F1 Canadian GP live commentary and updates - media day

As we've had all of the allotted media sessions today, we're going to close up for the night.

Don't forget to stick with Motorsport.com and Autosport for everything to do with the Canadian Grand Prix AND the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend - it'll be a riveting weekend!

Thanks for joining us, and we'll see you for FP1 tomorrow! 

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Norris "on the right track" with 2025 form

After notable dissatisfaction with the start of his 2025 season, Lando Norris feels that he's turning the corner - and puts his McLaren title deficit to Oscar Piastri down to "whoever leads in Turn 1".

Norris has struggled to recapture his qualifying form from 2024 with just two poles to Piastri's four, but cut a more contented figure in Canada and believes he's getting back on terms with the Australian.

"I think if you look back on it, it's kind of whoever led into turn one and whoever led into turn one really was ahead, you know. I think it's close.

"The biggest takeaway is it's just very close and it's hard to create any big advantage during the race now, comparing to especially my team-mate.

"I think definitely the momentum I had from even prior to Monaco and just the things I've been working on and continue to work on have definitely been helping me. Every track's different, every place is different, weather conditions - you have to be good in all of them.

"So certainly on the right track but still not where I want to be. So I'm not as happy as what I can be but I'm happier for sure and I think there's not a lot more I could have done on Sunday [in Barcelona]. I don't think anyone in my position could have done much more than what I did."

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Ice cool Piastri: 2025 title chances not "do or die"

A level-headed approach from Oscar Piastri comes as little surprise - after all, it's how the Australian has managed to get to the top of the 2025 championship.

Asked if he needed to change his approach now he's approaching the half-way point of the season with the championship lead, Piastri took a similar line to Max Verstappen's "I'll race how I always race" - noting that he usually tends towards a more prudent approach.

Piastri on changing his driving: "Not massively, no. I think for me I'm still going to race how I always race. There's not really much more to say, I guess I'll just try and race how I always do. I think I normally try to race quite smart and keep myself out of trouble.

"A good saying is that it's often better to still be in the race than prove that you were right in the situation, so I'll try and keep that.

"I think for me I'm not looking at it as my one chance. Obviously I don't know that, but I don't think there's any use in putting extra pressure on yourself and thinking it's do or die.

"I'm still very early in my career and it obviously is a great opportunity, but I'll just try and win as many races as I can and hopefully it makes the championship look quite good at the end."

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Leclerc rubbishes rumours of dissatisfaction with Ferrari

In response to speculation in the Italian media that Charles Leclerc was casting his net out for a potential Ferrari exit, the Monegasque stated that the stories had been a surprise.

Leclerc doubled down on his love for Ferrari, and stated that the speculation was far from the truth of the matter.

Leclerc on Ferrari rumours: "I'm very surprised. I mean, I have no idea from where it's coming from. So, I'll rather just ignore it. But I've never said anything of this in the last few races.

"If anything, I keep saying how much I love the team and how much I want to bring back Ferrari to the top. So, yeah, I was just surprised.

"We have a vision that we share, us three, Fred, Lewis and myself, in order to try and get back to winning. And we've been working to put that all together. And so, yeah, this is for sure our plan. And I think we should stick to it".

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Tsunoda on RB19 test

Yuki Tsunoda had been scheduled to test Red Bull's RB19 car earlier this year at Silverstone, but poor weather (surprising, I know) meant that the team chose not to use its mileage that day - and instead, gave him some running in Barcelona following the race.

Explaining the test, Tsunoda reckoned it was useful to see the results back to back - as he looks to get a foothold with Red Bull's 2026 car.

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Pirelli

"I had a lot of laps. I tried RB19, especially driving with exactly the same track as how I also drove in the RB21 race week.

"So you can see a clear difference, but also using the [control] tyres, so it's a bit different there. I think I was able to give good feedback to them and give some ideas that maybe we can improve or we can take some benefits from the RB19.

"But generally, it's not that huge of a difference, so it's good. Also the tyre test was for 2026, so I was only focused on the feedback."

Verstappen reflects on Spanish GP clash with Russell...sort of

Anyone expecting a repentant Max Verstappen in his first media appearance since returning home from Barcelona might have been a touch optimistic.

Unsurprisingly, Verstappen faced multiple media questions following the Spanish Grand Prix; although he later admitted it was something he shouldn't have done, he was a bit more like his bullish self in Canada.

Verstappen replies to questions about his clash with Russell: "I cannot just back out of everything - I'm just going to race like I always do. I trust myself.

"Is it fair that I'm on 11 points? I don't know. But at the same time, life is not fair, you know, so if you look at it like that, I don't worry about it.

"I just come here to race and I will always race hard, race how I think I should race. And then we go on to the next race."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

What are Montreal's best races?

Thanks to the changeable conditions and propensity for mad moments, Canada usually produces some pretty out-there races.

We certainly can't forget the race 30 years ago, when Jean Alesi scored his first and only grand prix victory for Ferrari, with other classics including 1999's Wall of Champions race (which also featured a first-corner clash between Trulli, Alesi, and Barrichello).

Damon Hill, Jordan Mugen

Photo by: Sutton Images

Let's add Lewis Hamilton's first win in 2007 (which also featured a stunning late charge from Takuma Sato and Robert Kubica's barrel roll). Kubica then bagged his first win in 2008 as Hamilton hit Kimi Raikkonen on the pit exit.

Daniel Ricciardo's maiden win in a wild 2014 race was also a lot of fun, while last year's wet-dry grand prix also had its moments. Here's hoping we get something suitably wacky in 2025!

Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber F1.07, crashes heavily during the race

Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images

Russell bumped into Verstappen in airport security, but didn't chat about Barcelona clash

George Russell says he hasn't spoken to Max Verstappen about their Barcelona clash, as Verstappen went into the side of Russell at Turn 5 in an apparently deliberate move.

Russell said that, given the move benefitted him, he should thank Verstappen - but decided it wasn't a topic of conversation when he saw the Dutchman at the airport.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Russell on meeting Verstappen: "I was a bit surprised to see him taking responsibility because it was quite unlike him, And we actually bumped into each other at the airport a few days ago.

"But we didn't even chat about it. He was there with his family and his and his newborn, and sort of chatted to me about how that was going - then he was busy folding the pram and trying to get it through the scanner.

"Look, there's nothing from my side. Had I been taken out of the race, I'd be feeling very differently for sure, but ultimately, you know, his actions benefitted me, cost him, so I should say thanks."

Hulkenberg on Sauber's Barcelona fifth place

After turning in a strong result in Barcelona that offered Sauber a much needed pay-day, Nico Hulkenberg says ending the "dry patch" has been a boost at the team for morale.

He explained that the updates brought to the Spanish GP, which included a new floor along with the revised front wing, had rather helped make it possible.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Hulkenberg on his 2025 so far: "Obviously it's been a bit of a difficult and dry patch, all the races between Melbourne and Barcelona. So obviously that was of course very positive for us for the morale and everything.

"We introduced an update in Barcelona which, which really had a big impact and just  made us perform a lot better. The race circumstances, you know, the late safety car keep dropping out, you know, we got a little bit lucky with some of the circumstances or they played into our hands.

"But I also feel we [scored fifth] on merit."

Antonelli praises Hadjar's rookie F1 season

Asked by Sky Sports' David Croft in the press conference who the drivers would vote for as rookie of the year so far (with the proviso they couldn't vote for themselves), Andrea Kimi Antonelli put forward Isack Hadjar as his answer.

"I think Hadjar has been quite impressive. His qualifying performance has been quite strong, so I'll go for him. He's been up there, and doing well. I will go for him."

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Lawson concurred: "I have to agree, and obviously I'm the guy who has to go up against him and see all of it. Especially in qualifying, over the last triple headers, and he's done a great job.

Hulkenberg also agreed, but was keen to point out all of them had been impressive in their own way. "Isack has definitely had a very good run this season, but the car been strong which has been strong. But all of them have done a decent and good job. When I look back at my first year and how troubled it was, I think they're pretty good."

Lawson on racing in Canada

Sporting a questionable moustache, Liam Lawson reckons he's well up for the challenge of Canada - another circuit he's surprisingly never raced at before.

After a tough start to the year, Lawson's season has picked up in recent rounds - points in Monaco, and was close to adding more to his tally in Barcelona.

"It's a track that creates racing, double DRS zones behind each other, braking zones into hairpin corners. And the weather, it looks alright at the moment but changes very quickly." 

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Hamilton on Ferrari rumours: "Fred is the main reason I am in this team"

Lewis Hamilton had to field a few questions about the situation at Ferrari, given his difficult Barcelona weekend and low mood following the race.

But, following rumours about the future of team principal Frederic Vasseur in the wake of Ferrari's less-than-ideal start to 2025, Hamilton was keen to stress that he wants to keep working with Vasseur - and that the Frenchman's presence at the team was the key reason for joining. The two have history, with junior series titles at Vasseur's ASM and ART teams in F3 and GP2.

"I was just made aware of it just before I got here, so I've not read the stories," Hamilton said. "It's definitely not nice to, to hear that there's stories like that that are out there. I love working with Fred.

"Fred's the main reason I'm in this team and I got the opportunity to be here."

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images

Stroll quiet on hand injury in FIA press conference

Lance Stroll drove old machinery at Paul Ricard before flying out to Canada to test whether his hand and wrist were race-ready - but kept answers about his Barcelona injury to a minimum. 

"I was in pain for a couple of races. I got a procedure done, and now I'm not in pain," Stroll elaborated.

He says that it hurt "a little, but it's fine" - but has otherwise remained relatively mute and static, aside from the audible chewing into the microphone as he gnaws on a stick of gum. Think that's worth an FIA fine, to be honest...

Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto have fielded most of the questions in this section of the press conference so far. Hulkenberg, Antonelli, and Lawson will be up in part two.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Alonso on tricky '25 start - with slight dig at rivals' "difficulties"

Fernando Alonso explained that motivation remains high at Aston Martin, despite the difficulties faced by the team in the opening part of 2025. The Spaniard belatedly opened his account at his home race with ninth, getting him off the mark for the year.

With a veiled dig at those towards the front of the field, Alonso says that Aston's struggles have been tougher than those experienced by those at the top 'not happy to only finish on the podium three or four times'/

Alonso on his 2025 season: "We cannot put too much focus into solving the problem because we need to think about the future and 2026 and things like that. Even if it's too late, probably we will try to get a better second part of the year

"It is tough, tougher than some of our opponents, and they are not happy because they only finished 3 or 4 times in the podium this year and they didn't want a race. We are fighting to get out of Q1. I'm surprised sometimes about the difficulties that the others they seem to have!

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

"But we remain united, we remain focused, , we try not to lose the motivation and, and try to fight for points every weekend and and do our best job every weekend.

"I think so far we've been achieving that.I don't think that there has been any weekend this year that, you know, we felt that we underperform or we were not motivated, or we could have done something differently."

Bearman on F1 adaptation: Tracks not suiting car "tough to swallow"

Ollie Bearman has been one of the more assured rookies on the F1 grid this season, and has already repaid Haas' faith with a series of solid results in his opening nine races. 

How has he found the adaptation? He says that the swing between strong and weak circuits for any given team is something he has not experienced in the single-spec junior championships - and that he could have the best weekend of his life and still struggle to make Q3.

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Peter Fox / Getty Images

Bearman on his debut year so far: "I've been building up step by step and I'm happy - it's kind of in line with what I expected at this point of the season,"

"The unexpected things are are probably just the variation through different weekends, how some tracks simply don't suit our car. And sometimes that's a difficult thing to manage because that's never really been the case in other categories.

"Normally if you drive well then you're quick and if you don't drive well, then you're not fast.

"But sometimes you can have one of your best weekends from a personal performance and simply this track and car combination is not the one that that is putting you in Q2 or Q3. And sometimes that's a tough pill to swallow."

Haas' 200th GP throwback livery

To celebrate the double century of F1 grand prix entries, Haas has knocked up a new paint scheme for Montreal to celebrate - based on the VF-16 livery it first entered F1 with in 2016.

As such, it's taken on board some of the silver-grey blocks and red flashes similar to its debut scheme - the team scored points on debut as Romain Grosjean finished sixth in Australia.

Ocon: Tightness of field creates bigger race-by-race swing

Haas endured a difficult Barcelona, as the nature of the circuit exposed some of its more pressing high-speed weaknesses. Ollie Bearman might have scored points, had he been more fortuitous.

Esteban Ocon had a more taxing weekend, but reckoned that finding an extra tenth per lap might have yielded a bigger result. He's keen to find a bit more consistency with Haas' 2025 car.

"If we had the answer [why Haas struggles in higher-speed conditions], I think we would not be in that situation, but if you look how tight it is. Through the field, if you look in Barcelona, I think one tenth would have gave me like 4 or 5 places.

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

"It's really tight and it helps the swing from one race to another to be much bigger. But there are some tracks where we struggle more on and it shows a bit more weakness on our car.

"We are working on that with the whole team and having a bit more consistency is definitely what we are looking for."

Hadjar on radio silence: "I have made progress with my thumb"

When Isack Hadjar came into F1, he had a reputation for fiery radio traffic - particularly through his time in F2.

Perhaps sensibly, the Frenchman has chosen to be more sparing with the radio button on his steering wheel - although he says he still "has the same character".

Hadjar on his radio traffic: "Inside the car, I made progress with my thumb, but out of it I think I've never been that kind of driver that gets out of the car and throw things at anyone.

"I'm mad at myself. I think so far you've seen a cool driver and that's all.

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Pirelli Barcelona test

Photo by: Pirelli

Sainz reckons Madrid F1 circuit will have 'character'

Having been the first driver to drive an F1 car around the IFEMA exhibition centre in Madrid, the site of the incoming Madring circuit, Carlos Sainz says he has given a few notes to the organisers on how to potentially improve the circuit.

Sainz feels that if the circuit offers good racing, then any criticisms about it will immediately dissipate.

"I don't really care how the whole track is designed, obviously the track itself has a very characteristic corner with a 24% banking, very long combined corner, that's gonna be the main character of the track.

"It's done in an open area, , where you can design an F1 track a bit the way you want. Elsewhere, there's gonna be more of a street circuit vibe.

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

"For me, where I'm trying to help is in the two main overtaking zones to make sure that the braking zone and the approach of the cars and, and the way the corner opens up and the braking, it's wide enough and it's big enough to produce overtaking.

"We need to see if we can change or adapt a couple of things that I've given advice on, but I'm definitely at least trying to make sure that whatever the track is, as long as there's overtaking.

"Look at Baku. There's no corner really in Baku that is enjoyable from the driver's standpoints, but if it has a long straight and it creates a good show, everyone loves Baku. Obviously with Madrid, there's gonna be a bit more character to it, but it needs to have overtaking."

Albon expects stronger weekend for Williams in Canada

Although Williams had expected a difficult weekend at Barcelona last time out, Alex Albon nonetheless came within a shade of making Q3.

He believes that Canada should be much more rewarding for Williams - Albon was seventh in Montreal back in 2023, and was set for another big points payday last year before being taken out by now-team-mate Carlos Sainz.

The Anglo-Thai was keen to point out that Williams' midfield rivals were benefitting from updates, however, so was not entirely sure on the formbook going into the round.

Albon on Williams' chances: "Yes, this track will suit us, more so than Barcelona. It's still interesting though, because there's a lot of upgrades that's obviously been going on, the Saubers, the Astons, they've definitely got a lot quicker now."

"We don't have the big performance upgrade like they've put on, so we still need to understand their packages and and if they're going to be better on tracks like this or or not.

"It's the nature of the beast, I think the upgrade plan we have is that we do have stuff coming, but there is also still that focus on next year. We're just making sure we're as prepared as we can be for next year."

Alexander Albon, Williams

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Bortoleto on rookie pressure

While the likes of Jack Doohan, Liam Lawson, and Franco Colapinto have faced huge levels of pressure to perform in their early career, Gabriel Bortoleto has largely avoided it having compared favourably to team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

He reckons that the pressure to perform was already palpable in F2 and F3, where he knew he didn't necessarily have the backing to do more than one season in each. Luckily, the Brazilian won them both at the first attempt...

"I always used to say like the biggest pressure you can feel is when you are in F3 and F2," he said, "You have only one year - at least for me, it was very clear inside my family and inside my career that I had only one year in each series. We didn't know if we would have the money anyway to do a second year in F2 - and when you do a second year in F2, even if you win, it's not guaranteed that you go to Formula 1.

"The pressure is actually when you are in these series, that you need to perform, you need to deliver, you need to win to have maybe a chance to win in F1

"I think still, you know, it's a different type of pressure in F1, I want to do well, I want to perform. I achieved my goal of being in Formula 1, now it's another goal - that is to be a great driver here and achieve bigger dreams."

New hospitality blocks at CGV?

Seems like the old single-decker 'awnings' are gone, as Red Bull shows off a more solid double-decker set-up. After all, one of last year's hospitality units was left a bit wet by a Friday hailstorm - a puddle was definitely visible.

Cowell coy on Stroll injury chat

One of the stories emerging from Barcelona was the apparent exacerbation of the hand injury that Lance Stroll sustained in the 2023 pre-season, although the Canadian has been declared fit to run in his home race. 

When asked how far Aston Martin needed to go down the road of appointing a deputy, particularly with the added complication of reserve drivers Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne racing at Le Mans, Cowell refused to be drawn.

"Every situation you have you have different plans, but Plan A has been strong all the way through. Lance is here, he caught up with some of the race team, , last night in Montreal, having a bite of of food to eat together and so on.

"We're really, really pleased with how things have gone over the last couple of weeks.

"[Reserve complications] were not a big issue. It's something that we've always got planned in. You've always got contingencies."

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Montreal track guide

Watch: 2025 Canadian GP track guide

Also on this weekend: Le Mans 24 Hours

Why is it called the Wall of Champions?

Save for a couple of fallow years, Montreal has been a mainstay of the calendar since joining. 1987's race was annulled due to a sponsorship conflict between Molson and Labatt, 2009 was off due to unspecified contractual issues, and 2020-21 were cancelled due to COVID. 

Since the '80s, the circuit has undergone a few changes to reprofile some of the corners, although remains in largely the same format as it was in 1996. 

In 1999, the Wall of Champions name was born. On the exit of the final chicane, Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve (all F1 title-winners) sustained separate crashes against the wall. Ricardo Zonta, an F3000 and FIA GT champion, did likewise.

Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

Photo by: Sutton Images

F1's switch to Montreal

The Canadian GP was not held in 1975, although Mosport held onto the race for the next two years until the grand prix moved to Montreal. The race was held on the Ile Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St Lawrence River built for the Expo 67.

The layout was different back then; the start-finish straight was immediately after the hairpin exit, and the modern-day double-straight separated by the final chicane was broken up by a series of quick-fire bends. 

Local hero Gilles Villeneuve won the first race in Montreal, simultaneously his first F1 victory - fitting, given the circuit would later bear his name after his death in 1982.

Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari 312T3

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Canadian GP - Mosport and Mont-Tremblant

The Mosport circuit alternated with Mont-Tremblant over the next couple of seasons, although the latter venue held just two races before the race reverted to Mosport full-time.

There, the 1973 was infamous for the utter confusion over the timing order. Having started in sopping wet conditions, a series of pitstops (then a rarity) for slicks as the track dried up produced the initial hit of uncertainty.

F1's first ever safety car appearance (a Porsche 914) contributed to more of the chaos as it emerged in front of Howden Ganley, in response to a crash between Francois Cevert and Jody Scheckter.

McLaren's Peter Revson, who gained a lap thanks to the incorrect safety car positioning, was declared the winner from Emerson Fittipaldi and Jackie Oliver...after a lengthy inquest post-race. Imagine that today - there'd be bedlam!

Start: Peter Revson, McLaren M23, Ronnie Peterson, Lotus 72D

Photo by: Motorsport Images

History of the Canadian GP

While we wait for more current affairs in Canada, let's revisit the race's history. As the US has tried to gather a foothold on F1 in recent years, we mustn't forget that Canada has been a calendar mainstay for almost 60 years.

Although the first race billed as the Canadian Grand Prix was held in 1961, it didn't join the F1 calendar until 1967 - where the race was held at Mosport (now the Canadian Tyre Motorsport Park). Jack Brabham [below] won over team-mate Denny Hulme - who became the champion that season.

Jack Brabham, Brabham Repco BT24

Photo by: Sutton Images

This weekend's Race Center Live

Canada RCL

Photo by: Motorsport.com

Media sessions start at 11am local time

Our friends and colleagues on the ground: Ben Hunt, Mark Mann-Bryans, and Emily Selleck, will be flat out getting the musings of the 20 drivers across the grid - but first, Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell will be up at 11am local.

Since this is the first time in a couple of years that I've not been at the Canadian GP, I've asked if I can live vicariously through them and rate the poutine stand (assuming it's there this year!) later on. To be honest, I'm mainly just gutted that I'm not able to do my yearly visit to Schwartz's for an excessively meaty sandwich.

(And before anyone asks, they do not sell Liquid Schwartz. We did ask.)

The 2025 Canadian GP weekend starts here

After a triple header to kick off 2025's European season, F1 takes a little sojourn to North America before returning to Europe for the summer months. 

And Montreal is one of the classics - it's a tough circuit to master, with a series of short, sharp corners, long straights, and two tight hairpins that bunch up the pack. 

Oh, and don't forget the Wall of Champions. 

Jacques Villeneuve, British American Racing

Photo by: Sutton Images