Verstappen wins rain-soaked Canadian Grand Prix, Norris second

Red Bull’s three-time world champion Max Verstappen, at 26 years old, clinched his third consecutive Canadian Grand Prix victory in a dramatic, rain-affected race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. Verstappen, who began the race on the front row next to Mercedes’ pole-sitter George Russell, managed to stay out of trouble despite the constantly changing conditions, ultimately seizing the lead from McLaren’s Lando Norris during the final round of pit stops.

The Dutch driver displayed his usual brilliance, adapting to a track that alternated between wet and dry, navigating pit stop strategy battles, and fending off challenges from both McLaren and Mercedes, all while managing his Red Bull’s suspension issues. This victory marks Verstappen’s sixth win out of nine races this season and the 60th of his Formula One career.

Following a collision between Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Williams’ Alex Albon, which brought out the safety car for the second time, Verstappen managed to pull away on the restart, ultimately finishing 3.879 seconds ahead of Norris. Meanwhile, Russell engaged in a thrilling last-lap duel with teammate Lewis Hamilton to secure the final spot on the podium.

“Not easy but we did it,” Verstappen said over the team radio. “We had to be on top of our calls and I think, as a team, it went really well today. I think we pitted at the right time and of course, the safety car worked out nicely for us but even after that I think we were managing the gaps quite well. I love it, that was a lot of fun. Those kinds of races, you need them once in a while.”

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This win serves as a significant confidence boost for Red Bull, which had faced challenges to its previously unquestioned dominance. In the three races leading up to Canada, Red Bull had only secured one victory, tightening the battle for both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles. However, the team now returns to Europe with renewed control, with Verstappen extending his lead to 56 points over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ standings, while Red Bull increased their lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings by 49 points.

First Season Podium for Mercedes

Sunday’s race was particularly tough for Ferrari, with both Sainz and Leclerc failing to finish. Sainz lost control of his car on the wet track and hit the barrier, while Leclerc retired due to engine issues. “I knew I had to score big so the other teams don’t catch up a lot,” Verstappen said, reflecting on the importance of his performance after teammate Sergio Perez also retired.

Mercedes heads to the next Grand Prix in Barcelona on June 23rd with growing confidence, following a stellar qualifying effort that translated into third and fourth-place finishes. The podium finish was the first of the season for both Mercedes and Russell, who was motivated to the finish line by teammate Hamilton, a seven-time winner in Canada.

McLaren also had a strong performance, with Norris finishing second and young Australian Oscar Piastri securing fifth place, continuing their streak of having a driver on the podium in each of the last five races. Aston Martin, owned by Canadian billionaire Laurence Stroll, gave the home crowd something to cheer about with both cars finishing in the points. Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso took sixth place, while Lance Stroll, who grew up in Montreal, achieved his best result at his home race by finishing seventh.

Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo, who had faced criticism from former champion Jacques Villeneuve for a lack of good results, responded by securing eighth place for Red Bull, scoring valuable points. Alpine rounded out the points positions, with Pierre Gasly finishing ninth and Esteban Ocon, who had recently been informed that his contract would not be renewed, taking tenth place.

Summary of Results:

• Overall Winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) – Third consecutive Canadian Grand Prix victory
• Second Place: Lando Norris (United Kingdom) – Strong performance for McLaren
• Third Place: George Russell (United Kingdom) – Secured podium after duel with teammate Lewis Hamilton
• Notable Performances:
  • Carlos Sainz (Spain) and Charles Leclerc (Monaco) – Both failed to finish for Ferrari
  • Oscar Piastri (Australia) – Finished fifth for McLaren
  • Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Took sixth place for Aston Martin
  • Lance Stroll (Canada) – Achieved his best home race result with seventh place
  • Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) – Secured eighth place for Red Bull
  • Pierre Gasly (France) and Esteban Ocon (France) – Finished ninth and tenth for Alpine

This victory underscores Verstappen’s dominance and his team’s strategic acumen, positioning both driver and team as strong favorites heading into the European races.