Image source, Getty Images

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso was fastest in Friday practice at the Canadian Grand Prix on a day disrupted by intermittent rain.

Alonso’s best time, which put him 0.463 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in second, came at the driest point of the second session before more rain fell in Montreal.

The first session, in which McLaren’s Lando Norris was fastest, was also rain-affected, so the headline lap times of the day were almost entirely meaningless.

But there were obvious problems for championship leader Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull driver, who was 18th fastest in the second session, pitted after just four laps with smoke pouring from the back of his car.

Red Bull said his car had suffered a problem with the energy recovery system.

Read the full report here

Image source, Getty Images

What did we learn from Friday's practice sessions? Not much, unfortunately.

Max Verstappen got to take an early bath in second practice but the Dutchman won't be too disappointed in missing a chunk of running today.

We'll be back up and running from 17:00 BST for third practice on Saturday. The fight for pole position gets under way at 21:00 BST.

See you tomorrow!

11. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

12. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

13. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

14. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

15. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

16. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

17. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

18. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

19. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

20. Lando Norris (McLaren)

1. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:15.810

2. George Russell (Mercedes)

3. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

5. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)

6. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

9. Alex Albon (Williams)

10. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

I wouldn't be bold enough to suggest that the wheels are coming off at Red Bull, other than they literally have at the moment because the car is on its jacks. But it is indicative of the fact that things are not going as smoothly at Red Bull as everyone in F1 expected at the start of the season.

With the clock ticking down on Friday's practice running, Carlos Sainz heads back out on his inters to gather the last drips of data. Williams team principal James Vowles was very complimentary about the Spaniard during an interview earlier on, but can you see Sainz partnering Alex Alex next season?

1. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:15.810

2. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.463

3. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.654

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.746

5. Daniel Ricciardo (RB) +0.921

Image source, BBC Sport

If you have a question about the new regulations, or anything happening in Formula 1 at the moment, send your questions through to our F1 correspondent Andrew Benson.

Have a read of this week's Q&A here

And send your thoughts at any time across the weekend here

The intermediates are being put through their paces in the final moments of this second practice session, given the forecast is rain at various points on Saturday and Sunday.

The crowd are cheering with delight at Turn 10, as Charles Leclerc does a graceful spin after slipping and sliding on the intermediates at the hairpin.

Image source, FIA

So, what did the drivers make of the fresh regulations that will shape the future of Formula 1?

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has previously called for the cars to be made lighter, said: "It’s only 30kg so it’s going in the right direction but they’re still heavy.

"I have spoken to some drivers who have driven it on the simulator - I haven’t - and they said it’s pretty slow so we will see if it’s the right direction or not.

"But in terms of sustainability, particularly on the power-unit side, that’s a really bold step and it’s going in the right direction.

"We have just got to make sure the cars are efficient, fast and a step forwards and actually racing is improved."

While Max Verstappen's car is on the operating table undergoing surgery, the team have formed a human wall outside the garage to give the mechanics a bit of privacy.

Out on track, more drivers have joined Esteban Ocon on the green intermediate tyres.

The mechanics are struggling to get the sidepod off Max Verstappen's car. We have guys underneath the car as well. The tyres are all off and Max is gone.

Esteban Ocon, on the hunt for a new seat next season after the announcement this week he will part ways with Alpine at the end of the 2024 campaign, is out on a set of intermediates.

Image source, FIA

The word to describe the future of Formula 1 is "nimble".

On Thursday, the FIA unveiled the new regulations that will come into play from the 2026 season and beyond.

For the full breakdown, have a read of Andrew Benson's full story here

Some of the headline changes for 2026 onwards include:

• Smaller, "agile" cars which are 30kg lighter and 10cm narrower
• Active aerodynamics in the form of moveable front and rear wings to promote closer racing
• More powerful hybrid engines, with 100% sustainable fuel
• Increased overtaking opportunities through a new system which gives drivers a boost of battery power when following another car
• Manual override mode, as the new system will be known, is instead of the current DRS (drag-reduction system) overtaking aid

One driver that won't be coming back out is Max Verstappen. We don't have an official update yet as to what has happened with the three-time world champion's car but the mechanics are hard at work after the earlier trouble.

Mercedes have written on X that Lewis Hamilton was on two purple sectors on that previous lap but the seven-time world champion "got blocked into the final chicane and had to cut across it".

All 20 cars are back in the garages and the fans in the stands have their hoods up.

Rain rates look set to soon increase and take things gradually out of safely running on slicks.

Lewis Hamilton is trying to get the most of his soft tyres but the Mercedes man has to cut the track as a Ferrari flies by. "These guys keep backing up in the last corner," the seven-time world champion tells his pit wall.