The Canadian Grand Prix took an unexpected turn in Free Practice 3 with McLaren’s Lando Norris clocking the fastest time.
- Oscar Piastri’s collision with the ‘Wall of Champions’ disrupted the session, drawing a red flag.
- Despite setbacks, Charles Leclerc showed a strong performance with a rebuilt Ferrari, trailing closely behind Norris.
- Aston Martin drivers returned to the track, with Fernando Alonso shaking off grip issues to compete.
- The session ended with Norris, Leclerc, and Russell setting the stage for a thrilling qualifying event.
Lando Norris proved his grit during Free Practice 3 for the Canadian Grand Prix as he surged to the top, clocking the fastest lap in a dramatic session that saw a red flag fly. The unexpected twist came courtesy of Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, who tagged the notorious ‘Wall of Champions’ at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, leaving debris that halted the session temporarily.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll wasted no time hitting the track as proceedings kicked off, with Stroll making a strong comeback after his Free Practice 2 crash on Friday. Charles Leclerc, spearheading Ferrari with a freshly rebuilt car after an earlier crash, was quick out the gate, setting competitive times as he reacquainted himself with the track.
Piastri’s encounter with the barrier wasn’t the only close call. Nico Hulkenberg also had a brush with fate at the final corner, but it was Piastri whose McLaren suffered significant damage, affecting his right rear tire and bringing out the red flag. After repairs, Norris reemerged, battling alongside Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and others, showing his skill on medium tires before rising to second place initially, only to clinch the top spot with a late soft tire stint.
George Russell, representing Mercedes, gave an impressive performance, setting a benchmark lap of 1:12.329 with just over 25 minutes left in the session, briefly putting him ahead. However, Norris reclaimed the spotlight, while Charles Leclerc nearly matched Norris’s pace, indicating a competitive edge for Ferrari heading into qualifying.
As the clock ticked down, Max Verstappen, Alex Albon, and other drivers jostled for positions with varying strategies, but it was Norris who proved uncatchable. The session underscored potential threats for the pole from teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, and possibly the Red Bull contingent led by Isack Hadjar, who topped the Red Bull-backed timesheets early on.
With multiple teams in contention, the Canadian GP promises an exhilarating qualifying session following Norris’s standout FP3 performance.
