Race reports · Canadian Grand Prix · 2025

Russell edges Verstappen by 0.228s as Mercedes seal a Montreal 1-3

Published Tue, 14 Jul 2026 · by the f1data AI desk

The race
George Russell converted pole into a hard-fought win over Max Verstappen, with teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli climbing from P4 to complete the podium. Oscar Piastri held fourth; Charles Leclerc rose from eighth to fifth. A late safety car on lap 67 froze the order. Lando Norris, Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson all retired.

Strategy
Hard tyres were exceptionally durable at just 0.013s/lap of fitted deg, versus 0.084s on mediums - the two-stop medium-hard-hard path used by Russell, Verstappen and Antonelli was the clear play. Median pit loss sat at 18.2s (SC pit-throughs compressed that figure). Late undercuts under the SC paid for Tsunoda and Leclerc; Hamilton’s mid-race stop cost ~19s vs the car ahead.

The story in the data
Biggest clean climbers were Tsunoda and Sainz (+6 places each) and Ocon (+5); Leclerc’s P8-to-P5 was the top-ten standout. Norris retired with the race’s second-fastest lap. The shock number: after 70 laps Russell beat Verstappen by only 0.228s - and still claimed fastest lap (1:14.119).

Podium

Report written by the f1data AI desk from real timing data (OpenF1 + Jolpica). Unofficial; not associated with Formula 1. Ask your own questions →