Third Free Practice Results & Report 2025 Canadian F1 Grand Prix

Event: Canadian F1 Grand Prix
Track: Gilles Villeneuve circuit

Weather: wet/dry  20°C
Tarmac: wet/dry  42°C
Humidity: 34%
Wind: 12.2 km/h South
Pressure: 1021 mb

Lando Strikes Back: Norris Tops Final Practice as Montreal Bites Back

2025 Spanish Grand Prix - FP3 Report (Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Round 10)

The sun beat down on a sizzling Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, but it was Lando Norris who turned up the heat when it mattered most. In a final practice session filled with flying laps, flaring tempers, and a few flirtations with the infamous Wall of Champions, Norris planted his McLaren firmly at the top of the timesheets – banishing the memory of a troubled Friday and stamping his authority ahead of qualifying.

Let’s break down the drama of a wild FP3 in Montreal.

🔥 McLaren's Resurgence: Norris on Fire, Piastri Battered

After what Norris described as one of McLaren's worst Fridays this season, the British driver found redemption in Canada with a blistering lap of 1m11s, enough to pip Leclerc and Russell to the top spot. Importantly, Norris ran the new suspension setup aimed at boosting his confidence under braking – and the difference was clear.

In contrast, teammate Oscar Piastri, running the older suspension spec, endured a bruising session – both figuratively and literally. The Aussie became the first of several to kiss the Wall of Champions, damaging his rear tyre and potentially the floor. Though McLaren got him back out late in the session, he ended only P8, with a dented rhythm heading into quali.

🧱 Wall of Champions Claims More Victims

Montreal’s final chicane lived up to its reputation, claiming Piastri, Oliver Bearman, and Nico Hülkenberg in quick succession.

Bearman, driving for Haas, radioed that the car “felt okay” despite rear contact. Hülkenberg spun through the final turn, hitting both ends of his VF-24. Fortunately, all three drivers avoided major damage, but it was a sobering reminder of the fine margins in Canada.

🔴 Red Flags & Red Mist: Chaos and Confusion

The session was briefly halted by red flags following Piastri’s crunching impact. Debris from his rear end – along with earlier contact from Hülkenberg – littered the exit of the final corner, forcing marshals into cleanup duty.

Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda was placed under investigation for a red flag infringement, adding to his misery after brake issues kept him parked for most of the hour. He eventually rejoined late, but only managed a P20.

💥 Four-Team Frenzy: Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull & McLaren in the Mix

As the track temperature climbed to a scorching 46°C, the battle at the top intensified. At one point, four different teams – McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull – filled out the top four spots.

Charles Leclerc jumped to P2 late in the session, just 0.078s shy of Norris, despite running on nine-lap-old softs. The Monegasque star looked hooked up, even while admitting to a couple of small errors.

George Russell, meanwhile, showcased Mercedes’ one-lap pace again, going P3 and continuing his strong Canadian weekend. Lewis Hamilton wasn’t far behind, momentarily topping the charts on mediums and ending fourth overall.

As for Max Verstappen, he looked slightly less comfortable in the RB21, wrestling with the car throughout his soft-tyre runs. The Dutchman settled in P5, and while Red Bull may not have the fastest machine here, Verstappen's racecraft could still make him a threat come qualifying.

🚥 Midfield Madness: Williams & Aston Martin Lurk

Don’t sleep on the midfield. Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz both hovered inside the top 10, with Fernando Alonso jumping to P5 briefly before shuffling down. Aston Martin, interestingly, spent much of the session on hard tyres, seemingly scrubbing them for the race – a possible sign of confidence in their long-run strategy.

Franco Colapinto, though, had another nervy outing. After two spins on Friday, the Argentine rookie had a twitchy moment at the chicane but kept it out of the wall this time. He ended P14, still chasing confidence around this technical track.

🧊 Cool Heads Needed for Qualifying

With the temperature rising and the track still catching drivers out, Qualifying later today promises to be a nail-biter. The medium tyre could play a pivotal role in Q2 or even Q3, especially with traffic likely to compromise more than a few flying laps.

Mercedes look mighty. Ferrari are in the fight. McLaren are back. Red Bull are lurking. And with Williams and Aston sniffing around the top 10, there’s no room for error.

🏁 The Stage is Set

Final practice may be done, but the real battle begins now. With the top teams separated by mere tenths and the Wall of Champions waiting to punish the slightest mistake, Qualifying is shaping up to be an all-out war.

Don’t miss it – 16:00 local time, 20:00 UTC. This one’s going to be spicy. 🔥

FP3 Times Table 2025 Canadian GP

Last time the quickest lap time of FP3 was a 1:12,549 min, set by Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes W15 driven on a set of soft compound tyres.

✅ Check out our 2025 Canadian F1 Grand Prix Preview.

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