PRACTICE: Dunne leads Rodin 1-2 in Montreal opener

Alexander Dunne started the Montreal weekend on the front foot, topping the times with a 1:22.524. He led Rodin Motorsport teammate Martinius Stenshorne by a slender 0.012s, while Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov completed the top three just over a tenth behind the Alpine Academy driver.

With preparation laps complete, Joshua Duerksen set the opening time of the session on a 1:25.319 for Invicta Racing.

TRIDENT’s Laurens van Hoepen then lowered the fastest lap to a 1:24.100, while Duerksen filtered through on his next attempt just 0.066s behind in P2.

Stenshorne then broke into the 23s as the Rodin driver logged a 1:23.888 to take P1 from van Hoepen with just over half an hour to go.

The track continued to rubber in quickly as the Paraguayan driver took top spot back on his next lap on a 1:23.519, while the other Rodin of Dunne jumped up to second, 0.296s down.

That was until Tsolov put Campos Racing top of the pile with a 1:23.124, before van Hoepen edged ahead by just 0.019s.

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Nico Varrone put Van Amersfoort Racing into the top five just and was followed across the line by Tsolov, who moved the goalposts once more.

A 1:22.625 was enough to retake P1 and leave him a tenth clear of Dunne before the Irishman followed up with his own improvement to go fastest of all on a 1:22.524.

Into the final 10 minutes and Colton Herta moved Hitech up to fourth, leaping up the order with the track continuing to improve.

Varrone went within 0.177s of Dunne’s earlier time to move VAR into third place briefly, before Stenshorne restored the Rodin 1-3 on his next lap.

Rafael Villagómez brought out the yellow flags briefly with a spin at the final corner. He was able to rejoin the circuit and recover to the pitlane despite slight contact with the Wall of Champions.

Stenshorne was able to make another improvement in the final five minutes of the session to go within 0.012s of his teammate and up to second.

Tsolov completed the top three ahead of Varrone and Dino Beganovic in the top five. Noel León followed in sixth as van Hoepen, Duerksen, Herta and Cian Shields completed the top 10.

The Qualifying session around Montreal is scheduled for 14:00 local time on Friday afternoon.