George Russell took his first win of the season ahead of Max Verstappen and first-time podium finisher Kimi Antonelli as championship-leading duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris clashed late in the race with Norris crashing out and his McLaren team-mate finishing fourth. 

In a largely two-stop race, and with a mix of strategies in place, the lead shifted throughout the race, but in the final 15 laps the main contenders all reconvened at the front of the pack, separated by around 10 seconds 

And while Russell and Verstappen held a solid gap in the top two positions, behind them Antonelli, Piastri and Norris tussled furiously for third. 

And it was the title contending McLarens who came to blow. After closing in on Piastri in the final laps, Norris passed his team-mate into the Turn 10 hairpin. Piastri fought back and got ahead in the final chicane. 

However, aided by DRS, Norris attempted another move. But the gap on the inside of the pit straight wasn’t big enough and the after tapping the rear of Piastri’s McLaren, Norris slammed into the wall and crashed out of the race, leaving the top three to cruise to the finish under the Safety Car. 

At the start, Russell got away well from pole to take the lead ahead of Verstappen who also made a good start. Behind them, Piastri came under heavy pressure from Antonelli, and the Italian rookie was able to power past on the run to Turn 3 to steal P3. 

Over the opening 10 laps, Verstappen began to lose ground to Russell and the Dutchman reported that his tyres “were very fragile”. On lap 12 he opted to shed his starting Mediums and Mercedes reacted to cover the potential undercut. Russell pitted at the end of the following lap and stayed ahead of the Dutchman.  

Antonelli was next in on lap 15, and he rejoined behind Verstappen. Piastri then made his first stop and that vaulted Hard-tyre starter Norris, who was told he needed to put in “one of those amazing races”, into the lead ahead of fellow Hard-tyre runner Charles Leclerc. 

Russell and Verstappen slowly began to reel in Leclerc and Norris and on lap 26 the Mercedes driver swept past the Monegasque racer on the run to the final chicane. Verstappen then closed up to the back of the Ferrari but on lap 29 Leclerc backed out of the battle and pitted for a second set of Hard tyres. 

Norris made his first stop on lap 30 and he shed his Hard tyres for a set of yellow-banded Mediums. That promoted Russell and Verstappen back to top two positions and at half distance the Mercedes driver held a four-second lead over the Red Bull, with Verstappen just two seconds clear of Antonelli and a further two clear of Piastri. Norris, meanwhile, rejoined in fifth place, seven seconds behind his team-mate. 

Verstappen, losing time and with Antonelli powering into DRS range, made his second stop on lap 38, taking on a final set of Hard tyres. The champion rejoined in sixth place, ahead of Hamilton. Mercedes covered the move by swiftly pitting Antonelli and though it was tight, the Dutchman emerged just ahead of the Italian. 

Running into a train of squabbling backmarkers, and facing a potentially frustrating battle to clear them, Russell pitted on lap 43. The Mercedes driver emerged in P4, three seconds ahead of Verstappen. Piastri then headed in on lap 46 for another set of Hard tyres and he rejoined in fifth place behind the out of sequence pair of Norris and Leclerc who were promoted to the front for a second time. 

Norris pitted from the lead on lap 48 for a final set of Hard tyres and Leclerc finally pitted for a set of quicker Mediums on lap 54. They emerged in fifth and sixth respectively as Russell took the lead ahead of Verstappen, Antonelli and Piastri, with 17 laps remaining. 

Verstappen initially began to close on to Russell, but the Mercedes driver was able to respond, and the gap soon stabilised. The major battle became the one between the two McLaren drivers. Norris closed in and on lap 67 he made a dive down the inside into the hairpin.

It looked like the Briton had made the move stick, but Piastri fought back, and they went side-by-side along the straight. Norris backed out into the final chicane to set up a move under DRS on the pit straight. Norris went for a move on the inside, but the space didn’t exist, and he slammed into the wall and out of the race. 

The Safety Car was released and the field filed through the pit lane to queue up behind the FIA vehicle. However, with Norris’ car needing to be recovered and with just three laps remaining, the race ended under the caution. 

Behind race winner Russell, Max took P2, his 117th podium finish and the team’s 287th ahead of Antonelli who took his first F1 podium finish. Piastri managed to stay on track after his clash with Norris to take fourth while Leclerc led Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton home in fifth and sixth. Alonso took P7 ahead of Hülkenberg, and Haas driver Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz, who both pitted just once.

2025 FIA Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix – Race 
1 George Russell Mercedes 70 - 
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 70 0.228
3 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 70 1.014
4 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 70 2.109
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 70 3.442
6 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 70 10.713
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 70 10.972
8 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 70 15.364
9 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 69 - 1 lap
10 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 69 - 1 lap
11 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 69 - 1 lap
12 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 69 - 1 lap
13 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 69 - 1 lap
14 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 69 - 1 lap
15 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 69 - 1 lap
16 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 69 - 1 lap
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 69 - 1 lap
18 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 66 - 4 laps
     Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 53 - Retirement
     Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 46 - Retirement