George Russell ensured the first victory in the Formula 1 season from 2025 with a folded field from the field to the dramatic Canadian Grand Prix, while McLaren’s masterful battle became a turn when the Oscar Piaster and Lando Norris knocked down.
Russell, who also began at the pole in Montreal last year before the completion of the third, did not make a mistake this time, which has confidently led and navigated more strategic shifts and a late races safety car to get a chess flag. Victory means his second career victory, his last came in Las Vegas in November 2024.
“It’s amazing to be back on the top step,” Russell said after the race. “I felt that last year was a lost victory and today we made it up. The pole bike yesterday really built it all.”
The race, which started under the cloudy sky at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, was full of strategic variations. Some drivers have decided on bilateral strategies, while others, like Norris, played on longer initial points using hard -folded tires. This mixture created a tense final with the top five cars at a sudden distance when it reduced the wheels.
Russell held the lead by Max Verstappen Red Bull, who focused on the fourth consecutive victory on the spot, but had to settle for the second after the late security car buried any chance of the final attack.
Behind them were all eyes on McLaren. Oscar Piastri, in an effort to third place, was persecuted by Norris teammate in the final rounds. With the only three wheels they got, they both came into the strikes – literally – when Norris cried the back of Piaster’s car and tried to have an ambitious overtaking. Norris sent the impact outside the track and out of the race, which caused an immediate apology over a team radio.
“I’m sorry. All my bad. All my fault. Stupid from me,” said Norris’s regret, who later age five -seconds, irrelevant with his DNF.
Piastri appeared unscathed in terms of damage, but lost positions and a chance to attack the stage. He stood under a security car and joined the fourth behind the newcomer Mercedes Kimi Antonelli, who held the station to require a sensational first career stage. At the age of 18, the Italian became the youngest finisher on stage from Max Verstappen in 2016 and the first Italian to be Rostrum since 2009.
“Frankly, I just hoped the race would end!” The bright Antonelli said. “It was the crazy last rounds and I’m still trying to take it all.”
The late race collision reduced the weekend of increasing tension in McLaren. Piastri is now sitting on top of drivers ranking with 198 points and expanding its leadership over Norris (176). Verstappen Trails in third place with 155, while Russell’s victory raises him to fourth place 136.
McLaren maintains his lead at the designers championship, but Mercedes now climbed second, Ferrari jumped and sat by 175 Adrift from Woking Squad.
Else Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came home at the fifth time, just before Lewis Hamilton, who tolerated a challenging race after the early collision with the underground belt caused minor damage to the front wings. Fernando Alonso took the seventh for Aston Martin, with Nico Hlkenberg eighth for Sauber after a strong show. Esteban Ocon brought Haas points to its 200. Grand Prix completed by the ninth while Carlos Sainz took the last point in the tenth for Williams.
After the race, Red Bull filed a protest on Russell’s track 42, but the administrators refused to dismiss for five hours after the end of the race.
Published:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
June 16, 2025
