George Russell has won the Canadian Grand Prix from pole position in a comfortable win, but the day was not so comfortable for McLaren with Lando Norris’ great drive ending in the wall. Talking of walls our 2025 Canadian F1 Grand Prix Result Summary is solid as.
This 2025 Canadian Grand Prix Result, Laps that Matter summary, Review & Ratings which gives you just enough to catch up with. With just a hint of cynicism, bias, opinion and colour. The perfect bite sized review for those who couldn’t be bothered, or don’t have enough time.
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2025 Canadian F1 Grand Prix Result Race Summary
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Here’s where we capture the laps where stuff happened. We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football, but marginally more interesting.
Setting the scene – George Russell took pole for a second year in a row in Canada, beating Max Verstappen who he coincidentally shared the exact same qualifying time with last season too. What fun that should be with those two 1-2 on the grid after the Spanish GP and the last year worth of conflict. Hoping to take advantage of any issues will be Oscar Piastri who qualified third. Well ahead of his team mate Lando Norris who is down in 7th after a messy Q3. There were some good performances from Kimi Antonelli (4th), Fernando Alonso (6th) and Franco Colapinto (10th). Less so from Williams, who threatened to break into the top four gang all weekend but ended up 9th and 17th. And Lance Stroll, who returned from injury to increase his lead in the all-time Q1 exits.
Race day is dry, but will the walls so close, and drivers fired up, who needs rain. Or Danica Patrick.
GRID (Starting Order) – RUS VER PIA ANT HAM ALO NOR LEC ALB COL
Lap 1 – The start was very clean with all drivers looking like they wanted to stay out of trouble. Oscar Piastri seemed especially careful as Kimi Antonelli nipped by into turn three. The only action was further down with Colapinto and Albon pushing each other wide and off the track, allowing the Hulk to pass them both. Otherwise, drivers behaving.
ORDER – RUS VER ANT PIA HAM ALO NOR LEC HUL COL
Lap 4 – Early days, but the top two have cleared away a little and Max has closed right onto Russell’s tail. An overtaking move could be very interesting between these two. Kimi Antonelli is two seconds behind and Piastri almost a further two behind him. Wondering if that is smart tyre conservation, or McLaren speed sucks today pace. Norris is still 7th behind Alonso but is on the Hard tyres along with Leclerc and most of the bottom half of the field.
Lap 9 – There really isn’t much happening right now. A radio message from Oscar Piastri talking about front and rear tyre degradation is the highlight, For the record front is better and rear is worse than FP2 on Friday apparently. That might be important later. Other comms from drivers all say the same. The tyres suck.
Lap 11 – Lando Norris threatens to break of some action in the Canadian Grand Prix by closing within DRS range of Fernando Alonso for 6th. Norris does get by into the final chicane.
Lap 12 – Kimi Antonelli has rapidly closed in on Max Verstappen and is right on his tail when the Red Bull driver drives into pitlane instead of the final chicane for the first notable tyre stop. Verstappen temporarily drops to 9th. Antonelli up to 2nd.
Lap 14 – George Russell’s Mercedes team respond to Verstappen’s stop and bring in the leader for new tyres. He ends up 7th and has a Hulkenberg between himself and Verstappen.
Lap 15 – Antonelli stops from a short-lived lead of the Grand Prix and hands that over to Oscar Piastri. Talking of McLaren we hear a pep talk from McLaren to Lando Norris who is now third, asking for one of his special races, which we can presume means alternative strategy on his hard tyres. Hamilton pits and rejoins just at the front of a midfield train of cars.
Lap 17 – Oscar Piastri pits handing the lead to Lando Norris on those alternative Hard tyres. How long can he last to make a difference. It looks like the main talking point for now.
ORDER – NOR LEC RUS VER ANT HUL PIA ALB OCO HAM
Lap 20 – Lando Norris continues to lead by about the same amount to Charles Leclerc, but the previous top two of Russell and Verstappen are inching closer. Antonelli has dropped back from Verstappen by five seconds, Piastri is a further three behind, leaving him vulnerable to Norris getting past when he pits. Wasting on off day from Norris in qualifying in terms of Championship status.
Lap 24 – A good side distraction has been the midfield battles, with Hamilton and Alonso slicing through the midfield train, Yuki Tsunoda making some good moves, and Alex Albon arguing with his team via radio.
Lap 26 – George Russell passes Charles Leclerc for second, and it will be interesting to see how quickly he catches Norris. It should be quick on much newer hard tyres vs well worn hard tyres.
Lap 28 – Charles Leclerc pits from third opening up Max Verstappen’s race, and we will see if Norris’ McLaren team respond. Ferrari put Leclerc on another set of hard tyres, which seems odd. Perhaps a smart piece of strategy coming up, or another race wasted by a strategy stuff up. A point of interest for later for sure.
Lap 29 – McLaren do respond and Norris pits. He rejoins in 5th, on new mediums. Watch out to Oscar Piastri ahead in fourth place seven seconds up the road.
ORDER – RUS VER ANT PIA NOR LEC HAM OCO SAI ALO
Lap 35 – Halfway through the grand prix, and this seems like it might be like a game of chess with the tyre choices and inability to go too fast. Chess might be interesting, but not exciting at 4:40 in the morning. Lando Norris is setting fastest laps and catching Oscar Piastri. Further ahead George Russell has cleared Max Verstappen by nearly five seconds. Antonelli is catch Max at half a second per lap.
Lap 37 – Max Verstappen pits for a second time. He rejoins just in front of Lewis Hamilton who might enjoy the company after complaining a few laps ago that he “was nowhere in this race.” Antonelli pits a lap later and the Mercedes comes out of the pits alongside Verstappen and the Rd Bull just manages to stay in front.
Lap 40 – Oscar Piastri is asked by his team whether the current tyres can make it to the end of the race. The F1 equivalent of “Yeah, Nah” was offered. His team mate has closed within four seconds now so he’ll need new tyres soonish. Whether Norris can make the end of the race on current tyres is doubtful too.
Lap 42 – George Russell pits from the lead and rejoins comfortably ahead of Max Verstappen. Piastri leads for now.
Lap 45 – Piastri pits from the lead and Norris leads. New Hard tyres for Piastri and he rejoins close to Antonelli.
Lap 47 – Lando Norris pits from the lead, giving Ferrari a few minutes of joy as Leclerc leads. Norris rejoins 6th behind Piastri by four seconds. An interesting Championship defining moment potentially coming.
Lap 49 – Alex Albon’s race ends in car failure at the hairpin.
Lap 51 – Oscar Piastri responds to pressure from Norris with a gap extending fastest lap. Although Norris replies next time with a fastest lap. Piastri is closing in on Antonelli and Verstappen. Maybe all of this is building into the greatest end to a grand prix ever.
Lap 54 – Piastri has closed within a second of DRS and needs to get by quickish, as Norris is catching and looming behind. Russell and Verstappen aren’t that far up the road either. A race win is available here for anyone in the top five.
ORDER – RUS VER ANT PIA NOR LEC HAM OCO SAI HUL
Lap 57 – Piastri still trying to get past Antonelli who is currently hanging onto his first ever podium. Ahead Verstappen is closing in on George Russell. Behind Norris closing in on Piastri. Something has to give soon. Piastri will be hoping it is him giving up a place and Championship momentum tohis team mate. Backmarkers are in the way for the moment, at lease being fair by not giving anyone special treatment.
Lap 59 – Tyres and backmarkers have seen the top five close within five seconds of each other from 1st to 5th. Norris looks the quicker driver too, which means there might be team radio soon about which driver is quicker, if you know what I mean.
Lap 60 – George Russell has responded to Max Verstappen and squeezed the gap out to over two seconds. Antonelli has opened up a gap to Piastri now, who is under some real pressure from Norris. A change in place seems inevitable.
Lap 63 – Norris all over the back of Piastri now, as Piastri tries hard to evade the DRS.
Lap 65 – Piastri is now with DRS range of Antonelli, so not a bad tactic to avoid Norris by putting another car in the way.
Lap 66 – Lando Norris catches Piastri unaware and takes Piastri’s fourth place into the hairpin. But Piastri isn’t done yet, he draws alongside Norris out of the hairpin exit and down the back straight and just manages to outbrake Norris into the final chicane. But they are super close as they start the next lap……
Lap 67 – BANG!!! Lando Norris into the pit wall as he pulls alongside his team mate. Norris is out, the McLaren broken as he slides down the pit wall. Was it contact with his team mate? Well, it was. But replays show it was all Norris’ fault. Norris was right on Piastri’s gearbox as they thundered down the pit straight, and while Piastri was moving over to the left it was gradual and not swerving. Lando Norris appears to run into the rear left tyre of Piastri which breaks his front wing, gets under his tyres and puts him into the wall. Norris says as much via the radio. That’s a Championship swing right there.
SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
Lap 68 – The Safety doesn’t stop shenanigans between Russell and Verstappen, as one claims Russell braked suddenly behind the safety car, which he did. The other claims Verstappen overtook him, which he did. Both no doubt want the FIA to look into each other. Russell may not want to be too clever as playing upo behind the safety car usually leads to penalties. But that will have to be after the race if it happen. As this race is going to finish behind the Safety Car.
FINAL LAP – The race finishes behind the Safety Car and George Russell wins for Mercedes. Max Verstappen happy enough with second and Kimi Antonelli understandably happier with his first podium. Piastri finishes fourth, plenty of points ahead of Lando Norris.
FINAL ORDER (Across the line) – RUS VER ANT PIA LEC HAM ALO HUL OCO SAI
Here we go through the field and highlight the very best (Great) of the race, and the plodders, the over-ambitious, the out of luck, and simply hopeless (Grape).
These points get added to our Driver of the Season scores. 5 points for a great nomination, and -5 for the worst or grapest driver in the pack. Then it is +2 /-2 for honourable or dishonourable mentions.
THE GREAT-EST – GEORGE RUSSELL
Took a slightly surprising pole position, got off the line well and led like a pro for most of the race.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
MAX VERSTAPPEN – A good enough results with 2nd in qualifying and race. Finishing ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris losing points helps him in the Championship.
KIMI ANTONELLI – Great qualifying to end up fourth and ruined Piastri’s day by getting in front on the first lap. Held his own during the race, and even led at one stage. Dealt with pressure from Piastri and scored his first podium.
OSCAR PIASTRI – A good end result with fourth and Lando Norris crashing, but not a great Grand Prix. But in the context of the Championship, his not great day has ended in points. His team mate’s not great day ended in the wall.
FERNANDO ALONSO – Building his influence in qualifying and more points.
NICO HULKENBERG – More points for the Hulk with the previously busted arse Sauber.
ESTEBAN OCON – Ran a super long first stint and rewarded with points.
THE GRAPE-EST – LANCE STROLL
In a race short on terrible performances, is always good to have a default. Cut from Qualifying in Q1 again for his home race, he was towards the tail of the field throughout, and ended up earning a ten second penalty for forcing Pierre Gasly off the track into the final chicane as they battled during the race. You’d almost feel sorry for him, if he actually seemed to care himself.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
LANDO NORRIS – In contention for driver of the race with his comeback from an ordinary 7th place in qualifying. Was just about to take his team mate’s fourth place, but ended up in the wall and out of the race.
ALEX ALBON – After pace earlier in the weekend suggested his William could be a top four nuisance, he qualified 9th, spent most of the race in a midfield train, argued with his team for not listening to him, then retired with car failure.
LEWIS HAMILTON – Not a bad race, just another nothing race, in a bit of a nothing season at Ferrari.
YUKI TSUNODA – Actually raced OK, but getting cut in Q1 isn’t going to cut it long term.
LIAM LAWSON – An anonymous race ended in DNF.
Was it a good race, loads of action, a tense ending, a surprise result or DNF, or just a big, fat, snooze-fest?
We rate the big race itself, so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
PRE RACE ACTION (FP, QUAL, SPRINT, OFF TRACK etc) – 2 / 5
Not a great deal happening, made especially uninteresting with Danica Patrick on the blab for Sky F1 making most of the non on track action unwatchable. Qualifying was interesting enough with a few drivers in the mix for pole.
ON TRACK ACTION (RACE) – 2 / 10
Aside from the late race happenings with the McLarens, and some glimpses of midfield battling, it was a pretty dull race relying on tyre stops for the most.
ANY SURPRISES? – 4 / 5
George Russell’s pace is a little surprising, although he has been super consistent this season. Antonelli podium is a nice surprise for him. McLaren battle ending in tears is also surprising, and not really.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 5 / 5
It looked like a big Championship moment was coming with Lando Norris about to overtake his team mate, and then a big Championship moment arrived with Lando Norris into the wall. The Championship gap is now out to 22 points.
ENDING – 5 / 5
The top five were closing towards the end of the race, and none more so than the McLarens. A battle which ended in an accident to Lando Norris
OVERALL RATING – 18 / 30
The big moments came late, but overall it wasn’t one of the better Canadian Grands Prix, but it does have some ramifications for the season ahead.
2025 F1 Season Race Ratings
R1 – Australian Grand Prix – 27/30
R2 – Chinese Grand Prix – 11/30
R3 – Japanese Grand Prix – 18/30
R4 – Bahrain Grand Prix – 19/30
R5 – Saudi Arabia Grand Prix – 17/30
R6 – Miami Grand Prix – 17/30
R7 – Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix – 20/30
R8 – Monaco Grand Prix – 21/30
R9 – Spanish Grand Prix – 15/30
2025 F1 Season Preview Gear
F1 2025 SEASON – THINGS TO LOOK FOR AND AVOID
F1 DONKEY AUSTRALIAN GP BOLD PREDICTIONS
2024 F1 Season Review Gear
Stay tuned for our Power Rankings from the race soon as it is currently being calculated and will be ready on Monday.
2024 F1 SEASON FULL RACE REPORT HISTORY
