F1 Canadian Grand Prix 2023 LIVE: Latest updates and standings as Max Verstappen eyes fourth straight win in Montreal | The Sun
MAX VERSTAPPEN will be hoping to add to his huge lead at the top of the F1 driver standings with a fourth straight win in Montreal TONIGHT.
The Dutchman claimed his fifth win out of a possible seven at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago and starts in pole position in Canada this evening.
Lewis Hamilton finished runner-up in Barcelona and will begin the race third on the grid.
- Start time: 7pm BST
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
- Live stream: NOW
- Grid: 1 Verstappen, 2 Alonso, 3 Hamilton, 4 Russell, 5 Hulkenberg, 6 Ocon, 7 Norris, 8 Piastri, 9 Albon, 10 Leclerc, 11 Sainz, 12 Perez, 13 Magnussen, 14 Bottas, 15 Gasly, 16 Stroll, 17 De Vries, 18 Sargeant, 19 Tsunoda, 20 Guanyu.
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Stay up to date with all the action from the Canadian Grand Prix…
- By Kieran Davies
Spaniard looking to push Dutchman all the way
Fernando Alonso's fighting talk before the race is all about how he plans to give Max Verstappen the race of his season so far.
The Aston Martin driver seems fed up of people writing off races before they even start, declaring the Dutch driver champion.
We all hope he can produce such a race, Verstappen has been unchallenged when his team mate Sergio Perez is not in the running so far.
- By Kieran Davies
Mercedes focussed on challenge ahead
Toto Wolff has said how is expecting his drivers to have a real battle with Fernando Alonso in the race today.
He said how they do not expect to be challenging Max Verstappen but know where their focus lies.
It is almost like the team have written off the season where as challenging Red Bull is concerned but the cars behind him will be having a race of their own.
- By Kieran Davies
Mercedes getting race ready
As we edge towards the start of the Canadian Grand Prix, Mercedes' drivers are getting into the zone for the race.
Both drivers have shown improvements over the last few races, with podium finishes, and will be looking to continue that form today.
Mercedes will be looking to gain more points to close the gap in the constructor's championship.
Credit: Reuters
- By Kieran Davies
Leclerc tribute to great driver
It has been decided that Charles Leclerc will wear a helmet in tribute to Gilles Villeneuve after talks with the Ferrari legend's family.
Initially the family were surprised to see him wearing the helmet at the track as they had not been consulted but Leclerc contacted the family himself to discuss it.
Eventually, they decided it was a fitting tribute to their father.
- By Kieran Davies
Hamilton looking forward to race
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton has spoken about qualifying and the race itself:
I love driving this track. It's mega. The car didn't feel bad but I think we definitely have some work to do. Not the greatest but not the worst. It is feeling pretty decent but it is just bumpy. I think everyone is having struggles with the bumps. We just have to improve our ride control and a bit of balance through the corner and I think we'll be all right. The car is massively better than last year. The rear end is not but overall it is a step forward and I am definitely feeling the improvements we brought in Monaco.
Lewis HamiltonMercedes
- By Kieran Davies
Looking to break Dutch stranglehold on title
Max Verstappen currently leads the F1 drivers championship by a stunning 63 points.
Lewis Hamilton is some 83 points behind the Red Bull driver.
With second place on the grid, Fernando Alonso, 71 points behind fans are starting to wonder whether the defending champion already has one hand on this season's title.
- By Kieran Davies
Forecast for Canadian Grand Prix
While the qualifying sessions saw some rain making for a wet track which caused the drivers all sorts of problems, it should be a dry day for the race itself.
With the country being ravaged by wildfires lately, the air quality was a concern for the race initially but has posed no problems so far.
The wildfires have caused air quality issues as far afield as New York but fortunately the race seems as though it will be unaffected.
- By Kieran Davies
Pirelli under pressure to keep F1 contract
Bridgestone tyres have lodged a bid to become the supplier for the F1 from 2025.
Italian company Pirelli have held the contract since 2011 and are looking to keep the business.
Drivers feel that the Pirelli tyres are too sensitive to overheating when pushed hard or trying to overtake and have been pushing for them to address this for some time.
- By Kieran Davies
Hamilton arrives at circuit in Canada
Lewis Hamilton seems to be having a competition with himself for the most bizarre outfit he can rock up to the race in.
Today's little number seems to in keeping with the colours of the Canadian flag at least.
With the tweaks made to his Mercedes seemingly improving his performances, he sits third on the grid today, hoping he can give Verstappen some concerns.
Credit: Alamy
- By Kieran Davies
Canadian Grand Prix grid positions
Here is how the drivers will line up for today's race:
Credit: @F1 - By Kieran Davies
Unique end to first session practice
The first practice at the Canadian Grand Prix was abandoned because of a CCTV failure at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
As it is part of the Formula One’s safety apparatus the FIA said it was impossible to continue with the session without it functioning.
The second practice was extended by 30 minutes to make up for the lost race time.
- By Kieran Davies
Max wants to see Spaniard win if he can’t
Max Verstappen was interviewed and asked whether he could win every race of this F1 season.
The Dutch driver said it was impossible to do that and that there would be instances where we would see another driver on the podium.
Asked who he would like to see win those races, his answer was clear, Fernando Alonso.
Verstappen said “If you ask me one driver who I would like to see win a race, it's him. He deserves it – he is a real racer.”
- By Kieran Davies
Ferrari overriding driver decision key
Charles Leclerc has questioned some of his team’s decision making after the driver requested slick tyres before the rain came which his team decided to ignore.
It would have been the correct decision as the track was reduced to being a very wet surface soon after.
Leclerc said that they have to better as he felt Ferrari are “making our life way too difficult in those situations”.
- By Kieran Davies
Welcome to the Canadian Grand Prix
Qualifying provided a different challenge to the drivers this weekend as they had to deal with wet conditions which brought a lot of drama to the sessions.
Concerns were that the race may be hampered by the wildfires in Canada but the sessions offered quite different conditions with rain making for a wet track.
Max Verstappen took pole position with Nico Hulkenberg taking second place but the German driver was later awarded three-place grid penalty for exceeding the speed limit under red flag conditions.
As a result, Fernando Alonso will start second on the grid with Mercedes’ drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell taking the other two positions in the top four.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished tenth while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez will start in twelfth position.
The pair were knocked out in the second session for taking too long to switch to slick tyres when the rain came.
Carlos Sainz managed to finished a respectable eighth but was later given a penalty for impeding Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Esteban Ocon will start in sixth position with Lando Norris in seventh.
His McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri will start in eighth place while Williams driver Alex Albon will start in his best grid position of the season, ninth place.
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