Practice 1 Report - Rosberg quickest in Montreal; Vettel shunts

Nico Rosberg (1:15.591) set the quickest lap in the first session of free practice for Sunday's Canadian GP, round 7 of the FIA F1 World Championship.

Jenson Button yesterday predicted that the strong top speed of the Mercedes could make Rosberg and Michael Schumacher dark horses this weekend in Montreal. Schumacher (1:16.549) was third quickest, the silver cars split by Fernando Alonso's Ferrari (1:16.139).

Felipe Massa (1:16.658) set fourth best time with the second Ferrari, ahead of the McLarens of Button (1:16.676) and Lewis Hamilton (1:16.842). Hamilton spent some of the session in the McLaren pit as the team investigated a display problem on the steering wheel, at one point removing the steering column.

Rubens Barrichello's 1:16.990 put the first Williams seventh quickest, ahead of the Force Indias of Paul Di Resta (1:17.294) and Nico Hulkenberg (1:17.549), with Vijay Mallya's cars split by Nick Heidfeld's Renault (1:17.445).

So where were the Red Bulls? Mark Webber (1:17.820) finished the session 12th, while Sebastian Vettel became the latest victim of 'champion's wall' when he got sideways coming into the final chicane while on a quick lap on the soft Pirelli, rattled over the kerb and into the barrier.

That brought out the red flag, the second time in four races that Vettel has damaged the car in FP1. The right-hand wheel was pushed back and the team is currently assessing potential damage to the tub.