Verstappen wins ‘crazy’ rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix

MONTREAL:

Max Verstappen eased the pressure on Sunday when he completed a hat-trick of Canadian Grand Prix wins to consolidate his early-season lead in the drivers’ championship.

After losing two of the previous three races, the series leader and three-time champion returned to his competitive best, aided by excellent calls from his team in a tactical race, to win by 3.879 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris . .

Mercedes’ George Russell, who started from pole position, finished third ahead of a fast but disappointed team-mate in seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen took his third successive Circuit Gilles Villeneuve triumph and 60th career victory, having started second on the grid and at times riding his luck in a dramatic race with two Safety Car interventions.

“It was a pretty crazy race and a lot of things were happening,” Verstappen said. “We had to stick to our calls and as a team we did really well today. We stayed calm and pitted at the right time.”

With both Ferraris failing to finish – just two weeks after Charles Leclerc took an emotional win at Monaco’s home Grand Prix – Verstappen’s success moved him 56 points clear of the Monegasque driver in the title race.

“The safety cars worked well for us this time,” he added, referring to the Miami Grand Prix where he lost his advantage, allowing Norris to claim his maiden victory. “But even after that we managed the gaps quite well.

“I enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun. You have to do these kinds of matches once in a while. The most important thing is that we won. The suspension problem is not particularly important.”

“We know what it is, so we just have to work on it. We still have room for improvement.”

Hamilton, who was self-critical after the race, passed Russell in the closing laps but finished ahead of fifth-placed Oscar Piastri in the second-placed McLaren and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

Local hope Lance Stroll was seventh in the second Aston Martin ahead of RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

“A lot of fun,” said Norris, who, with Piastri, brought McLaren its first points in Canada since 2014 on the 56th anniversary of the team’s first victory, with Bruce McLaren, at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix.

“It was wild. It was chaotic. It was eventful. To be honest, I felt like I drove a good race, the whole time, from start to finish. These conditions are so stressful in the car, but at the same time a very enjoyable time. “

Russell said: “It was a bad race for me and I regret it. It feels like a big missed opportunity to be honest. We had a quick car this weekend.”

On a day of showers and sunshine, five cars — Sergio Perez in second Red Bull, both Ferrari and Williams — failed to finish in front of a large enthusiastic crowd enjoying the changing conditions and race positions.

Verstappen’s victory took him to 194 points in the drivers’ championship ahead of Leclerc on 138 and Norris on 131. In the constructors’ race Red Bull, in a troubled season by their standards, reached 301 points ahead of Ferrari on 252 .