Max Verstappen prevailed through challenging mixed conditions to win the Canadian Grand Prix ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The race started in the wet and gradually dried out of the course of the race, with Verstappen leading away from a late Safety Car restart to win.
George Russell secured Mercedes’ first podium finish of the season in third, but is under investigation for a collision with Oscar Piastri.
Before the race had started, the expected rain had arrived and left the track wet for the start of the grand prix. The majority of the field opted for intermediate tyres to start the race, with the two Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg choosing full wets.
Pole winner George Russell led the early laps until Lando Norris passed him on lap 21. However, the Safety Car was deployed for a crash for Logan Sargeant, and poor timing for McLaren meant Norris had to wait an extra lap than his rivals to pit for a fresh set of intermediates. When he did, he rejoined in third, with Verstappen leading Russell and Norris.
Verstappen and Russell pitted together for dry tyres, but Norris remained out for a handful of extra laps before pitting for slick tyres. He emerged side-by-side at the pit exit with Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver took the lead out of turn two. Russell was soon able to take the McLaren for second place with his warmer tyres, but an error at turn nine allowed Norris to retake the place.
A second Safety Car was deployed for a two-car incident involving Carlos Sainz Jnr and Alexander Albon. Both Mercedes of Russell and Lewis Hamilton pitted for new tyres while the three leaders of Verstappen, Norris and Oscar Piastri stayed out.
Verstappen held onto the lead at the restart and grew his advantage over Norris behind, taking the chequered flag for his sixth victory of the season. Norris finished just under four seconds behind in second.
Russell passed team mate Hamilton late to finish third, but will be investigated after the race for a collision with Piastri at the chicane in the later laps. Hamilton took fourth ahead of Piastri, with the two Aston Martins, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in sixth and seventh. Daniel Ricciardo scored points in eighth with a double points finish for Alpine with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon completing the top ten.
Sergio Perez was one of several retirements from the race after spinning out, with Charles Leclerc called in to retire after a gamble on slick tyres on a wet track failed to…
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