FP1: Di Resta surprise pacesetter in damp Montreal

Force India's Paul di Resta was the surprise pacesetter in an opening practice session in Canada on Friday that was characterised by continually changing track conditions.

Rain in the morning left the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve wet enough for Pirelli's intermediate tyres right up until the closing minutes. Several drivers set the pace as the track evolved, until right at the end Di Resta was the quickest man to switch to the medium slicks to post 1m 21.020s on a great morning for Force India.

More about Mercedes

Russell Reveals Mercedes’ Main Goal for the Final Race

Dec 5

Hadjar Needs Support to Succeed at Red Bull, Says Lammers

Dec 3

That deposed Jenson Button, who earlier had lapped his improved McLaren in 1m 21.511s on the same rubber. The Englishman's response to the Scot was 1m 21.108s, good enough for second but 0.088s adrift.

Behind the two Britons, Romain Grosjean recorded third fastest time in 1m 21.258s for Lotus, followed by Ferrari's Fernando Alonso on 1m 21.308s and Kimi Raikkonen on 1m 21.608s in the second Lotus, which had set the pace earlier in the wet.

Daniel Ricciardo was generally quick all morning and ended up sixth for Toro Rosso on 1m 22.068s, followed by Mercedes' Nico Rosberg who was the immediate pacesetter on intermediates when conditions were at their worst. He lapped on slicks in 1m 22.402s for seventh ahead of late improver Sergio Perez on 1m 22.587s for McLaren, Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel, who had been very quick in the middle of the session but didnt thereafter improve on his 1m 23.047s, Mark Webber on 1m 23.131s in the sister Red Bull, Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari on 1m 23.341s, Valtteri Bottas on 1m 23.352s for Williams, Jean-Eric Vergne for Toro Rosso on 1m 23.386s and Adrian Sutil, who had a half spin exiting the hairpin, on 1m 23.417s in the second Force India, and Esteban Gutierrez in the lead Sauber on 1m 23.957s.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton had run Rosberg very close in the middle of the session but didn't get a run on slicks; his 1m 25.054s thus left him 17th ahead of Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber on 1m 25.354s, Giedo van der Garde on 1m 25.753s and Max Chilton on 1m 25.821s. The latter pair, in Caterham and Marussia respectively, were at one stage sixth and eighth.

Behind them Alexander Rossi had a difficult re-introduction to Formula One racing in the changing circumstances as he took Charles Pics Caterham to 1m 27.143s ahead of Pastor Maldonado on 1m 27.522s and Jules Bianchi on 1m 29.306s. Williams driver Maldonado spun and damaged the nose of his FW35 in Turn 3, narrowly missing being collected by another car, while Bianchi's Marussia stopped early in the session. (Formula1.com)