[deetjohn]

F1 weekend is back and the action is at Canada near the wall of champions.

The standout features are:
* Track lined with walls so 80% chance of Safety Car, one of the highest of the season and it always upsets the Strategy plans when it comes.
* Second shortest run to Turn 1 (260m) at the start, so you would think pole should be quite important. However the P2 slot is on the racing line, the right side of the track and of the last 15 Grands Prix at Montreal, only 6 of them have been won from pole. Incidents into Turn 1 are also very common. Last year Sebastian Vettel lead into Turn 1 from third on the grid.
* Smooth track surface means that the softest tyre compounds are used. Mercedes has struggled with these compounds in warm conditions, Montreal experiences one of the largest variations of temperature during a race weekend, so anything could happen.
* Extremely tough on brakes – due to the nature of the layout, with seven significant stops from over 300km/h into chicanes and hairpins.

The surface is very dirty and slippery and there were a lot of spins in FP1 and FP2. And when the going gets sideways, we can call up on the Fins to stand up.

And Kimi set the fastest lap thus far with a 1:12.935 Will be lovely if he can take this form to the qualifying and race.


Alonso is back this weekend. And had to abandon the car on track in FP1.


And Lewis is looking good on his favorite track. He took his first ever win over here.


Here is the action from FP1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9xNOHZ3OYU

And FP2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHa1ka4O0BA

TV Listing


source

[ecenandu]

Thank you, Liberty media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C9hOtchZD8

Oops, its Monaco GP, never mind.

[shibujp]

Vettel leads after FP3, followed by Raikkonen. Verstappen splits the Mercs with Lewis Hamilton in 3rd.

Going to be an interesting qualifying session. Alonso, though surprised has managed to again put the McLaren in the top 10.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Porcupine]

Is there any app that we can watch the race in on India? I'm going to be travelling during the race, would be great if I could catch the race on my phone or iPad during the drive.

[shibujp]

A tremendous lap from Lewis to seal pole and match Senna's record for number of poles. Was a great battle between Vettel and Hamilton in Q3. Everything else was relegated to a side show!

Great gesture by the Senna family to gift a helmet of the legend to Hamilton.

Originally Posted by Porcupine

Is there any app that we can watch the race in on India? I'm going to be travelling during the race, would be great if I could catch the race on my phone or iPad during the drive.

You could try HotStar.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Porcupine]

Absolutely blistering lap from Lewis! The Ferraris were looking slightly shaky compared to the Mercs, and to their own for back in Monaco. Both Raikonnen and Vettel had a few lock ups and incidents of losing the rear end, going to deep into corners etc.

Great job by Lewis equalling his hero Senna's career pole record with 65 pole positions. The helmet gifted to him by the Senna family was a great gesture!

Should be an exciting race tomorrow with Lewis and Seb fighting for first. Let's see if the wall of champions claims any more victims!

Originally Posted by shibujp

You could try HotStar.

Thanks buddy! Looks like HotStar will be perfect!

[deetjohn]

Here is Lewis with his almighty lap and the one by his idol at Canada side by side. That helmet will mean a lot to him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxTz0jbEc08

And here is Pole #65.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmsQMR6KUNE

To go so fast in Canada one needs to push as close to the wall and totally trust the car. Its great to see Lewis and Vettel push each other so hard. Great job!

Pole doesn't mean much at Canada as P2 is on the racing line but I expect to see a totally driven Lewis on his favorite track. May the best man win. It is going to be a classic.

[asr245]

Well, not so exciting at the front, but WOW in the middle. What a overtake by Seb at turn 1 on Ocon - on the dirty side. Good come back by Seb. Ferrari seems to be getting really lucky with having the lead driver getting the lead (ahead) one way or another - & Kimi is getting the car/strategy the number 2 driver gets at Ferrari.

Thanks to Perez, FI is not on the podium. What an idiot. But since I don't like that team or Perez, I am good.

Stroll breaks his duck on home ground!

[shibujp]

Back to 2016 are we? A Merc 1-2 with Ferrari making a charge at the back of the pack.

The start was promising with Verstappen and Bottas beating Vettel into the first corner. But it was not to be.

A stroll in the park for Lewis Hamilton with Vettel beat into the first corner by both Verstappen and Bottas. Ferrari never looked as comfortable in Canada as they did in quite a few circuits so far. But a decent recovery drive from Vettel to finish in fourth from dead last.

Another superb piece of work from Force India!! And team mate wars too between Ocon and Perez. But Ocon is a superb driver. The way he defended second from Bottas belied his 20 years.

Just as it looked that McLaren would open their account, the Honda engine called it a day. Boy are Honda really being put through the wringer!! Devastating for McLaren to have a very competitive chassis with a dog of an engine.

And Stroll did it at last finishing 9th. The Mercedes engine updates have done both Force India and Williams a world of good.

Kimi's race was strange. The minute Vettel lands up behind him, he starts pushing gaining on Ocon. Wouldn't he have been abe to challenge Ocon if he had started earlier and possibly beat Riccardo to the podium? Was there some sort of strategy at play here?

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Porcupine]

Uneventful race at the front; Lewis had a walk in the park as he drove a simple demonstration race.

Vettel's wing damage was unfortunate. While his recovery from 18th to 4th was a spectacle, it remains evidence to the huge gulf in performance between the top 3 teams and the rest of the field. I guess the other teams like Williams calling for a review on spending and budgeting isn't unwarranted at all; the difference in performance is staggering.

Unfortunate for Alonso having to retire AGAIN; but he had a really long stint on the Ultrasofts which was very impressive for the softest compound in F1!

Point difference now down to 12 between the top two; should be a good battle through the rest of the season!

[ecenandu]

Since I was traveling I missed the whole race, was Perez part of not letting Ocon overtake him fair? he is being bit aggressive of late, flaunting his resume to bigger teams?

Isn't it quite funny that even after changing teams, Hulkenberg and Perez are giving similar performance in qualifying like they were teammates before.

[Hatari]

Great race.. Nice little battles through the field. Pity Perez didn't move over for the team. It would have been worth the try. Ended up allowing vettel past.

Gutted for Mclaren again.

And sainz should watch himself. Rookie error

[deetjohn]

Don't know why Ferrari didn't call Vettel in early during the safety car period to change the wing, would have saved a lot of time. And he might have reached the podium.

Anyways, great recovery drive from Vettel to finish P4. And he has to thank Perez for that. If Ocon was let through, the Force India would have finished on the podium instead. Great drive from Ocon.

And Lewis was in a class of his own up front. That Senna helmet really brought out the best in him.

Here is the highlights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwL19BaHY2w

[sgiitk]

Any race where there are incidents leading to Safety Car (real or otherwise) at the beginning is mostly spoilt. The pit stops taken to take advantage of the unscheduled event spoils the race.

[Vid6639]

The 2 non race related incidents were more entertaining than the race. Sir Patrick Stewart drinking from the Shoey and Alonso not caring after engine blowout and walking into the crowded stands were the highlights of the race.

Only interesting thing in the race was Vettel who came up to 4th from 18th.