MONTREAL (AP) \u2014 George Russell won his first race of the Formula 1 season as the Mercedes driver held off defending race winner Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.<\/p>\n
It was the fourth victory of Russell\u2019s career, and the race ended under yellow when McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris staged a wheel-to-wheel late battle that ended with Norris hitting the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to be back on the top step,\u201d Russell said. \u201cI felt last year was a victory lost, so to get the victory and see (teammate) Kimi (Antonelli) on the podium, too, is an amazing day for the team. I think it shows the strength of our cars in the cooler conditions, so let\u2019s see in the coming races.\u201d<\/p>\n
Russell started on pole for the second consecutive year in Montreal and held the advantage for most of the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The British driver became the fourth race winner this year, joining points leader leader Piastri, Norris and Verstappen, the four-time reigning F1 champion.<\/p>\n
Verstappen, who has one more race to go before points drop off his license and eliminate the possibility of a one-race suspension, was satisfied with his second-place finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cWas quite a good race, even though in the first two stints we were struggling with the tires,\u201d the Dutchman said. \u201cWe hung in there in the final stint. That was the maximum we could have achieved today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercedes rookie Antonelli finished third behind Verstappen for his first F1 podium.<\/p>\n
\u201cA really good day. It was absolutely victory on merit,\u201d Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said. \u201cWe controlled the race all the way. George drove brilliantly and Kimi didn\u2019t crack under pressure, even with the McLaren right behind him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since we\u2019ve had two cars on the podium with a win and that\u2019s why everyone is delighted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two McLarens came together when Norris, then in fifth, attempted to pass Piastri multiple times on the 67th lap out of 70. Norris ultimately ran into Piastri and bounced into the wall, drawing a safety car for the final laps.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was defending the inside, then I felt a small touch,\u201d Piastri said. \u201cThat\u2019s all I\u2019ve got to go on at the moment. It\u2019s a shame for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norris received a 5-second penalty for contact with Piastri after the race and took responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just went for it. I thought Oscar would move a bit more to the right, not leave a gap,\u201d Norris said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting anything easy from him. But in the end, it was all my mistake. I take full blame and I want to apologize to my whole team and to Oscar for attempting something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Piastri finished fourth, ending an eight-race podium streak dating back to the second race of the season. McLaren as a team failed to reach the top three for the first time this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe never want to see a McLaren car involved in an accident and definitely not contact between our two cars,\u201d team principal Andrea Stella said. \u201cThis is a situation we know is not acceptable. At the same time, we appreciate that Lando immediately owned it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe raised his hand, as you should, and apologized to the team. For us, that sort of resets the situation. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s an important learning point for him from this race. He\u2019s paid a price the championship and we value the way he handled it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Piastri arrived in Montreal \u2014 the 10th of 24 stops this season \u2014 with a 10-point lead over Norris amid a dominant season for the papaya-colored cars.<\/p>\n
The Australian driver extended his advantage to 22 points over his British teammate. Verstappen, ranked third in the drivers\u2019 championship, now trails Norris by 21 points. A race win is worth 25.<\/p>\n
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were fifth and sixth. Aston Martin\u2019s Fernando Alonso, Sauber\u2019s Nico Hulkenberg, Haas\u2019 Esteban Ocon and Williams\u2019 Carlos Sainz Jr. rounded out the top 10.<\/p>\n
Leclerc, after holding off on a second pit stop, was the leader until the 54th lap when he finally swapped tires.<\/p>\n
That set up a five-man race to the finish involving Russell, Verstappen, Antonelli, Piastri and Norris in the final 16 laps. A little more than five seconds separated the drivers.<\/p>\n
Lance Stroll, the lone Canadian on the 20-driver grid, finished 17th after starting 18th. The Aston Martin driver received a 10-second penalty for forcing Alpine\u2019s Pierre Gasly off the track on the 47th lap.<\/p>\n
The Canadian GP returns to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next year. The next F1 race is the Austrian Grand Prix on June 29.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n