Max Verstappen, the current leader in the Formula 1 standings, faced a setback during the Canadian Grand Prix practice session on Friday. The Red Bull driver was hit by a smoky battery problem, causing him to miss a significant portion of the practice.
Verstappen’s car experienced the issue just 20 minutes into the session, forcing him to pull over on the track. The team quickly worked to fix the problem, but it took over an hour for the car to be ready for Verstappen to return to the track.
Despite the delay, Verstappen was able to complete 13 laps and finish in fifth place on the timesheets. However, he was still over a second behind the fastest time set by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.
Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, also faced issues during the practice session. The Mexican driver had to stop on track due to a gearbox problem, but was able to return to the track after the issue was resolved.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expressed his frustration with the technical issues, stating that they were “not what you want on a Friday.” He also mentioned that the team would be working hard to resolve the problems before Saturday’s qualifying session.
Verstappen’s main rival in the championship, Lewis Hamilton, had a strong practice session, finishing in second place behind Bottas. The seven-time world champion is currently 14 points behind Verstappen in the standings and will be looking to close the gap in this weekend’s race.
The Canadian Grand Prix is known for its unpredictable weather, and rain is expected for Saturday’s qualifying session. This could potentially shake up the grid and provide an opportunity for Verstappen to regain his dominance.
The battery issue faced by Verstappen is a reminder that even the top teams can face technical difficulties. With the championship battle heating up, every point counts and the Red Bull team will be working hard to ensure that Verstappen’s car is in top condition for the race on Sunday.
Fans will be eagerly watching to see how Verstappen and the rest of the drivers perform in the upcoming sessions, as the Canadian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting and unpredictable race.
