Norris tops Leclerc in very tight FP3 at Montreal

Lando Norris set the fastest time in the final free practice session ahead of qualifying for this weekend’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.

Having labelled Friday as McLaren’s “worst of the year”, Norris recovered on Saturday and led the field with a 1m11.799s, with Charles Leclerc second ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

While Norris’ weekend improved, team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri had a moment at the final corner – hoping a clip of the ‘wall of champions’ might be a premonition of his season, even if here it simply led to a right rear puncture and a red flag to clear away debris.

The Australian nursed his McLaren back to the pits but could not trouble the leaders with his lap times and ended up down in eighth after the hour-long session.

Nico Hulkenberg also had a spin out of the final chicane, but somehow kept it out of the wall himself. Quick reflexes from the German to recover his Sauber, while the Haas of Oliver Bearman also made contact later in the session.

Max Verstappen was fifth fastest overall, while Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin was the only other car to get within half a second of Norris’ best effort.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was seventh ahead of Piastri, with the Williams duo of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon rounding out the top 10.

Leclerc had been the early pacesetter on the medium tyre but, with the field seemingly split on the best compound on Friday, every driver set their best time in FP3 using the C6.

Isack Hadjar had a late spin as he set the 11th quickest time ahead of Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson.

It was a session to forget for Yuki Tsunoda, Lawson’s early-season replacement at Red Bull, as he finished last and is under investigation for a red flag infringement.

F1 Canadian GP results – FP3