Leclerc Ruled Out of Friday Running at Canadian Grand Prix After FP1 Crash

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc's participation in Friday's practice sessions at the Canadian Grand Prix was significantly curtailed after a heavy crash early in the opening free practice session. The incident occurred just over ten minutes into FP1 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, leading to substantial damage to his SF-25 and ruling him out of the subsequent FP2 session. The Monegasque driver lost control of his car heading into Turn 3, locking up and running wide onto the grass before making contact with the barriers on both sides of the track near Turn 4. While Leclerc was able to walk away from the incident unharmed, the impact was severe enough to necessitate extensive repairs to his car. Ferrari confirmed following the session that the damage sustained was significant, specifically requiring the replacement of the car's survival cell – the central safety structure of the chassis. This critical component houses the driver and powertrain and forms the rigid core of the vehicle. Due to the nature and extent of the damage, the team was unable to complete the necessary repairs in time for Leclerc to participate in the afternoon's second practice session. Formula 1 regulations stipulate that any change of a car's chassis (survival cell) on a Friday prohibits the car from taking further part in any track activity for the remainder of that day. Consequently, Ferrari's decision to replace the survival cell, while necessary for safety and structural integrity, automatically meant the end of Leclerc's running for Friday in Montreal. Before his session-ending crash, Leclerc had completed just four timed laps. He registered the tenth fastest time in this limited running, trailing the fastest lap set by Red Bull's Max Verstappen by seven-tenths of a second. His early exit from FP1, combined with missing the entirety of FP2, represents a significant setback for both the driver and the Ferrari team as they lose valuable track time for setup work, tire evaluation, and acclimatization on the challenging semi-permanent street circuit. Missing an entire practice session, particularly FP2 which often features representative race simulation runs, will leave Leclerc with crucial ground to make up during Saturday morning's FP3 session. However, Ferrari confirmed that under the regulations, Leclerc will be permitted to rejoin track action for FP3 ahead of qualifying. The incident marks a difficult start to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend for Charles Leclerc and the Scuderia Ferrari team, placing added pressure on their limited track time before competitive sessions commence.