Free 1: McLaren dominates in Montreal

While Europe is monopolized by 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula 1 went into exile in North America to continue a season that is still as exciting and indecisive as during the first laps of the wheel. If Red Bull dominated most of the season, McLaren seems able to catch up, especially since the multiple faults of Red Bull Racing led the team to not having a great numerical advantage.

At the start of the first free practice session in Montreal (10 a.m., 16 p.m. in France), the Saubers and the Toro Rosso are the first to show up. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) sets the first time, in 1:28:723. Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) then beat him, in 1:25:265. But Kobayashi keeps on laps on the track and constantly improves the reference mark, until he runs in 1:21:311.

Rubens Barrichello (Williams) then showed up at the front (1:20:276) but the McLarens entered the track and put on a show. Jenson Button (McLaren) set the best time (1:19:315) but was quickly dispossessed by Michael Schumacher (Mercedes, 1?19??173).

But McLaren is determined to test the qualities of its MP4-25 on this specific track. Already very lively in Istanbul, McLaren can take advantage of its F-duct to shine. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) goes to the top of the list, in 1:18??571 then improves (1:18??352). He was immediately imitated by Jenson Button, who took the reference mark (1?18??127).

Few improvements were to be noted in the last half hour of the session, with the drivers focusing mainly on stringing together laps on the track. Kamui Koabayashi is notably the most diligent, with 33 laps covered. However, Michael Schumacher managed to set a time, getting between the two McLaren drivers. The seven-time World Champion thus took the second time, in 1:18:285.