The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve threw all conditions at the drivers during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Who best rose to the challenge? Here’s the RaceFans verdict on the field.
Lewis Hamilton – 7
Qualified: 4th (+4 places ahead of team mate)
-0.666s quicker than team mate in Q3
Finished: 3rd (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- Tested more experimental set ups in practice, described car on Friday as “disaster”
- Secured season-best grid position of fourth after staying on intermediates
- Held fourth at the start, running there until pitting for hards under first Virtual Safety Car
- Passed Alonso for third place, but slowly began dropping back in second stint
- Pitted for a second set of hards on lap 44, losing one place to Russell and gaining back a lap later
- Could not challenge leaders after Safety Car restart but was quicker than team mate
- Crossed the line in third to claim first podium since Bahrain
George Russell – 6
Qualified: 8th (-4 places behind team mate)
+0.666s slower than team mate in Q3
Finished: 4th (-1 place behind team mate)
- Faster than team mate in all three practice sessions
- Opted for a higher-downforce set up expecting less grip on Sunday after rain
- Took gamble on slicks in Q3 but spun at turn two in still wet conditions, falling to eighth on grid
- Gained one place from Schumacher on opening lap
- Overtook Ocon to take sixth on lap three, then passed Magnussen for fifth two laps later
- Stayed out under first VSC to run fourth, before pitting for hards a lap before second VSC to rejoin 11 seconds behind team mate
- Gradually began catching Hamilton at end of second stint, pitting at end of lap 45
- Pulled away from Ocon behind after SC restart but dropped back to finish five seconds adrift in fourth
Max Verstappen – 8
Qualified: Pole (+12 places ahead of team mate)
-9.381s quicker than team mate in Q2
Finished: Winner
- Fastest across both Friday sessions
- Quickest in all three phases of wet qualifying session to claim pole position
- Convincingly beat Alonso in sprint to turn one to hold the lead at the start
- Pulled around a three second gap to Sainz before pitting under first VSC, rejoining third on hards
- Drove by Alonso for second with DRS, then regained lead when Sainz pitted under second VSC
- Nine second lead slowly eroded in second stint until pitting for hards again on lap 43
- Regained lead of the race when Sainz pitted under Safety Car but lost driver-to-pit radio
- Absorbed consistent pressure for 15 laps from Sainz after restart to…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…