Two Silver Arrows and a Red Bull: A Canadian Grand Prix Recap

The Canadian Grand Prix marks the first race this season without a McLaren driver on the podium. This completely shattered my initially Papaya-centric predictions. However, I had a feeling we would have an unexpected face on the podium—a dark horse, if you will—and we certainly did.

The History of the Canadian Grand Prix

The Canadian Grand Prix has been part of the Formula One calendar since 1967. It has been held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve—named after the legendary Canadian F1 driver Gilles Villeneuve—in Montreal since 1978. This race is considered one of the more challenging tracks due to its layout, rapid tire degradation, and unpredictable weather conditions.

Free Practice and Qualifying

During the Free Practice sessions, two memorable incidents occurred. Charles Leclerc's Ferrari danced wide into Turn 3 and crashed into the wall, triggering red flags in FP1. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri clipped the Wall of Champions, scattering debris and also summoning another red flag in FP3.

What is the Wall of Champions, you ask? It sits like a sentinel at the final corner of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. There’s no flash, no drama—just concrete and its consequences. One incorrect move on the throttle or a moment too wide off the curb, and it will collect you. This wall has humbled some of the greatest drivers, including Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, and Sebastian Vettel. And what do these drivers have in common? They are all World Champions.

The Wall earned its name in 1999 when Hill, Schumacher, and Villeneuve each found themselves crumpled against it. Since then, it has become part cautionary tale and part rite of passage. Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen have yet to collide with the Wall, but perhaps it is a sick omen for Oscar Piastri. I'll have to revisit this towards the end of the season.

The outcome of the Qualifying session was pleasantly surprising. George Russell took pole position, with Max Verstappen in P2 and Oscar Piastri in P3. Kimi Antonelli secured P4, and Lewis Hamilton qualified in P5. Fernando Alonso thankfully ended up with a P6 result. Lando Norris scrappily landed in P7, and Charles Leclerc found himself in P8.

Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, and Lance Stroll all picked up penalties between Friday and Saturday, shuffling them towards the back half of the field. In addition, Alex Albon triggered a red flag in Q1 after his car’s engine cover flew off mid-lap.

Race Day Takeaways

Ferrari had another unideal weekend, finishing in fifth and sixth places with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. A run-in with a groundhog and questionable pit stop timing contributed to their results. Yes, you read that correctly—a groundhog! Botched pit stop calls are common, but hitting a groundhog is new territory for Ferrari. Hamilton, an animal lover and vegan, expressed devastation at the mishap.

Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris faced challenges on this circuit compared to others. They engaged in some classic Papaya Rules, which allow McLaren drivers to race each other as long as they keep it clean. Unfortunately, this was tested when Norris attempted to squeeze into a gap that didn't exist and collided with Piastri. Remarkably, Piastri managed to finish fourth, while Norris had to retire. This incident nearly overshadowed the Grand Prix, occurring on Lap 67 of 70.

This incident illustrates why teams stress strict rules about drivers fighting it out on track. The Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Norris's crash.

As a side note, he wasn't the only one to retire. Other drivers out of the race included Liam Lawson and Alex Albon.

Overtaking under a Safety Car is prohibited. Consequently, George Russell, who led the race, tried to snipe Max Verstappen, who was in P2. Verstappen accused Russell of "aggressively braking," while Russell claimed Verstappen was trying to “overtake.” Had the FIA supported the claim, it may have led to both a penalty and a subsequent ban for Verstappen. The tattling didn't work.

With the Safety Car in play, George Russell won the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen placed second, and Kimi Antonelli finished third, making him the third-youngest podium finisher at just 18 years and 294 days. The second-youngest is Lance Stroll, and the youngest is Max Verstappen. Congratulations to Kimi!

Current Standings

As of now, McLaren leads the Constructors’ Championship with 374 points. Mercedes, after their 1-3 finish, has moved into second place with 199 points. Ferrari has dropped to third at 183 points. Red Bull remains in fourth place at 162 points, while Williams leads the midfield in fifth place with 55 points.

Oscar Piastri is still the Drivers’ Championship leader with 198 points. Lando Norris is second with 176 points. Max Verstappen and George Russell remain in third and fourth places but have received significant point boosts, now sitting at 155 and 136 points, respectively.

Final Thoughts

Will McLaren recover? Will Verstappen climb the points standings? Will Ferrari finally catch a break? Time will tell. The British Grand Prix will mark the halfway point of the season. However, we will first head to Austria for Round 11.

The weekend of the upcoming race (June 27th to 29th) aligns with the premiere of the highly anticipated F1, starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, and other familiar faces.

You can expect to hear from me again very soon.

Coverage of the 75th Season of Formula One continues with the Austrian Grand Prix from June 27th to 29th on Vintage & Coupe.