Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets during an extended second practice for the Canadian Grand Prix as track action properly got under way at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve following a curtailed first session – albeit with two red flags and some late rain impacting the flow.

Only a handful of laps were completed in FP1 due to problems with the CCTV equipment around the track that meant the one-hour outing could not be resumed after an early red flag – triggered by the Alpine of Pierre Gasly grinding to a halt.

As a result, F1 governing body the FIA confirmed that FP2 would be extended by half an hour, increasing the scheduled running time from 60 to 90 minutes, with the session starting at 1630 local time rather than 1700 as originally planned.

Amid warm conditions, but with rain threatening, there were different run plan approaches on show over the first third of the session, with some drivers opting for shorter stints and others for longer stints using a mixture of the soft and medium compound tyres.

At the end of it all, it was Hamilton who held the quickest time with a 1m 13.718s on softs, putting him 0.027 seconds clear of team mate George Russell, as the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc sandwiched Fernando Alonso’s upgraded Aston Martin in positions three to five.

However, the soft-shod runs were influenced by several factors. Red flags were triggered by Nico Hulkenberg coming to a halt with smoke coming from the back of his Haas and Esteban Ocon being told to stop his Alpine in the middle sector due to a suspected loss of water pressure, before a rain shower hit the track in the closing 10 minutes.

While there were several improvements shortly before the weather conditions deteriorated, Red Bull had long switched their focus to longer runs on medium tyres, leaving world champion Max Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez in sixth and eighth respectively.