F1 2024 Canada Grand Prix: Practice updates, times, schedule and results in Montreal

Big queue at the end of the pitlane ahead of second practice…. and we’re underway with the second hour!

It is still drizzling slightly but the pack are on softs for now.

Villeneuve, who won the title in 1997 with Williams, will be alongside the likes of Simon Lazenby, Martin Brundle and Danica Patrick in front of the cameras in Montreal.

The former Canadian driver competed in F1 from 1996-2006, driving for the likes of Renault, Sauber and BAR too.

He won 11 races and finished on the podium 23 times. However, he never won his home race in 10 attempts.

The FIA have unveiled the new-look, lighter and smaller car for the 2026 Formula One season and beyond.

The changes to the power unit are the biggest since F1 moved to hybrid power in 2014, a year which saw the start of Mercedes’ dominance of the sport. The cars in two years’ time will incorporate a simplified combustion engine, using fully sustainable fuels.

The 2026 car is depicted by the FIA as “lighter, safer and more competitive.” It is 30kg lighter, 200mm shorter and 100m narrower than the current generation of car.

5. Aston Martin – 44 points

1. Max Verstappen – 169 points

2. Charles Leclerc – 138 points

3. Lando Norris – 113 points

4. Carlos Sainz – 108 points

5. Sergio Perez – 107 points

6. Oscar Piastri – 71 points

7. George Russell – 54 points

8. Lewis Hamilton – 42 points

9. Fernando Alonso – 33 points

10. Yuki Tsunoda – 19 points

11. Lance Stroll – 11 points

12. Oliver Bearman – 6 points

13. Nico Hulkenberg – 6 points

14. Daniel Ricciardo – 5 points

15. Alex Albon – 2 points

16. Esteban Ocon – 1 point

17. Kevin Magnussen – 1 point

18. Pierre Gasly – 1 point

19. Zhou Guanyu – 0 points

20. Valtteri Bottas – 0 points

21. Logan Sargeant – 0 points

Canadian Grand Prix winner:

• Max Verstappen – 4/9
• Charles Leclerc – 11/2
• Lando Norris – 6/1
• Oscar Piastri – 14/1
• Sergio Perez – 20/1
• Carlos Sainz – 20/1
• Lewis Hamilton – 50/1
• George Rusell – 50/1
• Fernando Alonso – 150/1
• Lance Stroll – 150/1
• Yuki Tsunoda – 300/1
• Pierre Gasly – 500/1
• Daniel Ricciardo – 500/1

Tease it as they might, Red Bull were fooling nobody with their announcement late on Tuesday. The extension of Sergio Perez’s contract was supposed to be released to the waiting world on Monday but was delayed by the small matter of Mexico electing its first female president. When it dropped, the matter at hand startled nobody.

Yet the length of Perez’s extension – not one year, not one year with an option for another, a straight two years – was indeed a surprise. It takes Perez to the end of the 2026 season and represents an immense show of trust in the Mexican to aid their charge during a new era of regulations in two years’ time.

In relevant news on Thursday, the FIA released the first images of the “lighter, nimbler” 2026 F1 car, which will use fully sustainable fuels and spell the effective end of DRS as a device for overtaking.

But back to Perez, whose extended deal will see him race in F1 for 16 consecutive seasons. Given his inferior pace and results to his teammate, it’s easy to assume that Perez has been kept to ensure ”continuity and stability”, as Christian Horner put it, amid a season overshadowed by off-track issues at Red Bull. And to an extent this is true.

However, the biggest winner is the man across from Perez in the garage: Max Verstappen.

• Free practice 3: 5:30pm
• Qualifying: 9pm

Mercedes technical director James Allison believes Red Bull’s recent upgrade has taken them backwards.

Max Verstappen appeared set to cruise to a fourth consecutive drivers’ championship when he won four of the first five races of the season.

But the Dutchman has won just one of the last three – with victories for McLaren’s Lando Norris in Miami and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in Monaco providing hope of a genuine title challenge this season.

Red Bull brought an upgraded package to Imola – where Verstappen won – two races ago but their struggles in Monaco last time out brought about questions of their car and the Dutchman expressed doubts over their chances in Canada this weekend.