Summary

  • Use audio icon at top of page to listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary (UK only)

  • Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso fastest in wet second practice for Canadian GP

  • Red Bull's Max Verstappen has session cut short by energy recovery system issue

  • McLaren's Lando Norris fastest in first practice, which was also rain-affected

  • Verstappen leads drivers' championship by 31 points from Charles Leclerc

Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Rosanna Tennant
    5 Live F1 reporter in Montreal

    Interesting times, hopefully we'll find out what's happened.

  2. Team radio - Verstappen to Red Bull

    "I smell a bit of smoke."

  3. Max Verstappen is back in the garage and the Dutchman has jumped out of the car. It looks like that Red Bull is experiencing some issues, as Verstappen says: "Can we get the fans, I think I smell a bit of smoke."

  4. Rebecca Clancy
    F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This is where we get great racing. It's just a proper racing track - old-school racing where they go wheel to wheel, it's risk-reward, and it's a brilliant city. There is just a great feeling around this race.

  5. Fernando Alonso has shaved a few tenths off his previous time and now leads the field with a 1:17.835 on his soft tyres. Lewis Hamilton, groundhog avoider, is second on the same compound and Kevin Magnussen and his Haas is third quickest, also a softie.

  6. Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    He put the brakes on even harder than Hamilton, that groundhog!

  7. Groundhog alert!

    A groundhog pictured trackside at the Circuit Gilles VilleneuveGetty Images

    There are two things you can guarantee will pop up during a Canadian Grand Prix weekend: drivers being asked if they have tried poutine (chips, cheese curds and gravy), and a sighting of these little fellas dangerously close to the track during a session.

    Groundhogs, also known as marmots, have become frequent visitors to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and while most have made a safe passage to the other side of the track, some, like the one that hit the Haas of Romain Grosjean in 2018, have not been so lucky.

    So, for every Punxsutawney Phil attempting to say hello to the Formula 1 action over the next three days, we wish good luck on your journey.

    *Lewis Hamilton has just avoided one*

  8. The good grace of winning his home grand prix has well and truly disappeared for Charles Leclerc, as Fernando Alonso notes to his Aston Martin pit wall: "Leclerc is the slowest in the last corners. No mirrors. Typical Ferrari."

  9. The TV camera above the pit lane is covered with spots of rain, with drivers reporting the rain is coming down harder now. Fernando Alonso is still treading carefully in his Aston Martin on soft tyres and has clocked the quickest time so far with a 1:20.451.

  10. While the clouds are dark above Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, there are plenty of cars who have ventured out onto the 4.361km track to try and put down some laps on the slicks before the rain arrives. Oscar Piastri and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris are on mediums; the rest of the field are on the soft compound.

  11. Latest weather update

    Ian Fergusson
    BBC weather forecaster

    Light rain currently as session gets ready to start. Anticipate busy start before rain turns heavier into next 20 minutes.

    So, broad trend now is towards some heavier rain rates. It's looking unlikely rain will stop during the next 60 minutes, albeit with rates/amounts varying. Net result is an hour of risk versus reward track time, given ongoing prospects of similar weather situations on Saturday and Sunday.

  12. Rebecca Clancy
    F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Valtteri Bottas doesn't have a drive next season. He definitely deserves one in my book. I think any team would be lucky to have Bottas.

    Valtteri BottasGetty Images

  13. Pierre Gasly is the lone driver out on track in his Alpine on the soft tyre and has clocked a lap time of 1:29.007.

    Lewis Hamilton, who is now back in the garage, has also banked a time on the same compound - but that marker is a long way off Gasly's.

    Alpine ask Gasly how is the track? The Frenchman replies "it's getting better".

  14. Carlos Sainz is on the radio straight away to say it's too wet for the mediums. His Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, is an intermediate runner but the Monegasque driver is told to box, however he is not given a reason why, despite asking quite a few times. A message from race control says the Italian team have been noted for tyre usage.

  15. Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    This is a shame. We were looking forward to getting some dry-weather running - the last thing F1 needed was rain at the start of the session.

  16. Rebecca Clancy
    F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    We shouldn't read too much into FP1 but I do think the Ferraris will be quick around here, McLaren as well. Leclerc is on an absolute high after winning his home race in Monaco and Sainz has a point to prove.

  17. Right, Carlos Sainz has come out on a set of medium tyres, while the likes of Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes drivers have softs bolted on.

  18. "It's coming down much harder now."

    Oh, George!

  19. Go! Go! Go!

    Take two. The rain is heading to the circuit, so get out sharpish... on slicks.

  20. Tune in

    BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Hello 5 Live F1 gang! I'm not sure if I ever get a 'hello' back, but the team are in position now at the top of this page (and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds) to take us through this second practice session.