Vettel tops shortened final practice

F1 Grand Prix, GP Canada, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

At the end of a shortened final practice session, Sebastian Vettel was fastest around a slightly wet Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. The session was cut short 8 minutes from the end, following a heavy crash by Kevin Magnussen in a Renault.

All best times were set in the first half hour of the session, before light rain made it difficult to improve further. The rain was such that it was even too dry for wet tyres, but laptimes dropped due the tyres cooling down on the wet track surface.

Even during the dry section of the session, temperatures between 14 and 18°C made it difficult to get the tyres working, with the super soft apparently easier to get up to temperature than the ultra softs, something that could well play an important role in qualifying as well.

15 minutes from the end, when the track got rather quiet, Carlos Sainz reported the track had become dry again, triggering many to venture back out. That didn't last long however, as 3 minutes later, the red flag was out for Magnussen. The Dane lost his Renault when coming out of the second chicane while not on a quick lap. As he lost the rear of his car, he counter steered and subsequenly smacked into the outside wall, badly damaging his R.S.16 but escaping unhurt himself.

The mixed conditions are expected to continue into the afternoon, and as such, also qualifying.