Montreal, Quebec – 15 June 2025
George Russell delivered a commanding performance to claim Mercedes’ maiden victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season at the Canadian Grand Prix, a race marked by a late collision between McLaren team-mates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris that saw the latter retire in dramatic fashion.
Starting from pole, Russell executed a flawless launch to maintain his lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The race unfolded with varied strategies, as teams grappled with the choice between a one-stop or two-stop tyre plan. Most frontrunners, including Russell, opted for two stops, setting the stage for a gripping finale as the top five cars closed up in the closing laps.
The drama peaked on Lap 67 when McLaren’s Piastri, battling Kimi Antonelli for third, came under pressure from team-mate Norris. In a heated exchange, Norris clipped the rear of Piastri’s car, sending his own McLaren into the barriers. Norris, visibly frustrated, issued an apology over the radio as his race ended prematurely. The incident triggered a Safety Car, under which Russell crossed the line to secure his fourth career Grand Prix win.
Verstappen held on for second, just 0.228 seconds adrift, while Mercedes celebrated a double podium with Antonelli taking third in his first-ever F1 rostrum finish. Piastri, who pitted under the Safety Car, salvaged fourth, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fifth and Lewis Hamilton in sixth. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso claimed seventh, with Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg eighth, Haas’ Esteban Ocon ninth in the team’s 200th Grand Prix, and Williams’ Carlos Sainz rounding out the points in tenth.
Further back, Haas’ Ollie Bearman narrowly missed the top ten in 11th, while Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda recovered from 18th to finish 12th. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto took 13th and 14th, respectively, with Pierre Gasly 15th for Alpine. Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar finished 16th, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll endured a disappointing home race in 18th.
In addition to Norris, two other drivers failed to finish. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson retired early with a suspected mechanical issue, while Williams’ Alex Albon was sidelined by a power unit failure.
The race underscored Mercedes’ resurgence, with Russell’s victory and Antonelli’s podium signalling a strong step forward for the Brackley-based squad. Meanwhile, McLaren will look to regroup after a costly intra-team clash that robbed them of a potential double podium.
