Hamilton shows he is human after all

Mark Scott
Lewis Hamilton strikes the wall in FP2 at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton strikes the wall in FP2 at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton’s FP2 ended early after he hit the wall coming out of Turn 9, he is human after all!

Here is how Friday practice unfolded in Montreal…

A member of Hamilton’s worldwide fan club showed his support to the five-time World Champion. The message reads: ‘Long live the King!’

Sebastian Vettel, still looking for his and Ferrari’s first win of the season, then cycled his way into work.

F2 leader and home favourite Nicholas Latifi replaced Robert Kubica at Williams for the first practice session. Who knows? Maybe that switch will be a permanent one come the end of the season…

And Latifi was forced into some early evasive action when a groundhog fancied a trip across the track…

Don’t worry, no Romain Grosjean-like incidents just yet.

All this talk of groundhogs had Grosjean spinning…

At the halfway point of FP1, it was Mercedes at the front (for a change) with Valtteri Bottas leading Hamilton by 0.147s.

When they said the paddock was brand new in Canada, they meant brand new. Grosjean took part of the floor with him!

First one to slap the barrier? Step forward Antonio Giovinazzi…

Hamilton, meanwhile went on to dislodge Bottas – who suffered a late fuel pressure issue – at the top of the FP1 timesheet.

All looking rather ominous already…

FP2 got underway and the Scuderia were the first of the big hitters to head out. A 1:14.036 was Vettel’s first attempt on the mediums.

Hamilton made light work of that with a high 1:12, but it was Bottas’ time on the hard compound which raised eyebrows as he went within three tenths of his team-mate.

The Brit then pushed a bit too hard…

Ferrari delivered when the softs went on. Vettel, Bottas and Leclerc all seperated by a tenth – see there is a reason to watch qualifying and the race!

Verstappen was next to meet a wall, the Wall of Champions, but unlike Pirelli’s advertising campaign he escaped unharmed.

Friday’s action came to an end with Charles Leclerc on top, fans can dare to dream of a four-way battle for pole on today’s evidence.

 

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