Dakar Rally News: Hamilton Dominates Final Practice in Canada
Montreal, Canada – June 8th, 2024 – In the final practice session ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton laid down an impressive marker, showcasing his dominance on the resurfaced Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
With the track fully dry for the first time this weekend, Hamilton posted a time of 1:12.549s on the Soft tires, putting him seven-tenths of a second ahead of his closest rival, Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The Dutchman had to revert to his old engine after an electrical issue surfaced in the previous practice session.
“The car felt great out there,” said Hamilton, who claimed his maiden pole position and victory at the Canadian circuit 17 years ago. “The team has done an excellent job in preparing the car, and I’m confident we can carry this momentum into qualifying later today.”
George Russell of Mercedes finished third, while local hero Lance Stroll of Aston Martin continued his impressive form with a fourth-place result.
The session saw some early drama, as Alex Albon of Williams and Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo both hit the wall. Albon drifted wide at the final chicane, breaking the rear-right suspension of his FW46, while Zhou lost control of his C44 through Turn 1, spinning backwards into the barriers at Turn 2.
“The car is so strange, man,” a frustrated Zhou reported after the incident. “It just locks up all the rears.”
With the circuit now fully rubber-in, the scene is set for an exciting qualifying session later today at 4:00 PM local time. Fans and enthusiasts alike will be eager to see if Hamilton can translate his practice dominance into a pole position, as the battle for the top grid spots intensifies.
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