Did Russell Secure Mercedes' First Win at the Canadian GP Amid Norris-Piastri Drama?

Montreal, June 16 (NationPress) George Russell achieved Mercedes' inaugural victory of the season with a dominant performance from pole position in the Canadian GP. However, the most significant turmoil unfolded behind him as McLaren teammates and title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided in the race's closing stages.

The incident took place on lap 67 of 70 when Norris attempted to overtake Piastri for fourth place. Misjudging his move on the pit straight, Norris collided with the rear of Piastri's car.

Norris was forced to retire immediately due to front suspension damage, while Piastri managed to finish fourth, trailing Russell, Max Verstappen from Red Bull, and the second Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli. The race concluded under the safety car, as reported by Xinhua.

Norris promptly accepted full accountability over the team radio: "It's all my bad, all my fault. Unlucky, sorry. Stupid from me."

This incident, reminiscent of the infamous clash between Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button at the same location in 2011, adversely affected Norris' title aspirations. Piastri now holds a 22-point lead over his teammate, with Verstappen trailing by an additional 21 points.

Prior to the collision, Norris had executed a commendable race, advancing from seventh on the grid utilizing an inverted tire strategy. Having caught up to Piastri, he surprised his teammate with a pass into the hairpin on lap 66, but Piastri reclaimed the position with a cut-back down the straight.

As Norris aimed to slingshot past on the pit straight, he miscalculated and broke his front wing against the back of Piastri's vehicle.

While McLaren lamented the season's first clash between their drivers, Russell showcased a composed and strategic performance at the front.

After unexpectedly securing pole position in Saturday's qualifying, he converted it into victory with a strong start and maintained control throughout the race. Despite closing the gap in the final laps, Verstappen never posed a significant threat.

However, Mercedes might face a post-race protest from Red Bull, alleging that Russell drove erratically under the safety car.

In the background, 18-year-old Antonelli celebrated his first F1 podium in just his tenth Grand Prix. The Italian overtook Piastri for third on the opening lap and demonstrated maturity in defending the podium position until Norris' crash neutralized the race.

Ferrari experienced a disappointing day, with Charles Leclerc finishing fifth after questioning the team's decision to make two pit stops instead of one. Teammate Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, though his performance was hampered by an early collision with a groundhog, damaging his floor and reducing downforce.

Fernando Alonso continued Aston Martin's mini-revival with a solid seventh place, while Nico Hulkenberg secured eighth for Sauber. Esteban Ocon finished ninth for Haas, and Carlos Sainz rounded out the points after executing a well-managed one-stop strategy.

The 11th round of the 2025 Formula 1 season is the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, where Russell emerged victorious last year following a clash between Norris and Verstappen while contending for the lead.