The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, held on June 15 at Montréal’s iconic Circuit Gilles‑Villeneuve, proved a thrilling showcase of speed, strategy, and drama. George Russell secured a commanding pole and converted it into his first win of the season, marking Mercedes’ return atop the podium in Canada. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen mounted a relentless chase but ultimately couldn’t breakthrough, while teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli delivered a standout performance to claim his maiden F1 podium. Shadows loomed over McLaren as a late-race collision between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri not only ended Norris’s race but reshaped the championship narrative.

Qualifying Highlights

• Pole position: George Russell (Mercedes) with a slick lap of 1:10.899 on medium tyres—his first pole of 2025 and the sixth of his career. Russell described his lap as “one of the most exhilarating” of his life.
• Front row: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) qualified second, 0.160 s behind, followed by Oscar Piastri (McLaren) in P3.
• Notable: Lando Norris hit the wall in Q3, struggling with new suspension, and ended up P7.

Race Recap

• Winner: George Russell led from pole in a composed drive, holding off Max Verstappen for his first victory of 2025—and Mercedes’ first Canadian GP win since 2019.
• 2nd: Max Verstappen finished +0.228 s behind, unable to secure the lead despite pressure and a late probe under the safety car.
• 3rd: Rookie Kimi Antonelli claimed his maiden podium, becoming the third-youngest F1 podium finisher.
• 4th: Championship leader Oscar Piastri recovered to fourth despite late contact with teammate Lando Norris, who crashed out just three laps from the end.
• Others: Charles Leclerc (5th) and Lewis Hamilton (6th) suffered setbacks—Hamilton after accidentally hitting a groundhog and losing floor performance; Fernando Alonso recovered to 7th.
  

Notable Moments & Drama

• A late safety car triggered by Norris–Piastri collision prevented any final-lap duels.
• Red Bull lodged a post-race protest over a safety-car sequence involving Verstappen and Russell.
• Hamilton’s groundhog collision—Lap 12—cost him ~20 points of downforce, dropping him to P6.

Quick Stats