Canada returns to F1 calendar for first time since 2019
Verstappen quickest in both of Friday's practice sessions
The Red Bull man leads the drivers' standings by 21 points after victory last time out in Baku
Get involved via #bbcf1
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Montreal
Mercedes have changed Lewis Hamilton's floor ahead of this session and it no longer features the experimental big scoop out of it about halfway along.
What have we got in terms of tyres for FP2?
Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon are on the soft compound, the two Haas drivers are trying out the hards for size and the rest have gone yellow mediums.
Oh dear!
Sebastian Vettel is released from the garage but unfortunately, the Haas of Kevin Magnussen is right there in his path.
"That is crazy," says Magnussen. Stewards are going to have a look to see if that was an unsafe release from the Aston Martin crew.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Busy old Mercedes garage at the moment. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are both standing around waiting for the go ahead to climb in the car.
Rain? Nope. Dry out on track after those thunderstorms on Thursday.
Just like in the drivers' contest, Red Bull have had to claw back a points deficit in the early stages of the season to now head Ferrari in the constructors' standings by 80 points.
Image source, Getty ImagesThis is how the top 10 of the drivers' championship looks after eight rounds of racing.
Sergio Perez has certainly muscled his way into the title scrap thanks to his recent strong performances. The Mexican has now moved up into second place behind team-mate Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc will be looking over his shoulder after those dropped points in Baku, as George Russell is now only 17 points away from the Monegasque man.
Image source, Getty ImagesA special guest has joined the team on this week's Chequered Flag podcast: 1979 Formula 1 world champion, Jody Scheckter.
Have a watched of the preview video below, and then go and listen and download the full episode on the BBC Sounds app here.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
By the year 2035, the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and George Russell will all be pushing 37, while Fernando Alonso will more than likely (but who knows with the Spaniard) have his feet up in some comfy slippers, having reached the ripe old age of 53.
Image source, TwitterNo surprise that Daniel Ricciardo was delighted with Melbourne's contract extension when the official Formula 1 Twitter account broke the news.
The Australian's McLaren team boss, Zak Brown, was another who was thrilled. "Awesome news!," Brown tweeted. "We love going racing in Australia, always an exciting race. Great to have it locked in the calendar until 2035."
Image source, Getty ImagesOne circuit that can sleep easy at night knowing it still has a place on the calendar is Albert Park in Melbourne.
On Wednesday, the Australian Grand Prix struck a deal to continue hosting an F1 race until 2035.
The deal is a 10-year extension on the existing contract, which had been due to expire in 2025.
It will extend the race's stay on the calendar to nearly 40 years.
If all these plans come into fruition, we could potentially be looking at a colossal 24-race season next year.
Are you all in favour of more grands prix being added? (hit the up thumb) Or is Formula 1 at risk of overloading the calendar to the detriment of a quality championship? (hit the down thumb)
So, if South Africa is added back onto the calendar for 2023, and the Chinese Grand Prix also gets the go ahead to make a return after its long absence, which races are at risk of dropping off?
Unfortunately, the Belgian Grand Prix and racing at Spa-Francorchamps would be top of the list to make way.
It might not be the end for the historic circuit, however, as Spa could become one of a number of races that rotate through the calendar from year to year.
The French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard is most likely to be dropped in order to accommodate the glitzy Las Vegas event next November.
Image source, Getty ImagesCould the South African Grand Prix be making a comeback on the Formula 1 calendar?
F1 president Stefano Domenicali flew to South Africa from Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix to meet with representatives of the Kyalami circuit.
Insiders say an agreement is some weeks from completion but the target is to secure a date in 2023.
Kyalami, a fixture on the calendar in the 1970s and early 1980s, last held a South African Grand Prix in 1993.
Image source, ReutersMore from James Allison, who is asked how did Mercedes, who have won eight constructors' championships in a row, got things so wrong with the new relegation changes?
"You sound like my mother-in-law!" the chief technical director jokes. "I wish I could answer that because if we had the answer, we would clearly have already fixed it.
"I think we clearly didn't see the porpoising problem coming - and I think that's true to a greater (or lesser) extent up and down the pit lane, and that's a problem we've largely got on top of.
"We're still left with a car that doesn't have enough rear grip, is suffering from a little bit of an unpleasant ride characteristic - because all these cars are very stiffly sprung and very close to the ground - and it's just not an overall competitive package yet.
"But why we have arrived like that? I guess that will become clearer over time."
Image source, ReutersMercedes chief technical director James Allison is in the Mercedes garage this weekend and Sky Sports managed to grab him for a chat after first practice.
His assessment of the session for the Silver Arrows? "Not the best," he said. "The car was pretty lively out there, balance-wise.
"I guess it's quite gusty but it was very tail-light, with the drivers not happy with the balance they had. I think if we had carried on with that we wouldn't have had a particularly good race run because the rears would go away from us. Definitely got some work to do there."
Full times, gaps and laps from the earlier practice running for you have to a look over...
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Montreal
Image source, Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc has avoided a grid penalty on the first day of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend despite his engine failure at the last race.
Leclerc is flirting with the limits on the maximum permitted number of components for a season after two engine-related retirements in the past three races.
Ferrari fitted a series of new engine parts to Leclerc's car in Montreal.
However, they re-used an old turbo to avoid a penalty.
At least one grid penalty is inevitable for Leclerc at some point soon this season.
Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda will have a grid penalty, though, having taken a new engine and exceeded his permitted allowance of all four engine components.
If you're just dipping in to tonight's live page, welcome.
There is a grid penalty incoming for one driver this weekend, but not for the man you may be thinking of after what happened in Baku...