Alex Albon damages Williams car after groundhog collision in Canada GP practice

A Williams Formula One car was heavily damaged during the first practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix after driver Alex Albon collided with a groundhog on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The incident caused a lengthy red flag and forced Albon to miss the subsequent sprint qualifying.

The crash occurred as Albon, 30, was exiting the Turn 6-7 chicane. According to his team, Williams, the driver was unable to avoid the animal as it ran onto the racing line. The impact destabilized the car, sending it sliding across the track and into the outside barrier. Albon was uninjured and climbed from the extensively damaged vehicle, but the session was halted for a significant period to recover the car and clear debris. The FIA extended the practice session by 15 minutes to compensate for the lost time.

This type of incident is a known hazard at the Montreal circuit, which is situated on the man-made Île Notre-Dame within Parc Jean-Drapeau. The habitat supports a population of groundhogs, and collisions have occurred in previous years. Drivers Nicholas Latifi and Romain Grosjean have hit them in past practice sessions. During last year's race, Lewis Hamilton struck one, later...