Canadian Grand Prix 2016: Lewis Hamilton looks to keep pressure on Nico Rosberg in qualifying

While the 2015 Formula 1 season was consistently panned for a lack of competition for Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, several races into the latest season we’re still looking at a battle for first between the two drivers, but with a lot more intrigue on the periphery.

Were it not for a massive pit stop error from Red Bull in the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago, Hamilton wouldn’t be within punching distance of his teammate’s top spot in the standings. Were it not for that pit stop error, the Canadian Grand Prix would be headlined by whether Mercedes can get back on top after losing out to Red Bull, through practice, qualifying and ultimately the race.

But while Daniel Ricciardo’s driving and Red Bull’s Renault-powered engine definitely have put Mercedes on notice, those in the German manufacturer’s garage are likely confident after securing the win in Monaco.

Hamilton took that confidence onto the track in the first two practice sessions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Friday, putting himself atop the pile ahead of Ricciardo’s Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari and most importantly, his teammate’s Mercedes. Hamilton headed Vettel’s Ferrari by 0.257 seconds and was more than half a second clear of Rosberg.

Max Verstappen, still fresh to the sport and the Red Bull team, came up next just ahead of Ricciardo, both 0.9 seconds behind Hamilton, with a minuscule 0.012 seconds separating the two. They will all see the track again on Saturday for the third practice session and then qualifying for Sunday’s race.

Hamilton’s victory in the driver’s championship was expected and at times boring last season. But his win in Monaco last time out was his first win of the season and the slugfest between himself and Rosberg is exciting, at least for now. With Ferrari and Red Bull hot on their heels and with a track quite a bit more open than the one at Monaco, the Canadian Grand Prix should answer a lot of questions about just how close they are to those heels.

Saturday’s final practice and qualifying session should also tell us a lot about the direction things are headed. Will Ricciardo and Verstappen be a consistent threat for Mercedes? Can Vettel clean up his recent sloppy play and keep Ferrari where it needs to be among the top teams? Will Hamilton, who looked infinitely better than Rosberg in Monaco, close the championship gap even further and put himself on pole once again?

Practice 3 gets underway at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday and won’t be televised, but can be streamed online at NBC Sports. The qualifying session will air on NBCSN starting at 1 p.m. and will also be streamed at NBC Sports.

Time: Practice 3 (11 a.m.), Qualifying (1 p.m.)
TV: NBCSN (Qualifying)
Streaming: NBC Sports