It’s cold, windy and raining in Montreal as the 3rd free practice session of the 2022 Canadian GP gets underway. Qualifying is also expected to be wet, while tomorrow’s race should be dry. That’s all the more interesting because the qualifying set-up is the same that the cars will have to start tomorrow. The drivers will soon have to qualify wet with a car that is tuned for dry weather.
It was previously announced that Charles Leclerc will be given a 10-place grid penalty for replacing part of his powertrain after the debacle in Baku. However, during this session it is revealed that his entire engine has been replaced, complete with turbo and hybrid elements. That means he will start all the way back tomorrow.
The session starts
Kevin Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are the first on the wet track and throw up a huge amount of spray. When it gets busier on the track, the cars on the TV images are sometimes almost impossible to see. Mick Schumacher sums it up well: ‘Track conditions are quite *****, to be honest.’ Nevertheless, in the beginning everyone actually drives around without any problems.
As the riders push more, a few shoot straight over asphalt run-offs – the places where you can test grip while braking. Vettel decides to push the limits and almost loses his car in turns 4 and 5. Moments later he sets the fastest time.
Ferrari is busy tinkering with the earlier porposing-to deal with problems. Max Verstappen is not even in his car at that time, but teammate Sergio Pérez is already driving around. He is mostly obstinate and doesn’t set any time yet.
Still porpoising at Ferrari
When Carlos Sainz takes to the track moments later, we see the Ferrari bounce violently again. Nevertheless, he sets the fastest time twice, while it is still raining heavily and the asphalt does not get drier. Fernando Alonso, whom we see beautifully fighting with his car, is close behind.
With less than half an hour on the clock, Verstappen is the only one who has not yet driven a meter. But since the conditions don’t seem to get better – on the contrary – he now starts a flying round. He is several seconds behind Sainz and dives back into the pits prematurely. Meanwhile, we hear other riders complain that they now have less grip than before.
Sebastian Vettel apparently doesn’t care, because he knocks Sainz from first place for the time being. Teammate Lance Stroll, who is doing his home race here, follows him a few spots away. George Russell is driving right in front of him and seems to be able to find his way with the Mercedes on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Lewis Hamilton can’t really come close again.
Time for intermediate tires
With just over fifteen minutes to go, Sainz is the first to dare on intermediate tires. He is given ample opportunity to demonstrate his rallying talent inherited from his father and goes the extra mile in every corner. Meanwhile, Alonso is riding purple sector after purple sector on the same tires and is firmly at the top of the time table, where he remains. Pierre Gasly and Sebastian Vettel manage to get close to him. In the top 10, George Russell (seventh) is the only one who sets his fastest time not on intermediates, but on wet tires. Charles Leclerc is the only one who does not set a time in this session.
In the final phase, a few yellow flag situations arise when cars come to stand in the grass. Verstappen, who still comes into action for a few rounds on intermediates, goes backwards at low speed. Fortunately, the 3rd free practice of the Canadian GP 2022 ends without damage. We’re getting ready for an… interesting qualifying.
3rd free practice of the Canadian GP 2022
- Fernando Alonso
- Pierre Gasly
- Sebastian Vettel
- Esteban Ocon
- Daniel Ricciardo
What time does F1 start in Canada?
Saturday June 18, 2022
Qualification: 10pm – 11pm
Sunday 19 June 2022
Race: 8:00 PM
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