F1 practice LIVE: Canadian Grand Prix updates and times as Max Verstappen goes fastest in FP1

Follow the first practice at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as the build-up to the Canadian Grand Prix continues

Hamilton A Doubt For Canadian Grand Prix

Follow live F1 coverage as the Canadian Grand Prix weekend kicks off with free practice sessions one and two in Montreal.

The big news of the week is the FIA’s decision to “reduce or eliminate” porpoising on the advice of its medical team - just days after Lewis Hamilton suffered with severe back pain in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Hamilton required assistance to get out of his Mercedes after his car bounced up and down at high speed throughout last Sunday’s race.

Mercedes ran their machines close to the ground in Baku to produce lower downforce. But the move exaggerated the bouncing, and under the FIA’s new technical directive, Mercedes might be required to raise the ride height of their cars which could further slow them down.

At the front of the grid, Max Verstappen will be hoping to extend his lead over chief title rival Charles Leclerc after he took full advantage of the Ferrari driver retiring last weekend with the race victory.

Follow all the latest updates as we build towards this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix:

F1 Canadian Grand Prix Practice

• 2022 F1 season arrives in Montreal for Canadian Grand Prix
• Max Verstappen goes fastest in first practice
• Second practice underway now
• FIA vows to ‘reduce or eliminate’ porpoising on the advice of its medical team
• George Russell warned over Lewis Hamilton’s potential at Mercedes

[1 July 2022 12:15 · Kieran Jackson]

BREAKING NEWS: Police warn ‘reckless’ Silverstone protestors not to invade F1 track

Protestors are planning on disrupting this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone with an invasion of the track possible on race day, according to “credible intelligence” received from Northants Police.

The local police force - who are in charge of policing for this weekend’s event with 400,000 spectators expected over the the three days - have sent a stern warning to the group and are willing to communicate about faciliating a “peaceful protest.”

The plea emphasised to the group that running on to a live racetrack is “extremely dangerous” and their plan during Sunday’s race would “jeopardise lives.”

Full story below:

[1 July 2022 11:50 · Kieran Jackson]

F1 standings: 2022 driver and constructor championship table

Need a reminder? Here are the standings after the first nine races of the season:

[1 July 2022 11:35 · Kieran Jackson]

Lewis Hamilton says F1’s ‘older voices’ should no longer be given a platform

In response to Piquet’s comments, and that of Bernie Ecclestone yesterday, Lewis Hamilton did not beat around the bush in the pre-race press conference.

Hamilton has called for Bernie Ecclestone and Sir Jackie Stewart to be censored, and declared “enough is enough” after Nelson Piquet’s racial slur.

The seven-time world champion was speaking ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix – days after 69-year-old Piquet’s offensive reference to Hamilton emerged from a podcast recorded last November.

Triple world champion Stewart, 83, said recently that Hamilton should “resign” after struggling for results this season, while Ecclestone, 91, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday that he would “take a bullet” for Vladimir Putin, also describing the Russian president as a “first-class person”.

[1 July 2022 11:20 · Kieran Jackson]

Max Verstappen believes Nelson Piquet is ‘not a racist’ but agrees his choice of words was ‘very offensive’

Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet was widely condemned earlier this week for using racial language to describe Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton in an interview - he has since apologised and says his comments were mistranslated.

Piquet is the father of Max Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet and the Red Bull driver - who has “spent time” with the Brazilian - says the 69-year-old did not mean to use a racial slur.

“Everyone is against racism - I think it’s very straight, there’s nothing more you can make of that,” Verstappen said, ahead of the British Grand Prix.

“I think the wording which was used, even though of course with different kinds of cultures and things probably they said when they were little and younger, was not correct. Let it be a lesson for the future not to use that word because it’s very offensive and especially nowadays it gains even more traction.”

[1 July 2022 11:05 · Kieran Jackson]

Toto Wolff warns that Lewis Hamilton ‘becomes unbeatable’ when adversity strikes

The grid may need to watch out this weekend...

Lewis Hamilton will thrive on the adversity of Formula One’s racism storm by becoming “unbeatable” at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said.

Wolff also demanded the sport’s bosses, and rival teams join Mercedes in “putting your money where your mouth is” to combat racism. The build-up to Hamilton’s home race has been overshadowed by the emergence of a racist slur used by triple world champion Nelson Piquet against the British driver.

Piquet, 69, has since apologised but claimed the offensive word was mistranslated.

But Wolff said: “Lewis thrives on adversity and when things are being thrown at him, that is when he becomes unbeatable. The racist comments that have been made is not something he would consider as from credible voices.

[1 July 2022 10:50 · Kieran Jackson]

F1 practice live

Two weeks without any racing - it’s too long isn’t it!

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s practice sessions at the British Grand Prix from Silverstone. Here are today’s timings:

- Free Practice 1: 1pm

- Free Practice 2: 4pm

Stay right here for all the build-up as round 10 of the 2022 Formula 1 season starts today!

(Getty Images)