Author: Barkha Roy
Max Verstappen showed his dominance once again at the Canadian Grand Prix, securing his sixth win of the season and marking Red Bull’s 100th victory in Formula 1. The Dutch driver’s victory further increased his lead in the championship, equaling Ayrton Senna’s record of 41 wins. Behind Verstappen, Fernando Alonso took a creditable second place, with Lewis Hamilton completing the podium.
Verstappen’s win, from lights out to the flag, allowed him to maintain his impeccable record this season and solidify his position at the top of the championship standings. In addition, Red Bull’s historic victory after 18 years since their debut added to the significance of Verstappen’s achievement. By achieving 41 victories, Verstappen equaled the position of the legendary Ayrton Senna in F1’s all-time standings.
Alonso and Hamilton fought a fierce battle throughout the race, swapping positions several times. Although Hamilton initially gained an advantage at the start, Alonso’s strategic manoeuvres ended up guaranteeing him second place. The Mercedes driver’s attempt to regain second place was thwarted by Alonso’s strong defense. The final gap between Verstappen and Alonso was just 9.5 seconds.
Meanwhile, George Russell’s hopes of a podium finish were dashed due to an early accident that significantly damaged his Mercedes. The resulting Safety Car period led to different strategies between the teams. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, along with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas opted to stay out during the Safety Car phase, which allowed them to gain track position and secure fourth and fifth place respectively.
Pérez faced a challenging race after another compromised qualifying session. He finished sixth and managed to secure the fastest lap bonus point. Alex Albon’s unique and timely pit stop under the Safety Car saw him finish seventh, earning valuable points for Williams.
Lando Norris initially secured a place in the points, but was given a five-second penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct behind the Safety Car. As a result, he fell to 13th place in the final standings. Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas claimed the final scoring positions, with Stroll overtaking Bottas in the closing stages of the race.
The Canadian Grand Prix also had its share of incidents and withdrawals. Nico Hulkenberg, who dropped from second to fifth on the grid due to a red flag violation in qualifying, finished in 15th place. Russell, after a valiant recovery race, retired due to brake problems. Logan Sargeant was another who didn’t finish, forced to park his Williams at the start of the race due to a critical problem.