“Relatively pole position” was Fernando Alonso’s verdict on the lap which put him 12th on the grid in a car which was giving away over 15kph in the speed trap. Here’s what the drivers said during qualifying and final practice.
Third practice
After two spin-filled sessions on Friday, Saturday’s final hour of practice was somewhat calmer.
To Ricciardo: “Keep working those front tyres a little bit. You have a clear track around you.”
Massa: “I got some traffic and mistakes on the lap.”
“Yep. Everyone’s finding time the more laps they do. Keep working these tyres.”
Verstappen: “Sainz is in front of me at turn six, he’s not moving out of the way.”
“Understood. He has boxed now.”
“There is time for a lay rubber if you want.”
Vettel: “OK, let’s do it.”
As usual Romain Grosjean had a lot to complain about.
“Alonso’s four seconds back on push. front-right is still low.”
Grosjean: “Yep but now I need to [unclear], so…”
“Yeah I understand. We have time for another…”
Grosjean: “Yeah it’s already all the understeer on the planet.”
“OK let’s go to torque seven. You can drop all the way back to Ericsson…
Grosjean: “No I don’t want this lap. No, no, no, no, no.”
“OK, understood.”
“How is the balance Esteban?”
Ocon: “Balance is good.”
To Hamilton: “Just in terms of your sectors its thousandths sector one, two hundredths sector two, it’s mostly sector three”
Ricciardo: “Messed up first chicane. I can either box or repeat.”
“OK let’s box this lap please.”
“Massa: “Tell me the cars behind what they are doing because I need to know.”
I’m not sure either.”
Grosjean: “OK it’s turn six where I don’t really find the right balance of lap time gain.”
“OK understood. Yeah I see the locking issue there last lap. Bottas is box.”
Grosjean: “OK. Man that’s not fair.”
“Yeah I understand.”
Grosjean: “Yeah he should have let me by. I couldn’t see the braking point or the apex.”
“Absolutely. Understand.”
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Qualifying
Q1
Traffic was a problem for many drivers around the short Circuit Gilles Villeneuve lap with all 20 cars trying to qualify together.
To Kvyat: “Focus on the front warm-up, Danny. We are a little bit too low.”
Raikkonen: “OK are we going to have a push or is a…”
“The plan was to just basically go to a sequence of push, charge, push, Kimi.”
Ricciardo: “Anyone pushing?”
“Vettel pushing behind you now.”
Ricciardo: “I didn’t see.”
“OK, understood.”
“How is the balance now?”
Palmer: “It’s improving still. Understeer low speed. Poor traction with the rear in the high speed.”
Raikkonen: “I touched the wall on the right. Left-rear. I don’t know if it’s OK or not. I’m struggling with the [censored by FOM] tyres.”
Ricciardo sighed heavily before this message.
To Ricciardo: “Yep let’s go mate, we need to go again.”
Sainz: “OK just to let you know guys I’m not going to let Danny get my slipstream. It’s really unfair.”
Magnussen: “Can I abort this lap and go again? I’ve got traffic every single lap.”
“Yes, we can.”
To Ericsson: “OK we’re boxing this lap. P19 I’m afraid. Pascal is P20.”
To Vandoorne: “So Stoff that means we finished P16 so we’re not through. One tenth would have been P15, I’m sure you had that in you.”
“We’re P17 unfortunately.”
Stroll: “I lost the rear again.”
“Yeah copy that.”
Stroll: “Could do a better lap.”
Q2
Alonso suspected his engine had lost power in the second part of qualifying.
To Raikkonen: “Sorry about the Haas.”
Sainz: “Driving is a nightmare at the moment guys. I cannot do anything.”
Alonso: “I have less power than Q1.”
To Verstappen: “A bit more work on the front tyres for this out-lap please, mate.”
Raikkonen: “That was a good lap but I had a mistake.”
Kvyat: “I hit rear-right. I think just a puncture.”
“Currently P15 at the moment.”
Palmer: “Well that’s where it’s going to stay. Didn’t have the grip on that set.”
Grosjean: “Unbelievable.”
“Yeah, just nothing eh?”
Grosjean: “Nothing. That set of tyre just put in the bin. I guess we are out.”
“Yes, 14.”
Sainz: “Come on why the [censored by FOM] yellow flag?”
“Pretty close we finished P12. 1.2 off Hamilton who was fastest in the session.”
Alonso: “So relatively pole position. Good.”
“And Fernando was Kvyat a problem? He was the one who was slow with a puncture on the main straight.”
Alonso: “Ah not really. What else he can do? I mean, was OK.”
“OK, understood.”
Q3
A blistering pair of laps from Lewis Hamilton secured his fourth pole position of 2017.
To Hamilton: “So go for lap three. You are currently P1.”
“Esteban what’s your feeling on grip for that run?”
Ocon: “Well I didn’t have grip at turn one.”
To Hamilton: “So pack is good. Strat mode two. Good to go.”
To Ricciardo: “OK Daniel so everyone around you is one the same sequence. Everyone will be pushing next lap.”
To Vettel: “Engine three. You can push.”
Verstappen: “Anyone improving?”
“Not at the minute, no.”
To Hamilton: “That’s a good lap Lewis, very good lap mate. That’s it mate, that’s pole. Nice work. Three tenths to Vettel.”
Raikkonen: “A really [censored by FOM] first corner.”
“Understood Kimi, understood.”
Ricciardo: “Yep just struggled a bit with the rear, changes of the direction. Otherwise, thanks guys.”
2017 Canadian Grand Prix
- 2017 Canadian Grand Prix Predictions Championship results
- Hamilton takes first Driver of the Weekend win of 2017
- Canadian GP rated highly despite no fight at the front
- 2017 Canadian Grand Prix team radio transcript
- 2017 Canadian Grand Prix Star Performers
Erix
11th June 2017, 4:00
Alonso: Relatively pole position
Hamilton: No way, I will beat you with any car anyway.
Todfod (@todfod)
11th June 2017, 8:02
Surprised Alonso was that forgiving for Kvyat. He should have been off the racing line