George Russell topped the timesheets for Mercedes in Friday’s second practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris in a tight battle as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen struggled to find his usual rhythm.
Russell posted a fastest lap of 1:12.123 around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, narrowly beating Norris by just 0.028 seconds on a bright and dry afternoon in Montreal. It marked Russell’s first time topping a practice session this season, a welcome boost for Mercedes after a tough start to the 2025 campaign.
“It might be my first time topping a leaderboard this year, 10 races in. So obviously, it’s been a very positive day,” Russell said after the session.
Mercedes’ performance was further underlined by teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli, who impressed with the third-fastest time, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. Championship leader Oscar Piastri placed sixth in the second McLaren.
McLaren continued to test new front wing and suspension upgrades during the session, taking a methodical approach as they fine-tuned their package for Saturday’s qualifying. Norris, who briefly led the session, seemed pleased with the team’s progress.
Ferrari endured another tough outing. Carlos Sainz finished seventh, while Lewis Hamilton — driving solo for the team after Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash in FP1 ruled him out of the second session — was eighth. Leclerc’s car suffered major damage to its survival cell, forcing an early end to his Friday running and intensifying scrutiny on the team amid mounting media pressure.
Red Bull’s form was notably subdued. Verstappen could only manage ninth, complaining over the radio that his car was “jumping crazy at the rear,” a handling issue that mirrored Hamilton’s complaint of a twitchy back end. Verstappen’s frustrations come after a dominant performance earlier in the day.
Local favourite Lance Stroll also hit trouble, damaging his Aston Martin’s front wheels after hitting the wall at Turn Seven. He was ordered to stop and park his car, ending his session prematurely.
As the session transitioned to long runs, the field remained tightly bunched. Just one second separated 17 drivers, setting the stage for a highly competitive qualifying on Saturday. Argentina’s Franco Colapinto, driving for Alpine, brought up the rear — but even he was not far off the leading pace.
With the top teams still fine-tuning their setups and uncertainty looming over Ferrari’s form, Saturday’s qualifying promises to be a closely fought affair.
