Hamilton ended up 0.027s quicker than teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell as he 🍃put his upgraded Mercedes top of the♏ timesheets in Friday’s only meaningful practice session in Montreal. 

• Hamilton heads Mercedes 1-2, Red Bull off pace in extended FP2
• Results from Friday practice at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix

Mercedes continued their improved recent ꦦform after securing their first double podium finish of the season last time out in Barcelona. 

However, Mercedes’ technical director James Allison was quick to point out 🐻that Hamilton and Russell each set their fastest times later in the session compared to their rivals. 

“It is nice to be at💖 the front rather than the back but I don’t think you ca𒀰n read too much into it,” Allison told Sky. 

“Thinking the rain was coming a little sooner than it🅰 came, we ran a long run at the beginning of the session and our short runs at the end. 

“Everyone else did it vice-versa, so we w🅠ere doing our short runs when the track was at its best.

“Georgeౠ d🏅id his lap and said it didn’t feel like a very good lap.

“I think there’s plenty ⛦more to improve on the car before we get to qualifying and I think all you can read into it is that theꦯ car is in ok shape. 

“It’s in ok shape buꦦt it’s not deserving of a 1-2, because we just weren’t running a♏t the same time.

“As ﷽I say, it’s not bad, but people shouldn’t underestimate the effects of the track improvement.”

Asked why Mercedes were keen to play down expectations heading into this weekend’sꦑ🌜 race, Allison replied: “Because what we did to move the car forward a bit in Barcelona was mostly in the high and the medium-speed part of the car. 

“We’ve still got significant things to i💫mprove on the low-spee💛d and this track is mostly about going around the slow speed corners in good order.”

Hamilton: Car ‘massively better than last year’ 

Hamilton, a seven-time Canadian Grand Prix winn🧔er, was much happier with his car comp🍒ared to 12 months ago. 

“I can only base it on last year and it’s massively better than last year,” he🍃 explained. 

“The rear-end is꧃ not necessarily, but overall the car is a🦄 step forwards and I’m definitely feeling the improvements that we felt in Monaco - I’m feeling them here.”

Russell 🐻echoed Hamilton’s feedback and believes M🐬ercedes would have been in for a more challenging weekend had they not changed design concepts with their underperforming W14.

“I do think the upgrades we brought have helped the limitati꧋ons and we would have had more with the old specificat𝔉ion of car,” he said. 

But the Briton remains cautious abo🐭ut Mercedes’ prospects for qualifying, which could take place in wet conditions. 

“We need to find out whe🥀re we are going to be,” R🦂ussell added. 

“I think we are still on the tail-end, especially in qualifying pace, compared to Ferrari and Aston Martin. There might even be a Vಌaltteri or an Alpine. But we always know it comes to us on a Sunday.”