George Russell delivered a commanding performance to claim his and Mercedes’ first Formula One victory of the 2025 season at the Canadian Grand Prix. Starting from pole, Russell converted his sixth career pole position into a crucial win, managing his tyres well in the hotter-than-expected conditions and holding off a persistent challenge from Max Verstappen, who never dropped more than two seconds behind but could not find an opportunity to strike.
The win marks a form of redemption for Russell, who admitted he had let the team down at this circuit the previous year. This time, he remained composed and confident throughout the race, stating that he was “chilled the whole race” and praised the team for their preparation and strategy. The result also moves Russell up to fourth in the drivers’ championship, just 19 points behind Verstappen.
A standout performance came from 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli, who secured his first career podium in only his tenth race. Antonelli drove a clean and mature race to finish third, making him the third youngest driver in history to reach the podium in Formula One. His result capped off a highly successful weekend for Mercedes.
The race, however, was less positive for McLaren. Tension between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finally boiled over in the closing stages. Battling for fourth place, Norris clipped the rear of Piastri’s car going into Turn 1, ending his own race and bringing out a late safety car. Norris took full responsibility for the incident, describing it as “stupid from me” over team radio. The clash cost Norris valuable points in the championship and allowed Piastri to extend his lead over him to 22 points.
The incident also effectively neutralized the race’s final laps. Verstappen momentarily passed Russell under the safety car when the Mercedes driver braked hard to warm his tyres, prompting a protest from Red Bull. However, time ran out for any further racing, and the result stood.
Charles Leclerc finished fifth for Ferrari, overcoming a poor qualifying and a frustrating two-stop strategy. Lewis Hamilton, hampered by early front-wing damage after striking a groundhog, finished outside the points. Fernando Alonso brought his Aston Martin home in seventh, showing encouraging pace improvements, while the final points went to Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon, and Carlos Sainz.
Russell tempered expectations heading into the next race in Austria, acknowledging that the conditions there would present a very different challenge. While encouraged by the team’s progress, he remained cautious, suggesting it’s too early to declare Mercedes fully back in contention.
