P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alex Albon crashed out of Formula 1’s only practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix after hitting a groundhog, causing the second red flag of the day
Alex Albon’s collision with a groundhog in practice caused significant damage to his Williams, leading to him missing the sprint qualifying session on Friday. The impact occurred as Albon was exiting the Turn 6-7 chicane, with the animal running across the track. The collision with the front wing of his car sent Albon off-line and into the wall on the outside, resulting in extensive left-hand side damage. Despite efforts to repair the car, it was discovered that the gearbox and PU needed replacement, forcing Albon out of the sprint qualifying session. Unfortunately, incidents like these, involving wildlife on track, are occasional hazards at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, as seen with Lewis Hamilton’s collision with a groundhog in the previous year’s race. Liam Lawson also faced troubles, with a likely hydraulics system failure during FP1, preventing him from participating in sprint qualifying. Racing Bulls confirmed that efforts were underway to prepare Lawson’s car for the sprint race following the hydraulic leak incident.
