1:13,663+1,114s30????S
1522Yuki TsunodaRacing Bulls1:13,716+1,167s30????S
1610Pierre GaslyAlpine1:13,737+1,188s28????S
1727Nico HülkenbergHaas1:13,777+1,228s26????S
1823Alex AlbonWilliams1:13,880+1,331s22????S
1931Esteban OconAlpine1:14,075+1,526s30????S
2024Zhou GuanyuSauber1:18,656+6,107s4????M

✅ Check out our 2024 Canadian F1 GP preview


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