Drama in Montreal as Russell Tops FP2, Leclerc and Stroll Crash Out
The Canadian Grand Prix is already shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable weekends of the 2025 Formula 1 season. In a day filled with incident and intrigue, two local favourites—Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll—found themselves in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. And while they struggled, George Russell led the charge, putting Mercedes on top in Friday’s second practice session.
Let’s talk about Lance Stroll first. Making his return from a wrist procedure that kept him out of the Spanish Grand Prix, expectations were high for the Canadian in front of his home crowd. But it was a rough outing. In FP2, Stroll misjudged his line coming out of Turn 7 and smacked the wall, damaging the front left of his AMR25. He initially tried to nurse the car back to the pits, but quickly realized the damage was too significant. He ended up pulling off down an escape road, leaving fans in the grandstands disappointed. It’s never easy to crash at home, especially after a medical recovery, but that’s the brutal reality of F1.
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And as if that wasn’t dramatic enough, Charles Leclerc had his own issues earlier in FP1. The Ferrari driver locked up heading into Turn 3 and speared off the track, slamming into the barriers. He immediately apologized over the radio, admitting he should have just gone straight. Unfortunately, the impact was significant enough to require a full survival cell replacement on his car. As per the regulations, that repair can’t be finalized until Saturday, which meant no FP2 for Leclerc—just a long, frustrating wait.
Meanwhile, George Russell was in a league of his own during FP2. With the soft C6 tyres strapped on, he clocked an impressive 1:12.123 lap to top the timesheets. Lando Norris came close, just 0.028 seconds behind in his McLaren, while Kimi Antonelli made it a strong showing for Mercedes by rounding out the top three. It was a session full of tight margins, but Russell’s clean execution stood out amid all the chaos.
Elsewhere on the track, Hamilton had a moment through the same section where Leclerc had crashed earlier, but managed to avoid disaster. Verstappen wasn’t entirely happy with his Red Bull, noting that the car felt more “nervous” in slower corners, and traffic plagued several drivers including Gasly, Hadjar, and Lawson. There were also spins, near misses, and a few grass detours—your usual cocktail at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Looking at the bigger picture, Friday’s action gives us a preview of a grid that’s far from settled. Russell may have the early pace, but Norris is right there with him. The Ferraris have work to do—not just on the stopwatch but on the actual cars—and Aston Martin will be hoping Stroll recovers mentally as well as physically ahead of qualifying.
In short, Montreal delivered the drama we’ve come to expect. Crashes, comebacks, and a few surprises—it’s everything you want from a Friday in Formula 1. Buckle up, because the weekend is just getting started.
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