- George Russell caps the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix third, scoring his first podium finish for this season.
- This also gives Mercedes-AMG Petronas its first podium finish for the year.
Mercedes F1 at the Canadian GP
The chaotic Canadian GP kicked things off under challenging weather conditions. It also saw the deployment of two Safety Cars, several incidents, and a major shake-up in the drivers’ positions from the Qualifying. Mercedes F1 driver George Russell had the advantage from the get-go, starting from pole position.
The young Briton charged the wet tracks ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Meanwhile, his veteran partner Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso went past Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, who was sitting in the fifth position.
Russell continued his momentum by lap 10 as Hamilton and Alonso went head-to-head. Moments later, the lead was lost when Verstappen and Norris engaged the young Mercedes driver.
The first Safety Car took over when William’s Logan Sargeant spun his car around and failed to restart it. The other was when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz also spun around, which resulted in a clash with William’s Alex Albon.
Verstappen ended the race with another victory at 1:45:47.927, followed by Norris 3.879 seconds later. Russell came in third 4.347 seconds after the winner, and Hamilton emerged fourth by a split-second from his fellow Mercedes F1 driver.
Both Mercedes F1 drivers performed well during the event. Hamilton emerged with the fastest lap at Lap 70, followed by Russell. Overall, they scored 28 points for the team, while Russell’s podium marked the first for the team this season.
F1 Standings of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton
Russell’s achievement at the Canadian GP cements his position at seventh in the 2024 Drivers’ Standings, ahead of Hamilton at eighth. Mercedes F1 is currently fourth in the Constructors’ Standings with a total of 124 points.
Mercedes F1’s state is definitely a far cry from its glory days, which ended in 2021. Despite the seemingly “missed opportunity” at the recent event, its drivers are looking to improve their performances heading to Barcelona based on their post-race interviews.
