Montreal: Max Verstappen returned to form and completed a hat-trick of Canadian Grand Prix wins on Sunday when he triumphed for Red Bull in a thrilling, tactical and incident-filled race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. "Pretty crazy race," said the Dutchman at the finish. "A lot happening.
We stayed calm." The series leader and three-time champion rode his luck through changing wet and dry conditions and two safety car interventions to win by 3.879 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris and Mercedes' George Russell.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton came home fourth, after being passed by Russell in the closing laps. Oscar Piastri was fourth in the second McLaren ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin. It was a 60th career victory for Verstappen and his 50th from the last 75 races.
Local hope Lance Stroll was seventh in the second Aston Martin ahead of RB's Daniel Ricciardo and the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. "What a race guys," Verstappen told his team on the radio. "Not easy, but we did it! A great job by everyone.
We made all the right calls. I enjoyed that one." "A lot of fun," said Norris, whose result together with Piastri, brought McLaren their first points in Canada since 2014 on the 56th anniVersary of the team's first win, with Bruce McLaren, at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix.
"An ugly race on my behalf and I am sorry for that," Russell said, conceding he was disappointed not to convert his pole position into victory. Five cars.
