George Russell secured Mercedes’ first win of the 2025 season at the Canadian Grand Prix after a dramatic collision between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris late in the race. Starting from pole, Russell maintained a strong lead from Max Verstappen and handled multiple strategic shifts throughout the 70-lap event in Montreal.
The race saw split strategies across the grid, with frontrunners opting for either two or one-stop plans. As tire wear became a key factor, the leading pack bunched up for a tense finish. While Russell held Verstappen at bay, Piastri and Antonelli battled for third, with Norris closing quickly behind his teammate.
On lap 66, Norris collided with the rear of Piastri’s car while attempting an overtake, forcing his retirement and triggering a Safety Car. Norris took responsibility for the crash via team radio and later received a time penalty. Piastri continued and finished fourth after a final stop under caution.
The final laps ran behind the Safety Car, with Russell taking the checkered flag ahead of Verstappen. Kimi Antonelli finished third, celebrating his first career Formula 1 podium and capping off a double podium for Mercedes.
Behind the front-runners, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fifth, followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton. Fernando Alonso brought home seventh for Aston Martin, with Nico Hulkenberg earning points for Kick Sauber in eighth. Esteban Ocon claimed ninth in Haas’ milestone 200th Grand Prix, and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top ten for Williams.
Just outside the points, Ollie Bearman finished 11th in a strong drive. Yuki Tsunoda recovered from a back-row start to take 12th. Franco Colapinto, Gabriel Bortoleto, Pierre Gasly, and Isack Hadjar followed, while Lance Stroll struggled at his home race and finished 17th.
Three drivers failed to finish: Norris, due to his crash; Liam Lawson, who retired with mechanical issues; and Alex Albon, whose Williams suffered a power unit failure. Several drivers, including Tsunoda and Hadjar, had grid penalties prior to the start, reshuffling the order.
With this result, Russell earns his fourth career F1 victory and boosts Mercedes’ championship hopes. Piastri, despite the late-race incident, retains the lead in the standings as the teams prepare for the next round in Austria.