George Russell clinched his first victory of the Formula 1 season at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off a fierce challenge from Max Verstappen as drama unfolded between McLaren teammates behind him.
The Mercedes driver started from pole position for the second consecutive year at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Russell dominated most of the race, showcasing remarkable skill to keep the defending race winner Verstappen at bay.
“It’s amazing to be back on the top step,” Russell shared after the race. “I felt last year was a victory lost, so to get the victory and see Kimi on the podium too is an amazing day for the team. I think it shows the strength of our cars in the cooler conditions, so let’s see in the coming races.”
The race concluded under safety car conditions following a dramatic collision between McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The teammates were locked in a wheel-to-wheel battle for fifth place on lap 67 of 70 when Norris’s attempt to overtake ended with him hitting the wall.
Norris received a five-second penalty for the incident and accepted responsibility. Piastri finished fourth, ending his eight-race podium streak dating back to the second race of the season. McLaren failed to reach the top three for the first time this year.
Verstappen, who secured second place, acknowledged the challenges he faced during the race. “It was quite a good race, even though in the first two stints we were struggling with the tires,” the Dutch driver said. “We hung in there in the final stint. That was the maximum we could have achieved today.”
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli completed the podium, finishing third for his first Formula 1 podium. Team principal Toto Wolff praised the drivers, saying, “A really good day. It was absolutely victory on merit. We controlled the race all the way. George drove brilliantly and Kimi didn’t crack under pressure, even with the McLaren right behind him. It’s been a while since we’ve had two cars on the podium with a win, and that’s why everyone is delighted.”
Piastri’s fourth-place finish extended his lead over Norris in the drivers’ championship to 22 points. The Australian driver currently sits behind Russell and Verstappen, who now trails Norris by 21 points.
