George Russell Triumphs in Canada as McLaren Pair Collide in Late-Race Drama
What a wild and unforgettable weekend it’s been in Montreal! The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix served up a thrilling mix of dominant drives, rookie heroics, and teammate tensions — all culminating in a dramatic victory for George Russell, who secured his first win of the season, and Mercedes’ first of the year, from pole position.
Russell’s performance was masterclass material. That pole lap? He called it “probably the most exhilarating lap” of his life — and watching it back, it’s hard to argue. Around the twisty, high-stakes Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, every inch of commitment counted, and Russell delivered. He got off the line clean, didn’t need to “get his elbows out” against Max Verstappen despite joking that he had some leeway, and held off relentless pressure from the Red Bull driver throughout the race. Even with Verstappen sitting just under two seconds behind him for much of the Grand Prix, Russell never flinched.
Meanwhile, behind the leaders, the tension was boiling over at McLaren. As predicted by their own team boss Zak Brown, it was only a matter of time before Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made contact. And that moment came just three laps from the end. Norris, who’d been the faster McLaren all weekend but had a messy qualifying session, had clawed his way up the order on an alternate tyre strategy. He closed in on Piastri just as the Aussie got caught behind traffic. As Norris tried to swing around the outside heading into Turn 1, he clipped Piastri’s rear tyre with his front wing. “All my bad, all my fault. Stupid from me,” Norris admitted immediately over the team radio. Brutally honest, but the damage was done.
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That incident brought out the safety car and essentially ended the race — no time left to clear the incident and get back to green-flag racing. Behind Russell and Verstappen, 18-year-old Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli stunned the paddock by grabbing his first podium and becoming the third youngest driver in history to do so. The future is clearly bright for him.
Piastri, despite the contact, held on to finish fourth, widening the gap to Norris in the drivers' standings. Charles Leclerc had a solid drive to fifth, outperforming his Ferrari teammate and showing better race pace once again. Lewis Hamilton, unfortunately, struggled after hitting a groundhog early on, which damaged his car’s downforce. He was devastated when he found out what caused the issue.
So what does this mean for the championship picture? Russell now sits fourth in the standings, just 19 points behind Verstappen, and Mercedes finally seems to have found a rhythm. With high temperatures in Montreal, there were fears about tyre wear — but Russell managed his stint perfectly. His clear-air strategy, thanks to that phenomenal qualifying lap, paid off.
And while McLaren might have a fast car, the in-team rivalry could be their biggest obstacle. This latest clash between Norris and Piastri may just be the first of many if tensions continue to rise.
But for now, the headlines belong to George Russell — a stunning pole, a composed drive, and a much-needed win that could shake up the 2025 season.
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