2023 F1 Canadian GP FP3: Results and Key takeaways

The 2023 F1 Canadian GP FP3 saw rain complicate whatever run plans the teams and the drivers had.

Having said that, just like almost every session this season, it was Max Verstappen once again finding his way to the top of the standings with a lap time that was around 3 tenths of a second clear of Charles Leclerc in P2.

Fernando Alonso was in P3 with a fast lap near the end of the session as the rain intensified while fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz crashed out at turn 1 and unfortunately damaged the suspension and front wing of the Ferrari. With rain expected to feature prominently in qualifying as well, the running in FP3 could prove decisive for the teams and help make necessary tweaks to their cars.

So, after 60 mins of running in the wet weather, what did we learn? Let's take a look.

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2023 F1 Canadian GP FP3: Key learnings

#1 It's intermediate or bust for everyone in the wet weather

The wet weather tire might be good at disposing of water from the track but in terms of performance, it is no match for the intermediate tires. Under extreme wet weather conditions as well, the intermediate tire might take a lap or two to come up to temperature but once it does, it outclasses the wet weather tire once again.

Throughout the 2023 F1 Canadian GP qualifying, it would be a surprise to see the teams go for the wet weather tires, especially after the running done in FP3.

#2 It's not all smooth sailing for Max Verstappen and Red Bull

While Max Verstappen did end up on top of the timesheets once again, it wasn't all smooth sailing. There seems to be some sort of challenge brewing from Ferrari as the Italian team seems to have a strong car this weekend. Even on Friday, Helmut Marko had singled out Ferrari and Charles Leclerc as the team that was to be kept an eye on.

The wet weather seems to have brought Red Bull back into contention but doesn't count Ferrari out just yet.

#3 Question marks around Mercedes

Mercedes seemingly played it safe in FP3 as the team decided not to risk it in the torrential conditions for the most part. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell did not do as many laps compared to others either.

The one thing that was a bit questionable in all of this was the fact that when both the drivers were on track, the performance did not light up the screens. To add to this, while Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were setting purple sectors, Lewis Hamilton was complaining about a lack of grip.

Maybe we're jumping to conclusions here but the session was not the most productive for Mercedes and should be a cause of concern for the team.

#4 McLaren, Alpine, and Haas could spring a surprise or two during the 2023 F1 Canadian GP qualifying

There were pockets during the 2023 F1 Canadian GP FP3 where Alpine, McLaren, and Haas put together impressive times. McLaren is notorious for favoring the wet weather while Alpine has mixed things up with the top 4 more often than not.

Talking about Haas, the car looks hooked up in the wet weather and how can we forget the pole position secured by Kevin Magnussen in Brazil last season? Either of the drivers from these three teams could possibly pull out a lap from the bag and it won't come as a surprise. Keep an eye on these times as they could pull off some giant killing drives in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP qualifying.

#5 It's not going to be a straightforward 2023 F1 Canadian GP qualifying session

Just to put things in perspective, let's take a look at the variables in play in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP qualifying. The first is the wet weather tire without the aid of a tire warmer. Next, we have rain whose intensity could vary during the session. To add to this, the thunderstorms could be accompanied by strong winds that could destabilize a car over a lap.

And finally, let's just add the final ingredient of the close walls that are characteristic of a street circuit. We're looking at the conditions that are a perfect recipe for a mixed-up grid and things going south if someone is not careful and hence, buckle up and get ready for a qualifying session where potentially dramatic stuff could happen.