Formula One: George Russell wins Canadian GP as McLaren chaos unfolds behind
George Russell secured his first Formula 1 win of the 2025 season with a calm and confident drive at the Canadian Grand Prix. Starting from pole position at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the Mercedes driver kept his lead intact through a dramatic race that saw multiple lead changes, late-race battles, and a costly clash between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The win marks Russell’s fourth career victory and Mercedes’ first this season. It came on a day when the spotlight wasn’t just on the winner but also on the chaos that unfolded behind him. The race concluded under a safety car after Norris collided with Piastri on lap 67 while trying to overtake on the pit straight. Norris’ suspension broke on impact, ending his race, while Piastri continued to finish fourth. Russell’s composure up front was key. Though Max Verstappen pushed hard in the final stages, the Red Bull driver had to settle for second place. Kimi Antonelli took a surprise podium in third, showing impressive maturity in just his tenth Grand Prix. The 18-year-old Italian had jumped ahead of Piastri at the start and maintained a strong pace throughout.
Piastri extended his lead in the championship to 22 points over Norris, with Verstappen now 21 points behind the Briton. The crash between the McLaren drivers was a significant blow to Norris’ title hopes, especially since he had carved his way up from seventh on an alternative tyre strategy. After the race, Norris owned up to the mistake over team radio, calling it “all my fault.” Further down the order, Ferrari had another difficult weekend. Charles Leclerc, despite briefly leading the race after a delayed second pit stop, finished fifth and questioned his team’s strategy on the radio. Lewis Hamilton ended up sixth after an early encounter with a groundhog damaged his car’s floor and affected performance. Fernando Alonso brought home a solid seventh for Aston Martin, while Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg finished eighth. Esteban Ocon claimed ninth for Haas, and Carlos Sainz rounded off the points in tenth for Williams. The race also saw a disappointing home result for Lance Stroll, who finished 17th after a 10-second penalty for forcing Pierre Gasly off-track. As F1 heads to Austria next on June 29, the title fight remains tightly poised. And with four different winners so far this season: Russell, Verstappen, Piastri, and Norris, the battle is only just heating up. (Inputs from IANS).
