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Formula 1 has returned to the iconic Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve for the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, and the opening practice session has already delivered some major talking points. Underneath the cool but sunny Montreal skies, with the track temperature hitting a respectable 44.1°C, it was a familiar name at the top of the timesheets. Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen set the early benchmark, but the real story unfolded just behind him, with some surprising teams showing formidable early pace.
Max Verstappen picked up where he often leaves off, piloting his Red Bull to the fastest time of the first practice session. The reigning champion clocked a 1:13.193 on the soft compound tyre to lead the field. While Verstappen's pace is hardly a surprise, it sets a strong foundation for a weekend where Red Bull looks to assert its dominance. His new teammate for 2025, Yuki Tsunoda, settled into the sister car with an 11th-place finish, as the team works to find the optimal setup for the unique challenges of the Montreal circuit.
The undisputed surprise of FP1 was the performance of the Williams team. In a spectacular showing, Alex Albon stormed to the second-fastest time, a mere 0.039s shy of Verstappen's benchmark. The performance sent a wave of excitement through the paddock, suggesting Williams may have brought a car capable of fighting at the sharp end this weekend.
Backing up Albon's stellar lap was his new teammate, Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard, in his first season with the Grove-based outfit, put his Williams in third position, just 0.082s off the pace. Seeing a Williams 2-3 on the timing screens, even in a practice session, is a huge statement of intent and the key takeaway from the opening hour of action.
While Williams stole the headlines, the other front-running teams had a mixed session as they gathered crucial data on the newly resurfaced track.
Mercedes and Ferrari were right in the hunt, though they couldn't quite match the top three. George Russell was the lead Mercedes in P4, while his new rookie teammate, Kimi Antonelli, finished his first official session in Montreal down in 13th. For the new-look Ferrari squad, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton placed a strong P5, with Charles Leclerc rounding out the top ten.
After recent successes, McLaren appeared to have a quieter start to their Canadian Grand Prix campaign. Lando Norris finished the session in P7, while Oscar Piastri was further back in 14th. It's likely the Woking team was focused on a different run programme, prioritising long-run data over single-lap heroics. They will undoubtedly be a force to reckon with as the weekend develops.
The session also gave us a look at the grid's new talent and driver lineups for 2025. Isack Hadjar continued to impress for Racing Bulls, securing a superb P6, with teammate Liam Lawson close behind in P8. Further down, the Haas pairing of Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman finished 18th and 17th respectively, while rookies Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) and Franco Colapinto (Alpine) got their first taste of the demanding Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
With FP1 in the books, the stage is set for a fascinating weekend. While Verstappen leads, the incredible pace from Williams has thrown a wrench in the predictions. The pecking order remains volatile, and as teams analyze their data, the picture will become clearer in the practice sessions to come.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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