The soft and super soft Bridgestone Potenza compounds performed admirably today, the first day of running for the Canadian Grand Prix, with a wide range of temperatures experienced at the 4.36 km Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

McLaren Mercedes driver Fernando Alonso was fastest in both of the two 90-minute practice sessions with a 1min 17.769secs lap set on the soft compound in the morning session and a 1min 16.550secs set on the super soft compound in the afternoon.

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) was second fastest in the morning and Felipe Massa was second fastest in the afternoon. The morning's running took place predominantly on the soft compound and as the circuit improved, nine runners tried the super soft. Both compounds were used widely in the afternoon.

This is the second race meeting where the Bridgestone super soft specification Potenza has been used, having been run first at the Monaco Grand Prix, and the third that the soft compound has been used after the Monaco and Australian Grands Prix.

Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport Head of Track Engineering Operations said: "It is difficult to judge the real performance of the two compounds of Bridgestone Potenza after today's running. Track conditions were poor as the surface has yet to rubber in. It was very slippery and this was demonstrated by the number of drivers sliding. Both the soft and the super soft Potenzas showed good heat durability and, judging from their appearance, performed very similarly. The super soft was the faster of the two. There was a lot of graining seen today but the anticipated improvement in track conditions should result in a reduction of graining as the weekend progresses. Both compounds should be competitive and capable of a variety of strategies."