Canada Grand Prix LIVE: Start time, schedule, qualifying and driver standings – Hamilton set to sign new £50m contract as Verstappen details Cruyff link

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed Lewis Hamilton could sign a new contract before the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.

The news will come as an added boost to the Silver Arrows whose recent upgrade package has finally given them a shot of winning a race this season.

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F1 schedule in FULL with UK start times for every practice session, qualifying, and race

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Red Bull have won all seven races comfortably so far this year, with Max Verstappen crossing the chequered flag first in Spain last time out.

And Mercedes' continued struggles to match their rivals performance led to speculation that Hamilton could leave the British-based team.

Hamilton has been linked with a move to Ferrari as his current contract expires at the end of the season.

But Mercedes chief Wolff said: "It is going to happen soon, and we are talking more days than weeks.

"We are trying hard [to sort it before the Canadian Grand Prix]. I will see him today and maybe we will talk about it.

"We have such a good relationship that we dread the moment that we need to talk about money."

Canada is a happy hunting ground for Hamilton as he seeks his first race win since Saudi Arabia 2021, having finished second in Spain.

He has gone on to claim a joint-record seven victories there and will likely be the only realistic challenger to the two Red Bull drivers.

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Canada Grand Prix: Date and UK start time

The race weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is scheduled for Friday, June 16 to Sunday, June 18.

Two practice sessions will kick off Friday's action starting from 6:30pm UK time, with the second later at 10pm UK time.

A third practice is set for 5:30pm on the Saturday, before qualifying takes place at 9pm.

Lights out for Sunday's Grand Prix will be at 7pm.

Canada Grand Prix: TV channel and live stream

Coverage will be on Sky Sports F1 throughout the weekend and their build-up to Sunday’s race will begin on Sky Sports Main Event at 7pm.

Sky Sports customers can live stream this via the app using their mobile, tablet or computer devices.

If not, you can purchase a Sky Sports Day Pass from NowTV for £11.98 while Channel Four will broadcast highlights later in the evening.

talkSPORT's Fern Buckley will also have live updates from Canada.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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Canada Grand Prix: What has been said?

Verstappen has detailed the impact his Dutch compatriot Johan Cruyff has had on his career, having met him at testing in Barcelona in 2016.

“It was a very nice conversation,” he told the Times. “We knew that he was very sick [he had lung cancer diagnosed in 2015].

“He was so keen to understand the world of F1 and I think he was very proud to have a Dutchman in F1 and maybe the next big thing, a hopeful. I tried to explain F1 to him. He told me stories from his days in football.

“He also said, ‘With my disease, I feel I am 2-1 up at half-time, but we still need to get to the end.’ He felt very hopeful at the time; he’d just had a good few weeks, but then sadly a few weeks later he passed away. That really got to me. You keep on relishing those moments. He was way older than me, but somehow we clicked — the way we were communicating.”

Two months after Cruyff's death, Verstappen became the youngest F1 winner in, ironically, Barcelona, with his winning winning time — 1hr 41min 40sec — having Cruyff’s number 14 twice within it.

“For me, something like that — it can’t be coincidence. It’s very crazy that that has happened,” Verstappen added.

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Canada Grand Prix: Driver standings

Driver / Car / Points 

1. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing / 170
2. Sergio Perez / Red Bull Racing / 117
3. Fernando Alonso / Aston Martin / 99
4. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / 87
5. George Russell / Mercedes / 65
6. Carlos Sainz / Ferrari / 58
7. Charles Leclerc / Ferrari / 42
8. Lance Stroll / Aston Martin / 35
9. Esteban Ocon / Alpine / 25
10. Pierre Gasly / Alpine / 15
11. Lando Norris / McLaren / 12
12. Nico Hulkenberg / Haas / 6
13. Oscar Piastri / McLaren / 5
14. Valtteri Bottas / Alfa Romeo / 4
15. Zhou Guanyu / Alfa Romeo / 4
16. Yuki Tsounda / Alphatauri / 2
17. Kevin Magnussen / Haas / 2
18. Alexander Albon / Williams / 1
19. Nyck De Vries / Alphatauri / 0
20. Logan Sargeant / Williams / 0