F1 Canadian Grand Prix: Russell Wins as McLaren Pair Collide in L… read more
The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal promised fireworks following an unpredictable weekend of practice and a blistering qualifying session — and while most of Sunday’s race failed to deliver on that promise, it eventually exploded into chaos as McLaren’s title hopes took a major blow in the closing laps.
George Russell claimed a long-awaited and well-earned victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, leading for most of the 70-lap contest in what was his first win of the season. Though the final margin was tight, with Max Verstappen in the Red Bull finishing close behind in second, Russell’s control of the race never truly looked in doubt. It was a performance of confidence, precision, and maturity from the Mercedes driver, as he held off Verstappen’s late advances to claim the top spot on the podium.
Rounding out the podium was Russell’s team-mate Kimi Antonelli, who quietly delivered a solid performance to finish third. Mercedes will take heart from the strong double podium, as they continue to claw their way back into the constructors’ championship fight.
But the major talking point of the afternoon came just behind the leading trio, where McLaren’s in-house rivalry boiled over in dramatic fashion.
With just a handful of laps remaining, Lando Norris attempted a risky overtake on team-mate Oscar Piastri in a bid to claim fourth place. The move ended in disaster. Norris misjudged his braking and slammed into the back of Piastri’s car, sending himself out of the race and damaging his title ambitions in the process. Piastri was able to continue, eventually finishing in fourth, but the mood in the McLaren garage was anything but celebratory.
To his credit, Norris took full responsibility for the incident immediately over team radio, stating bluntly, “That was on me.” But the damage — both literal and figurative — had already been done. With Norris leading the championship heading into the race, the collision not only cost him valuable points but also threatened to upset the harmony that had characterized McLaren’s resurgence this season.
The crash brought out the safety car, neutralizing the race for the final few laps and snuffing out any chance of further on-track drama. Norris’ stricken car sat on the front straight as the field trailed behind the safety car to the finish line, casting a subdued pall over the end of what had otherwise been a tepid afternoon.
It was an anticlimactic finish to a race that had promised much more. Friday and Saturday’s sessions had been filled with surprises — from changing weather conditions to shock results in qualifying — and many expected Sunday to follow suit. Instead, aside from the McLaren implosion and a bizarre moment involving a local groundhog, the Canadian Grand Prix was largely forgettable.
That groundhog incident did, however, provide one of the race’s few viral moments. Cameras captured the animal sitting calmly on the racing line before being tragically struck by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. The clip has since spread online, sparking reactions ranging from amusement to outrage.
Elsewhere on the grid, Ferrari endured a quiet and disappointing race. After showing glimpses of pace earlier in the weekend, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz found themselves stuck in no-man’s land, finishing fifth and sixth with little to show for their efforts. The team’s inability to mount any real challenge will only raise further questions about their development direction this season.
All in all, the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix will likely be remembered not for Russell’s controlled win, but for McLaren’s moment of internal combustion — a costly reminder that in the high-stakes world of Formula 1, even the best teams can be undone from within.
