F1 news LIVE: Lewis Hamilton finds ‘hope’ and Carlos Sainz makes bold Ferrari claim

Max Verstappen held off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz to take victory at the Canadian Grand Prix and further extend his championship lead. With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen which took the chequered flag to move 46 points clear at the top of the standings. Sainz was fast in the closing stages following a period behind the safety car but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place, the pair joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton - the seven-time world champion taking third for Mercedes.

“The safety car didn’t help,” Verstappen said. “Overall Ferrari were really quick in the race. It was really exciting in the end. I was giving it everything I had, and I could see Carlos was doing the same. The last few laps were a lot of fun. Luckily this year we are quick on the straights so that helps a lot.” Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell continued his record of top-five finishes all season as he took fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who recovered from starting 19th to claim a decent haul of points for Ferrari. The Alpines were sixth and seventh, Esteban Ocon managing to finish ahead of Fernando Alonso, while Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou and local favourite Lance Stroll rounded out the points.

Follow all the latest F1 news and reaction from a thrilling Canadian Grand Prix below:

F1 news

• Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix by holding off Carlos Sainz

• Lewis Hamilton clinches first podium of season with third

• Full results from Canadian Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton ‘overwhelmed’ to finish third in Canada

• Carlos Sainz maintains Ferrari ‘faster’ than Red Bull in Canada despite loss

Silverstone up next for British Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 20:10 , Michael Jones

Next time out Formula 1 is back in the UK as the sport heads to Silverstone in front of what is expected to be another record crowd.

Will Red Bull take a seventh consecutive win, meaning Max Verstappen can extend his championship lead?

Can Charles Leclerc claw back some ground after taking his engine penalties in Canada?

Or could Lewis Hamilton spring a surprise with a rejuvenated Mercedes and take his first victory of the season on home soil?

The race weekend for the British Grand Prix kicks off on Friday 1st of July with the climactic race taking place two days later on Sunday 3rd July at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes against ‘too many experiments’ before British Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 19:55 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton has said he hopes his team avoid ‘too many experiments’ ahead of next month’s British Grand Prix, as the Mercedes driver looks to capitalise on his joint-best finish of the season.

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton missed out on the title last year on the final lap of the season, in a controversial finish involving eventual champion Max Verstappen. While the Red Bull man leads the drivers’ standings with six wins from nine races so far in 2022, Hamilton has been struggling.

The Briton has scored just two podiums, with third-placed finishes in the season-opener in Bahrain and last weekend’s Canadian GP. Still, Hamilton is keen to build on Sunday’s result as he prepares for the British GP, where he has more race wins than any driver in F1 history.

The 37-year-old’s eight victories at Silverstone also make the track Hamilton’s joint-favourite, alongside the Hungaroring in Hungary.

Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes against ‘too many experiments’ before British GP

Mercedes drivers shouldn’t speak for others in porpoising debate says Verstappen

Monday 20 June 2022 19:40 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen believes the Mercedes drivers should “just speak for themselves” in the debate over porpoising and driver safety.

Various F1 teams have been battling porpoising issues on their cars this season after the return of ground effect under the new regulations led to the phenomenon. While some teams, such as Red Bull, have been able to eradicate or keep the problem under control, Mercedes have been one of the worst-hit teams.

The FIA intervened on the matter last week and issued a technical directive on safety grounds to set a metric for how much the cars could porpoise. Verstappen was vocal in his criticism of the move to potentially change the rules mid-season but Lewis Hamilton said it is “always interesting seeing people’s perspectives and opinions in different lights” during Friday’s press conference.

“Obviously in front of you, it’s one thing, and another in the background, sometimes people say different things,” added the seven-time world champion.

On Saturday before qualifying Verstappen was asked if he was surprised by what Hamilton said replied: “It’s not only him, but his teammate as well. They speak for other people.

“They should just focus on themselves and say what they think. So just speak for themselves instead of involving other people in it.”

Can Max Verstappen be stopped in his bid for a second straight title?

Monday 20 June 2022 19:25 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen raced to victory at Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix to extend his championship lead to 46 points.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the factors which might stand in the way of Verstappen charging to his second title in succession.

Can Max Verstappen be stopped in his bid for a second straight F1 title?

‘It was proper racing’ says Verstappen on battle with Sainz

Monday 20 June 2022 19:10 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix and extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship to 46 points after withstanding a late onslaught from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Verstappen was looking set for a relatively stress-free afternoon in Montreal, leading comfortably in the opening stages but a crash from Yuki Tsunoda brough the safety car out allowing Sainz to pit and close up behind the Red Bull. The pair then engaged in a fascinating 16-lap battle to the chequered flag with Verstappen holding onto first to win by just 0.993s.

“It was a tough race,” said the world champion, “I expected to have a little bit more pace, but we seemed to lack a little bit compared to Carlos… It was a bit more difficult than I expected.

“We did our strategy, and I think for us it worked, that was the right one to do. At that second stop, of course I had the fresher tyres and I was closing in on Carlos, but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually fully close that gap to the end of the race.

“But then the Safety Car came out and I was also not very happy with that, because then I knew of course he had fresh tyres behind me, and already with I think a little bit more pace compared to me… But the last 15, 16 laps, we were flat-out pushing to the limit, and I knew of course that I couldn’t make a mistake. But it was good racing. It’s always more enjoyable to be able to really push in a Formula 1 car instead of just saving your tyres.

“It was proper racing, proper pushing. I had my moments where I had a bit of oversteer, then I looked in the mirror and I saw Carlos having the same amount of moments! So it was really on the edge but that’s good to see.”

Verstappen moves above Clark and Lauda

Monday 20 June 2022 18:55 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen’s victory in Montreal is significant not only in terms of the 2022 drivers’ championship but it also moves the 24-year-old to 26 career race wins and puts him above the legendary World Champions Jim Clark and Niki Lauda on the all time greats list.

A victory at Silverstone next time out will see Verstappen draw level with Jackie Stewart too.

F1 teams set for FIA meeting over porpoising solutions

Monday 20 June 2022 18:45 , Michael Jones

Formula 1 technical chiefs are set to meet the FIA this week to try to find solutions to the championship’s porpoising controversy before the British Grand Prix, according to Autosport.

The FIA’s intervention to try to eradicate cars bouncing on safety grounds caused a huge controversy over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend with many F1 teams annoyed at the late timing of the announcement and confusion about whether or not new bouncing limits were supposed to be in place for the weekend.

Additionally, because the FIA only issued a technical directive instead of formally changing the rules, there was talk of a protest if Mercedes went ahead and ran a second floor stay. The team used one during Friday’s practice sessions but removed it on Saturday.

The matter reached a head at a Team Principal meeting on Saturday morning with Merceded boss Toto Wolff left furious over what he felt was ‘pitiful’ political behaviour from fellow bosses. Naturally no consensus was reached between teams in Montreal and the FIA will now try to move things forward when single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis meets with F1 technical directors later this week.

It is hoped that moving discussions away from the heat of competition over a race weekend will allow for a more considered approach in trying to put solutions in place.

FIA vows to ‘reduce or eliminate’ porpoising on the advice of its medical team

Monday 20 June 2022 18:36 , Michael Jones

Formula One’s regulator has vowed to “reduce or eliminate” porpoising on the advice of its medical team – just days after Lewis Hamilton suffered with severe back pain in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Hamilton, 37, required assistance to get out of his Mercedes after his car bounced up and down at high speed throughout Sunday’s 51-lap race.

Mercedes ran their machines close to the ground in Baku to produce lower downforce.

But the move exaggerated the bouncing, and under the FIA’s new technical directive, Mercedes might be required to raise the ride height of their cars which could further slow them down.

FIA vows to ‘reduce or eliminate’ porpoising on the advice of its medical team

‘It’s been an awesome race for us’ says Ocon

Monday 20 June 2022 18:23 , Michael Jones

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was in an upbeat mood following the Canadian Grand Prix after finishing P6 – his seventh top-10 finish of the season.

The delighted Frenchman said his team should be “proud” of their performance in Montreal, believing they maximised their performance.

“It’s been an awesome race for us,” said Ocon on Sunday. “Compared to yesterday, we managed to get the car to work slightly better and that meant a lot because we maximised the potential today and finishing sixth and seventh [before the penalty to Fernando Alonso], with McLaren not scoring, is a big boost for us in the constructors’ championship.

“We can be pleased with that. A good start, I managed to overtake at the start and defend Charles [Leclerc] mid-race, but he was too quick in the end.

“It feels good to achieve a weekend like that with some big points that we deserve. It’s been quite a few weekends with outside factors happening but yeah it feels good for that one.”

Drivers standings after Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 18:14 , Michael Jones

Here are the current drivers’ standings after Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix.

1) Max Verstappen - 175

2) Sergio Perez - 129

3) Charles Leclerc - 126

4) George Russell - 111

5) Carlos Sainz - 102

6) Lewis Hamilton - 77

7) Lando Norris - 50

8) Valtteri Bottas - 44

9) Esteban Ocon - 39

10) Fernando Alonso - 22

11) Pierre Gasly - 16

12) Kevin Magnussen - 15

13) Daniel Ricciardo - 15

14) Sebastian Vettel - 13

15) Yuki Tsunoda - 11

16) Zhou Guanyu - 3

17) Alex Albon - 3

18 ) Lance Stroll - 3

19) Mick Schumacher - 0

20) Nico Hulkenberg - 0

21) Nicholas Latifi - 0

Constructors’ standings after Red Bull win Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 18:07 , Michael Jones

Here are the current constructors’ standings after Red Bull won their sixth successive race at the Canadian Grand Prix.

1) Red Bull - 304

2) Ferrari - 228

3) Mercedes - 188

4) McLaren - 65

5) Alpine - 61

6) Alfa Romeo - 47

7) AlphaTauri - 27

8) Aston Martin - 16

9) Haas - 15

10) Williams - 3

Toto Wolff sends warning to Lewis Hamilton despite Canadian Grand Prix podium

Monday 20 June 2022 18:02 , Michael Jones

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has warned Lewis Hamilton that “one swallow doesn’t make a summer” after the seven-time world champion secured his first podium in nearly three months at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton will head into his home race at the British Grand Prix a week on Sunday with renewed rigour after he recovered from a back injury in Azerbaijan to finish third in Montreal - his best result since the opening round in Bahrain on 27 March.

Max Verstappen took the chequered flag to claim his sixth win in nine appearances and the sixth in succession for the world champion’s in-form Red Bull team.

But Hamilton, already 98 points behind Verstappen in the standings, said he was “overwhelmed” to cross the line in third - a performance which provided the British driver with hope he could yet return to the winner’s circle this season.

Toto Wolff sends warning to Lewis Hamilton despite Canadian Grand Prix podium

Leclerc on porpoising

Monday 20 June 2022 18:00 , Michael Jones

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has weighed in on the FIA’s intervention to solve safety concerns on porpoising particularly as Ferrari have worked to solve their issues.

“We’ve been working to get on top of those issues,” Leclerc said. “I think the improvement has been massive, and now all of the work that we’ve done, [do we] just put it in the bin because obviously there’s maybe one team that is struggling more than others.

“This is my point of view. I obviously understand that on Mercedes it’s very bad, but I also think that there are maybe fixes for this.”

Hamilton hopes Silverstone will suit Mercedes

Monday 20 June 2022 17:50 , Michael Jones

The next stop on the Formula 1 roadshow is the British Grand Prix and Lewis Hamilton’s hopes his home race at Silverstone will suit Mercedes due to the fast nature of the track.

That is assuming the team can keep the bouncing issues that have plagued much of their season under control.

“It’s better in medium and high-speed corners than low speed, but we have bouncing so don’t know how it’s going to be in Copse,” he said of his prospects for the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton heads to Silverstone positioned sixth in the drivers’ championship on 77 points, two places and 34 points behind his compatriot team mate, George Russell.

Fernando Alonso handed Canadian Grand Prix time penalty for weaving

Monday 20 June 2022 17:41 , Michael Jones

Fernando Alonso has been dropped back two places in the final standings of Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix after receiving a five-second penalty for swerving while defending his position.

Alonso, who started second on the grid, was found to have broken the rules in his efforts to stop Valtteri Bottas passing, blocking any route through by swerving left and right repeatedly. The rules state that a defending driver may only make one move to block a car approaching from behind, and once they have chosen their move they must stick to it.

After the race Alonso, who finished seventh, explained his actions to the stewards but evidently they were not pursuaded, and handed down the punishment which pushes him back two spots behind Bottas and his Alfa Romeo teammate Zhou Guanyu, collecting two points instead of six.

Full story:

Fernando Alonso handed Canadian Grand Prix time penalty for weaving

‘We deserved more than ninth’ says Alonso

Monday 20 June 2022 17:30 , Michael Jones

Fernando Alonso threatened a massive upset after finishing qualifying on the front row in P2 alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but engines issues and a bit of misfortune with the virtual safety car cost the Alpine valuable time during Sunday’s race before a five second penalty for weaving dropped the two-time world champion down to P9 after the race.

“Yeah, we were unlucky once more with the VSC,” said Alonso. “I was just on the start-finish line when it came and I was just entering the pits when it ended so we decided to stay out, so I was a little bit unlucky there. But the biggest problem was the engine, we had an engine problem in Lap 20 or something like that.

“I was losing, like, one second a lap with the engine deployment, and from that moment we forgot about the podium, or retiring the car, we were just staying on the DRS train with the cars in front just to defend. But it was very difficult to stay with Esteban [Ocon] or Charles [Leclerc] because on the straights we were losing one second.

“I think this weekend we deserved better than ninth position,” he added, “but it’s still good for both cars to score points in the end. We ultimately lost a big opportunity to fight for a potential podium as I felt like I had the pace to do so.”

Christian Horner claims F1 title fight will end up in court if FIA doesn’t act on cost cap

Monday 20 June 2022 17:21 , Michael Jones

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed that up to half of Formula 1 teams will breach the sport’s cost cap if governing body the FIA does not opt to raise it, and warned that the battle for the 2022 championship could end up in court.

All ten F1 teams are limited to an annual budget of $140m to run their 2022 season, comprising costs spent in every area including car parts, staff salaries, and shipping. The cost cap is designed to prevent teams from overspending and causing themselves financial problems, but Horner says the cost-of-living crisis and rises in inflation are an exceptional circumstance which mean the cap should be raised significantly.

“The way you design your car is within your control,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 after practice for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. “You are in control of your own destiny. We’re not in control of what’s going on in the world right now, with fuel cost rises, inflation going up to 11%. That’s a direct impact on staff, commmodities, supply of parts. I think it’s a case of force majeure. It’s not about income, it’s about this one-off effect of inflation that effects people.”

Horner claims F1 title fight will end up in court if FIA doesn’t act on cost cap

Hamilton compares podium finish to win at Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 17:12 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton took his first ever Formula 1 victory in the Canadian Grand Prix back in 2007, and the seven-time world champion was delighted to finish on the podium in Montréal after a difficult start to the 2022 season.

“Firstly I want to give a shoutout to the team back home; the men and women back at the factory are working so hard,” he told Sky Sports F1. “It’s been such a difficult year for me personally in the car.

“But this is beautiful for us, we’ve been working so hard. To have a strong race today gives me so much hope and confidence that we can move forward.

“There is potential in this car, even though it’s not currently where we want it to be. It has such a small working window, and if you don’t get it perfect it’s all over the place. That’s what we have to work through, but I think we did a really great job this weekend.

“It’s different to a win, but I think it feels as good as that in the sense that being on the podium in front of the crowd here is great. I know we can do better, I know I can do more, so we just have to keep working hard.”

Max Verstappen details key to defending Carlos Sainz to land Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 17:03 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen revealed that finding the perfect racing line at the corner before the DRS zones was decisive in holding off Carlos Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix.

Verstappen was the dominant force all weekend in Montreal and looked set for a comfortable victory until a safety car after Yuki Tsunoda crashed out tightened up the field in the closing stages.

It ensured a 15-lap shootout to decide the race and - despite being on slightly older tyres, as well as his pursuant having the benefit of DRS speed boosts - Verstappen demonstrated his incredible driving skill to keep Sainz at bay.

The Ferrari had greater straight-line speed and the long back straight at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve enabled the Spaniard to use DRS to get up to the Red Bull’s rear wing but he was unable to get past at either the final corner or Turn 1 of the following lap.

And the Dutch world champion explained the precision required to not leave himself vulnerable to an overtake from the slightly quicker car.

Max Verstappen details key to defending Carlos Sainz to land Canadian Grand Prix

‘More to come’ claims Hamilton

Monday 20 June 2022 16:53 , Michael Jones

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is having a tough season by his very high standards and after a painful, bumpy ride in Azerbaijan things looked to be getting worse during a difficult Friday practice in Montreal after which Hamilton described Mercedes’ W13 as ‘undriveable’.

However, what a difference the weekend makes. Hamilton qualified ahead of teammate George Russell on Saturday for the first time in three races then improved on his P4 start to claim his second podium of the year and his first since the opening race in Bahrain.

He eventually finished third behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz but the a level of pace he got from the W13 reassured him there’s more performance to be unlocked from the Mercedes.

“It feels great to be in amongst the battle,” said Hamilton, “For a second I was kind of keeping up with these guys. It’s given me and the team a lot of hope that there’s more to come from this car, the potential is there.

“When you get a full race distance you find a lot out with the car. A lot to take from today. Got really good reliability. Great work from team. Just got to keep our heads down.

“I know where I’m losing to these guys, so that’s where I’m going to focus on attacking to improve.

“It was honestly one of the best feelings of the year to be back, especially in Montreal where I got my first win 15 years ago and to be back up there, to feel the atmosphere, and the crowd was pretty special.”

Wolff pleased with Mercedes progress in Canada

Monday 20 June 2022 16:45 , Michael Jones

Toto Wolff is pleased with the progress Mercedes have made in Canada this weekend, and believes Lewis Hamitlon and George Russell could be competitive enough to challenge for the win at Silverstone next time out.

“They were both very good,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. “We showed good pace today. In terms of performance they were both good in the race on different setups. The hairpin is where hey put new asphalt and we suffered less from stiffness there. I don’t think that’s the case [that we’re back], we need to keep working.

“We need to develop the car in a different window than we had. We had it really low on the ground and that clerly wasn’t working. You can’t drive it there, so we lift it and lift it and lift it, but then you lose downforce. It’s always a compromise. We need to own the problem and that’s what we’re doing. Before you embark on next season’s car you need to understand the problems first.

“Within the team Lewis was always positive. How the two work together is astonishing. I’m happy for him because he had the bad luck on his side so far this season, and he could have been on the podium a few times but safety cars stopped it. If we are able to run the car low then we can be competitive at Silverstone. So let’s see.”

Rival F1 team boss behaviour “pitiful” and “disingenuous” says Wolff

Monday 20 June 2022 16:34 , Michael Jones

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has slammed the behaviour of rival Formula 1 team bosses as “pitiful” and “disingenuous” amid the row over porpoising at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Following the FIA’s intervention to solve safety concerns expressed by a number of drivers, most vocally Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, over the ‘porpoising’ issues, Mercedes has found itself in the middle of a heated debate.

During Friday’s qualifying they ran with a second floor stay as allowed by the FIA’s pre-event technical directive but rival teams questioned whether or not the team had had advance notice of the changes to get them ready in time – something which Mercedes denied. Then it ws claimed that the stay was actually illegal as the FIA had not changed the regulations to allow it and it was removed for Saturday after Mercedes said it had not delivered any improvement.

Wolff believes that rival teams are briefing their drivers to play down safety concerns so as to not encourage the FIA to intervene even quicker and the disagreements between Mercedes and its rivals are understood to have reached a head in a meeting of team principals with Wolff expressing his anger at others for playing political games.

“This is a sport where you’re trying to keep a competitive advantage or gain it,” he told Autosport. “But this situation has clearly gone too far.

“All drivers, at least one in every team, have said that they were in pain after Baku, that they had difficulty in keeping the car on track or blurred vision.

“Team principals trying to manipulate what is being said in order to keep the competitive advantage and trying to play political games when the FIA tries to come up with a quick solution, to at least put the cars in a better position, is disingenuous. And that’s what I said.

“I’m not only talking about the Mercedes: all of the cars suffered in some way or other in Baku, and still do it here. The cars are too stiff. The cars bounce or whatever you want to call it.

“We have long term effects that we can’t even judge. But at any time this is a safety risk, and then coming up with little manipulations in the background, or Chinese whispers, or briefing the drivers, is just pitiful.”

Red Bull beginning to dominate new regulation era

Monday 20 June 2022 16:23 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen’s Canadian Grand Prix victory is a sixth on the spin for Red Bull. That is their best run since Sebastian Vettel’s spell with the team, when he won four consecutive world championships.

The Dutchman now holds a 46-point lead in the drivers’ standings, with teammate and closest rival Sergio Perez scoring zero points this weekend thanks to a mechanical failure.

The Red Bull team are beginning to dominate this new technical era, they lead in both the driver’s and constructors’ championships and are showing no signs of their early season troubles.

McLaren debrief

Monday 20 June 2022 16:14 , Michael Jones

It was a poor weekend in Canada for McLaren. Lando Norris was hit with engine trouble during qualifying and couldn’t make it out of Q2 whilst Daniel Ricciardo was unable to up the tempo during Sunday’s race.

Both drivers finished outside the points with Ricciardo slipping to P11 and Norris finishing P15 but the team are looking forwards to Silverstone in two week’s time and hope to put in a better performance at their home Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes against ‘too many experiments’ before British Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 16:04 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton has said he hopes his team avoid ‘too many experiments’ ahead of next month’s British Grand Prix, as the Mercedes driver looks to capitalise on his joint-best finish of the season.

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton missed out on the title last year on the final lap of the season, in a controversial finish involving eventual champion Max Verstappen. While the Red Bull man leads the drivers’ standings with six wins from nine races so far in 2022, Hamilton has been struggling.

The Briton has scored just two podiums, with third-placed finishes in the season-opener in Bahrain and last weekend’s Canadian GP. Still, Hamilton is keen to build on Sunday’s result as he prepares for the British GP, where he has more race wins than any driver in F1 history.

The 37-year-old’s eight victories at Silverstone also make the track Hamilton’s joint-favourite, alongside the Hungaroring in Hungary.

Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes against ‘too many experiments’ before British GP

Full race results from the Canadian Grand Prix as Verstappen wins again

Monday 20 June 2022 15:54 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal on Sunday with Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton joining him on the podium.

That’s a sixth straight victory for Red Bull, and the full results of the race are below:

1 Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull)

2 Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari) +0.993

3 Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes) +7.006

4 George RUSSELL (Mercedes) +12.313

5 Charles LECLERC (Ferrari) +15.168

6 Esteban OCON (Alpine) +23.890

7 Valtteri BOTTAS (Alfa Romeo) +25.247

8 Guanyu ZHOU (Alfa Romeo) +26.952

9 Fernando ALONSO (Alpine) +29.945*

10 Lance STROLL (Aston Martin) +38.222

11 Daniel RICCIARDO (McLaren) +43.047

12 Sebastian VETTEL (Aston Martin) +44.245

13 Alexander ALBON (Williams) +44.893

14 Pierre GASLY (AlphaTauri) +45.183

15 Lando NORRIS (McLaren) +52.145

16 Nicholas LATIFI (Williams) +59.978

17 Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas) +68.180

DNF Yuki TSUNODA (AlphaTauri)

DNF Mick SCHUMACHER (Haas)

DNF Sergio PEREZ (Red Bull)

*Fernando Alonso finished seventh but after the race was given a five second penalty for weaving on the penultimate lap to drop him back to ninth place.

Peerless Max Verstappen could race away with 2022 F1 title after superb Canada victory

Monday 20 June 2022 15:45 , Michael Jones

Once a late safety car had drawn them close together around the parkland streets of Montréal, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were threatening to produce a thoroughly thrilling end to Sunday’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, as two men driving the fastest cars in the field set off on a 15-lap shootout for victory.

Sainz, the Ferrari driver who through a combination of poor fortune and fundamental errors has fallen to the wayside in this season’s title fight already, was clambering all over Verstappen’s gearbox in the final portion of the race as he hunted his victory in the top tier of motorsport. Separated by less than a second, on fresher tyres, and with the marginally quicker car on the day, the 27-year-old Spaniard seemed destined to pass his former team-mate and step onto the top step of the podium for the first time in his eight-season career.

On each tour of the circuit before the chequered flag was waved, Sainz was able to use the assistance of F1’s DRS system to draw himself in towards Verstappen’s rear wing along the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s long back straight. With the straight-line speed advantage afforded to him by DRS, making a pass just once in fifteen attempts should have been possible.

Peerless Verstappen could race away with 2022 F1 title after superb Canada victory

Piastri to Williams?

Monday 20 June 2022 15:35 , Michael Jones

Alpine may be planning to bring Osacr Piastri to Formula 1 in 2023 but he might not line up on the grid for them. The future vacancy which Piastri has been tipped to fill is said to be over at Williams, where it is believed they are preparing to bring him in as a replacement for Nicholas Latifi.

Williams team boss Jost Capito has consistently denied that his team could make a mid-season driver change but the possibility of Piastri racing in Formula 1 before next season hasn’t been ruled out.

Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz reaffirmed the speculation that Piastri’s 2023 switch to Williams could be confirmed at the British Grand Prix, which follows Canada.

“Alpine are expecting Piastri to have a race drive in Formula 1 next year,” he reported “Everyone thinks it’s Williams and it could even be announced as early as the next race at Silverstone.

“Some people think before [2023], but I don’t think they would want to do that. Why would they want to do that? Especially when Nicholas Latifi is going well at the moment and not putting it in the barriers and costing the team a lot of money.”

Mr Consistent

Monday 20 June 2022 15:26 , Michael Jones

George Russell continued his impressive record this season by finishing fourth, has maintainin the high standards he has built up since joining Mercedes.

In all nine outings so far this year, the 24-year-old has finished inside the top five come the chequered flag - a feat no other driver on the grid can match.

Mercedes are also the only team who have yet to suffer a retirement so far this season. Not bad for a team sporting a car that Lewis Hamilton branded ‘undrivable’ on Friday.

Horner praises ‘clinical’ Verstappen for impressive Canada GP win

Monday 20 June 2022 15:17 , Michael Jones

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the ‘clinical’ nature of Max Verstappen’s driving gave him victory over Carlos Sainz in the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman withstood late pressure from the Spaniard to extend his championship lead to 46 points.

“Max just couldn’t break the DRS and the Ferrari was very quick in a straight line,” Horner told Sky Sports F1. “But there was not a single mistake. We lost communication with the car, we couldn’t hear him [on the radio] but I guess he didn’t need it. All credit to Carlos, he pushed Max really hard. It was super tight.

“We have to take each race as it comes. We’ve put a great run together, it’s great to be heading to Silverstone leading both championships, and Max is in the form of his life. It’s so easy to lock a wheel into the last hairpin, but Max was absolutely clinical today. A really impressive drive.

“Silverstone is one of the best circuits on the calendar and it’s going to be a record crowd there again. We’re going there fired up and trying to put right what went wrong there last year. Looking at it on pure form Barcelona should be a good track for Ferrari. I’m hearing there are upgrades coming on the Ferrari for that race too. Mercedes could be a factor at that race too.

“The swing in the championship has moved around so much. It’s too soon to right anybody off. We’re not even near the halfway point yet so plenty of racing left to be done.”

A ‘frustrating’ race for Leclerc

Monday 20 June 2022 15:08 , Michael Jones

Charles Leclerc was able to mitigate the damage caused by his lowly start by finishing fifth in the Canadian Grand Prix, but was left ruing a “frustrating” race.

“It was very frustrating actually,” the 24-year-old told Sky Sports F1. “The last part was nice but obviously the very first part I was stuck in a DRS train and couldn’t do anything.

“Then in the middle part of the race I found myself stuck behind Esteban [Ocon] on much newer tyres so he had very good traction and that was enough to keep me behind.

“Then we had a slow pit stop and fell behind another DRS train, but the end was quite fun. I had to be aggressive to get more points and fifth is the best we could manage.

“Overall the feeling was good and that’s a good sign. Whether it would have been enough to Red Bull I don’t know, but it has been close all season and I felt like Carlos [Sainz] was quite strong today. This shows that it would have been close.”

Max Verstappen revels in exciting finish to win in Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 14:57 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen was having a ball in his Red Bull as he held off a late charge from Carlos Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix and extend his championship lead.

With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen which took the chequered flag to move 46 points clear at the top of the standings.

Sainz was fast in the closing stages but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place, the pair joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time world champion taking third for Mercedes.

His team-mate George Russell continued his record of top-five finishes all season as he took fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who recovered from starting 19th to claim a decent haul of points.

Max Verstappen revels in exciting finish to win in Canadian Grand Prix

Sainz happy despite losing to Verstappen

Monday 20 June 2022 14:48 , Michael Jones

Carlos Sainz had to make do with a second place behind Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix but the Spaniard is happy with the pace Ferrari have shown this weekend.

“I was pushing flat out,” Sainz said. “I wasn’t leaving any inch against the walls, I was trying everything to pace Max. We just didn’t have the pace delta to pass Max.

“We were faster all race but you just need a bit extra to make the pass. I am particularly happy with the race, with the way we managed to put pressure on Max the whole race.

“We were very close to winning today so I will take the positives into the next race.”

Verstappen admits Ferrari were faster than Red Bull in Canada

Monday 20 June 2022 14:36 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen has admitted that Ferrari were faster than Red Bull in the Canadian Grand Prix.

The world champion had to hold off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz in the final fifteen laps to take victory, extending his championship lead to 46 points.

“In general it was quite a tough race for us, “ he told Sky Sports F1. “I was hoping for some more pace from the car but the Ferrari seemed quite fast in the race. It was tough to match Carlos on laptimes.

“Those last fifteen laps were flat out and I knew I could not afford to make a mistake because he was so close to me. I think [they were faster] today, absolutely. So we have to figure that out. One race we have the advantage, then they look quick again, so we are very closely matched.

“It’s very important to always have a good points lead but you also know it can swing around very quickly. There are always things to do better.”

Leclerc limits the damage

Monday 20 June 2022 14:28 , Michael Jones

Charles Leclerc was voted ‘driver of the day’ at the Canadian Grand Prix for his fight from the back of the pack up to a P5 finish. Leclerc’s Ferrari took on a whole host of new components including engines and power units that resulted in grid penalties.

AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunodo also faced a grid penalty putting him to the back of the grid meaning that Leclerc started the race 19th out of 20 drivers.

The Monegasque was in real danger of conceding a heavy points deficit to the current championship leader, Max Verstappen, but a P5 finish was a resounding success from where he started to limit the damage of yet another Verstappen victory.

Alpine confident Piastri will be an F1 driver in 2023

Monday 20 June 2022 14:17 , Michael Jones

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer is confident that Oscar Piastri will be on the Formula 1 grid in 2023.

The 21-year-old Australian replicated the achievement of both Charles Leclerc and George Russell by winning the Formula 3 title, or GP3 as it was known then, and the Formula 2 crown in back-to-back seasons.

But, Piastri unable to find an opening on the Formula 1 grid for 2022 despite his being backed from Alpine yet it looks as though he’ll get his chance next year.

When asked by reporters in Canada if he thinks Piastri will be on the grid in 2023, Szafnauer replied: “Yes.”

“We don’t talk about the details of our contracts with the drivers and that’s something that we never do,” Szafnauer explained. “So as much as I’d like to tell you, I don’t think I can.

“But when I do say yes, that’s the plan.”

Alonso bemoans engine trouble and lack of luck

Monday 20 June 2022 14:08 , Michael Jones

After a stellar Q3 where he finished second behind Max Verstappen, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso but could only finish seventh at the end of the race behind teammate Esteban Ocon.

Alonso was left ruing an engine issue which cost him speed in a straight line and a futher penalty for weaving dropped him down to ninth in what was a raceday to forget for the 40-year-old.

“On the safety car we were unlucky,” Alonso explained. “We decided to box just after the safety car ended. Other people behind us got lucky once more and overtook us.

“In Lap 20 or something I had an engine problem with the battery, I was clipping on the straights and losing eight tenths per lap. I had to overdrive in the corners to try to keep the pace and the DRS. It was a very difficult race.

“Still positive. The car was very quick this weekend. Without the engine problem we were P3 in the race ahead of Lewis. Without the engine problem that was still possible.”

Hamilton given ‘hope’ after podium finish in Canada

Monday 20 June 2022 13:59 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton says his third place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix has given him hope that Mercedes can return to competitiveness this year.

The seven-time champion had not scored a podium since the first race of the season in Bahrain but his result in Montreal ended a run of difficult races.

Hamilton has repeatedly been out-driven by teammate George Russell this season but a decision to switch to soft tyres in qualifying ultimately worked against the 24-year-old this weekend giving Hamilton the edge in the race by starting four places ahead his teammate.

Russell has finished in the top five of every race this season including Canada where he came from eighth in qualifying to end just behind Hamilton in fourth. His highly impressive form this season has led to questions about Hamilton’s future in F1 but it remains to be seen who will prove the faster driver by the end of the year.

“It has given me a lot of hope there is more to come from this car, that the potential is truly there if we can get the set-up right,” Hamilton said. “We are just trying to progress as a team,

“Moving forwards, we will be a little more cautious on doing too many experiments as it really does hinder you through the weekend, especially if you only have first and second practice in the dry.

“There are lots of learnings from this weekend and improvements we can make going forwards but really great pace today. It is so nice to see. That has not always been the case with this car.”

Lewis Hamilton ‘overwhelmed’ to finish on the podium at Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 13:47 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton was left feeling “ecstatic” with his second podium of the season as he rolled back the years to take third place at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion has struggled with his Mercedes this season and only just made it to Montreal.

The design of this year’s cars has led to some teams suffering from bouncing – known as porpoising – at high speeds, with Mercedes among the worst.

Hamilton needed assistance to get out of his car following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix a week ago and required acupuncture and cryotherapy on his back to make it to the grid.

The 37-year-old qualified fourth in the Montreal rain on Saturday and went one better in the race, claiming the 184th podium of his career but just his second of a difficult 2022.

Lewis Hamilton ‘overwhelmed’ to finish on the podium at Canadian Grand Prix

George Russell on porpoising

Monday 20 June 2022 13:37 , Michael Jones

George Russell has said the issue of porpoising – the car bouncing heavily at speed – remains a serious concern for Mercedes despite their improved showing in Canada.

“It was bumpy, it was definitely bumpy out there,” he told Sky F1. “We weren’t porpoising, we were just bouncing around a lot down the straight and just hitting the ground. So it’ll be a good sleep tonight again for sure.”

Max Verstappen dramatically holds off Carlos Sainz to win Canadian Grand Prix and boost championship lead

Monday 20 June 2022 13:26 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen held off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz to take victory at the Canadian Grand Prix and further extend his championship lead.

With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen which took the chequered flag to move 46 points clear at the top of the standings.

Sainz was fast in the closing stages following a period behind the safety car but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place. The pair joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time world champion taking third for Mercedes.

His teammate George Russell continued his record of top-five finishes all season as he took fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who recovered from starting 19th to claim a decent haul of points for Ferrari.

Max Verstappen dramatically holds off Carlos Sainz to win Canadian Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz maintains Ferrari ‘faster’ than Red Bull in Canada despite loss

Monday 20 June 2022 13:17 , Michael Jones

“This weekend I was quicker for the first time – I want to say all season, but for the first time in the championship,” Carlos Sainz said after the Canadian Grand Prix.

“I’ve been the fastest guy on track, both in the medium and on the hard. I was catching Max in both occasions and I felt comfortable with the car.

“I was all over the place, close to [the] walls, you know, with confidence – ragging it, and I felt comfortable out there so it’s a pity not to have got the first win.”

Silverstone up next for British Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 13:08 , Michael Jones

Next time out Formula 1 is back in the UK as the sport heads to Silverstone in front of what is expected to be another record crowd.

Will Red Bull take a seventh consecutive win, meaning Max Verstappen can extend his championship lead?

Can Charles Leclerc claw back some ground after taking his engine penalties in Canada?

Or could Lewis Hamilton spring a surprise with a rejuvenated Mercedes and take his first victory of the season on home soil?

The race weekend for the British Grand Prix kicks off on Friday 1st of July with the climactic race taking place two days later on Sunday 3rd July at Silverstone.

Mercedes drivers shouldn’t speak for others in porpoising debate says Verstappen

Monday 20 June 2022 13:00 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen believes the Mercedes drivers should “just speak for themselves” in the debate over porpoising and driver safety.

Various F1 teams have been battling porpoising issues on their cars this season after the return of ground effect under the new regulations led to the phenomenon. While some teams, such as Red Bull, have been able to eradicate or keep the problem under control, Mercedes have been one of the worst-hit teams.

The FIA intervened on the matter last week and issued a technical directive on safety grounds to set a metric for how much the cars could porpoise. Verstappen was vocal in his criticism of the move to potentially change the rules mid-season but Lewis Hamilton said it is “always interesting seeing people’s perspectives and opinions in different lights” during Friday’s press conference.

“Obviously in front of you, it’s one thing, and another in the background, sometimes people say different things,” added the seven-time world champion.

On Saturday before qualifying Verstappen was asked if he was surprised by what Hamilton said replied: “It’s not only him, but his teammate as well. They speak for other people.

“They should just focus on themselves and say what they think. So just speak for themselves instead of involving other people in it.”

‘It was proper racing’ says Verstappen on battle with Sainz

Monday 20 June 2022 12:53 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix and extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship to 46 points after withstanding a late onslaught from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Verstappen was looking set for a relatively stress-free afternoon in Montreal, leading comfortably in the opening stages but a crash from Yuki Tsunoda brough the safety car out allowing Sainz to pit and close up behind the Red Bull. The pair then engaged in a fascinating 16-lap battle to the chequered flag with Verstappen holding onto first to win by just 0.993s.

“It was a tough race,” said the world champion, “I expected to have a little bit more pace, but we seemed to lack a little bit compared to Carlos… It was a bit more difficult than I expected.

“We did our strategy, and I think for us it worked, that was the right one to do. At that second stop, of course I had the fresher tyres and I was closing in on Carlos, but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually fully close that gap to the end of the race.

“But then the Safety Car came out and I was also not very happy with that, because then I knew of course he had fresh tyres behind me, and already with I think a little bit more pace compared to me… But the last 15, 16 laps, we were flat-out pushing to the limit, and I knew of course that I couldn’t make a mistake. But it was good racing. It’s always more enjoyable to be able to really push in a Formula 1 car instead of just saving your tyres.

“It was proper racing, proper pushing. I had my moments where I had a bit of oversteer, then I looked in the mirror and I saw Carlos having the same amount of moments! So it was really on the edge but that’s good to see.”

Melbourne agrees new 10-year deal with F1 to host Australian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 12:45 , Michael Jones

The Australian Grand Prix will remain in Melbourne until 2035 after Formula One bosses rubber-stamped a new 10-year deal.

The race at Albert Park has been a permanent fixture on the F1 calendar since 1996 – bar the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 rounds amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The current Australian GP deal was due to expire in 2025, but despite a number of rival bids – which is understood to have included one from Sydney – F1’s owners’, Liberty Media, have signed off on a long-term deal to race on in Melbourne.

This season’s event, which took place in April and was won by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, attracted 419,000 spectators – the largest crowd for a weekend sporting spectacle in Australian history.

Melbourne agrees new 10-year deal with F1 to host Australian Grand Prix

George Russell warned over Lewis Hamilton’s potential at Mercedes

Monday 20 June 2022 12:38 , Michael Jones

George Russell has been warned that Lewis Hamilton hasn’t lost a step despite a poor start to the 2022 season.

But Daniel Ricciardo believes Hamilton is still more than capable of challenging at the very front end of the grid.

“I definitely think Lewis is as capable as ever. We all knew George was quick, and it was just how quick is he? How good is he? And he is proving he is very good,” the McLaren driver said.

George Russell warned over Lewis Hamilton’s potential at Mercedes

Can Max Verstappen be stopped in his bid for a second straight title?

Monday 20 June 2022 12:32 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen raced to victory at Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix to extend his championship lead to 46 points.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the factors which might stand in the way of Verstappen charging to his second title in succession.

Can Max Verstappen be stopped in his bid for a second straight title?

Verstappen moves above Clark and Lauda

Monday 20 June 2022 12:26 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen’s victory in Montreal is significant not only in terms of the 2022 drivers’ championship but it also moves the 24-year-old to 26 career race wins and puts him above the legendary World Champions Jim Clark and Niki Lauda on the all time greats list.

A victory at Silverstone next time out will see Verstappen draw level with Jackie Stewart too.

F1 teams set for FIA meeting over porpoising solutions

Monday 20 June 2022 12:19 , Michael Jones

Formula 1 technical chiefs are set to meet the FIA this week to try to find solutions to the championship’s porpoising controversy before the British Grand Prix, according to Autosport.

The FIA’s intervention to try to eradicate cars bouncing on safety grounds caused a huge controversy over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend with many F1 teams annoyed at the late timing of the announcement and confusion about whether or not new bouncing limits were supposed to be in place for the weekend.

Additionally, because the FIA only issued a technical directive instead of formally changing the rules, there was talk of a protest if Mercedes went ahead and ran a second floor stay. The team used one during Friday’s practice sessions but removed it on Saturday.

The matter reached a head at a Team Principal meeting on Saturday morning with Merceded boss Toto Wolff left furious over what he felt was ‘pitiful’ political behaviour from fellow bosses. Naturally no consensus was reached between teams in Montreal and the FIA will now try to move things forward when single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis meets with F1 technical directors later this week.

It is hoped that moving discussions away from the heat of competition over a race weekend will allow for a more considered approach in trying to put solutions in place.

Drivers standings after Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 12:12 , Michael Jones

Here are the current drivers’ standings after Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix.

1) Max Verstappen - 175

2) Sergio Perez - 129

3) Charles Leclerc - 126

4) George Russell - 111

5) Carlos Sainz - 102

6) Lewis Hamilton - 77

7) Lando Norris - 50

8) Valtteri Bottas - 44

9) Esteban Ocon - 39

10) Fernando Alonso - 22

11) Pierre Gasly - 16

12) Kevin Magnussen - 15

13) Daniel Ricciardo - 15

14) Sebastian Vettel - 13

15) Yuki Tsunoda - 11

16) Zhou Guanyu - 3

17) Alex Albon - 3

18 ) Lance Stroll - 3

19) Mick Schumacher - 0

20) Nico Hulkenberg - 0

21) Nicholas Latifi - 0

Constructors’ standings after Red Bull win Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 12:05 , Michael Jones

Here are the current constructors’ standings after Red Bull won their sixth successive race at the Canadian Grand Prix.

1) Red Bull - 304

2) Ferrari - 228

3) Mercedes - 188

4) McLaren - 65

5) Alpine - 61

6) Alfa Romeo - 47

7) AlphaTauri - 27

8) Aston Martin - 16

9) Haas - 15

10) Williams - 3

Fernando Alonso handed Canadian Grand Prix time penalty for weaving

Monday 20 June 2022 11:58 , Michael Jones

Fernando Alonso has been dropped back two places in the final standings of Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix after receiving a five-second penalty for swerving while defending his position.

Alonso, who started second on the grid, was found to have broken the rules in his efforts to stop Valtteri Bottas passing, blocking any route through by swerving left and right repeatedly. The rules state that a defending driver may only make one move to block a car approaching from behind, and once they have chosen their move they must stick to it.

After the race Alonso, who finished seventh, explained his actions to the stewards but evidently they were not pursuaded, and handed down the punishment which pushes him back two spots behind Bottas and his Alfa Romeo teammate Zhou Guanyu, collecting two points instead of six.

Full story:

Fernando Alonso handed Canadian Grand Prix time penalty for weaving

‘It’s been an awesome race for us’ says Ocon

Monday 20 June 2022 11:52 , Michael Jones

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was in an upbeat mood following the Canadian Grand Prix after finishing P6 – his seventh top-10 finish of the season.

The delighted Frenchman said his team should be “proud” of their performance in Montreal, believing they maximised their performance.

“It’s been an awesome race for us,” said Ocon on Sunday. “Compared to yesterday, we managed to get the car to work slightly better and that meant a lot because we maximised the potential today and finishing sixth and seventh [before the penalty to Fernando Alonso], with McLaren not scoring, is a big boost for us in the constructors’ championship.

“We can be pleased with that. A good start, I managed to overtake at the start and defend Charles [Leclerc] mid-race, but he was too quick in the end.

“It feels good to achieve a weekend like that with some big points that we deserve. It’s been quite a few weekends with outside factors happening but yeah it feels good for that one.”

FIA vows to ‘reduce or eliminate’ porpoising on the advice of its medical team

Monday 20 June 2022 11:45 , Michael Jones

Formula One’s regulator has vowed to “reduce or eliminate” porpoising on the advice of its medical team – just days after Lewis Hamilton suffered with severe back pain in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Hamilton, 37, required assistance to get out of his Mercedes after his car bounced up and down at high speed throughout Sunday’s 51-lap race.

Mercedes ran their machines close to the ground in Baku to produce lower downforce.

But the move exaggerated the bouncing, and under the FIA’s new technical directive, Mercedes might be required to raise the ride height of their cars which could further slow them down.

FIA vows to ‘reduce or eliminate’ porpoising on the advice of its medical team

Hamilton hopes Silverstone will suit Mercedes

Monday 20 June 2022 11:38 , Michael Jones

The next stop on the Formula 1 roadshow is the British Grand Prix and Lewis Hamilton’s hopes his home race at Silverstone will suit Mercedes due to the fast nature of the track.

That is assuming the team can keep the bouncing issues that have plagued much of their season under control.

“It’s better in medium and high-speed corners than low speed, but we have bouncing so don’t know how it’s going to be in Copse,” he said of his prospects for the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton heads to Silverstone positioned sixth in the drivers’ championship on 77 points, two places and 34 points behind his compatriot team mate, George Russell.

‘We deserved more than ninth’ says Alonso

Monday 20 June 2022 11:31 , Michael Jones

Fernando Alonso threatened a massive upset after finishing qualifying on the front row in P2 alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but engines issues and a bit of misfortune with the virtual safety car cost the Alpine valuable time during Sunday’s race before a five second penalty for weaving dropped the two-time world champion down to P9 after the race.

“Yeah, we were unlucky once more with the VSC,” said Alonso. “I was just on the start-finish line when it came and I was just entering the pits when it ended so we decided to stay out, so I was a little bit unlucky there. But the biggest problem was the engine, we had an engine problem in Lap 20 or something like that.

“I was losing, like, one second a lap with the engine deployment, and from that moment we forgot about the podium, or retiring the car, we were just staying on the DRS train with the cars in front just to defend. But it was very difficult to stay with Esteban [Ocon] or Charles [Leclerc] because on the straights we were losing one second.

“I think this weekend we deserved better than ninth position,” he added, “but it’s still good for both cars to score points in the end. We ultimately lost a big opportunity to fight for a potential podium as I felt like I had the pace to do so.”

Christian Horner claims F1 title fight will end up in court if FIA doesn’t act on cost cap

Monday 20 June 2022 11:24 , Michael Jones

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed that up to half of Formula 1 teams will breach the sport’s cost cap if governing body the FIA does not opt to raise it, and warned that the battle for the 2022 championship could end up in court.

All ten F1 teams are limited to an annual budget of $140m to run their 2022 season, comprising costs spent in every area including car parts, staff salaries, and shipping. The cost cap is designed to prevent teams from overspending and causing themselves financial problems, but Horner says the cost-of-living crisis and rises in inflation are an exceptional circumstance which mean the cap should be raised significantly.

“The way you design your car is within your control,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 after practice for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. “You are in control of your own destiny. We’re not in control of what’s going on in the world right now, with fuel cost rises, inflation going up to 11%. That’s a direct impact on staff, commmodities, supply of parts. I think it’s a case of force majeure. It’s not about income, it’s about this one-off effect of inflation that effects people.”

Horner claims F1 title fight will end up in court if FIA doesn’t act on cost cap

Hamilton compares podium finish to win at Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 11:17 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton took his first ever Formula 1 victory in the Canadian Grand Prix back in 2007, and the seven-time world champion was delighted to finish on the podium in Montréal after a difficult start to the 2022 season.

“Firstly I want to give a shoutout to the team back home; the men and women back at the factory are working so hard,” he told Sky Sports F1. “It’s been such a difficult year for me personally in the car.

“But this is beautiful for us, we’ve been working so hard. To have a strong race today gives me so much hope and confidence that we can move forward.

“There is potential in this car, even though it’s not currently where we want it to be. It has such a small working window, and if you don’t get it perfect it’s all over the place. That’s what we have to work through, but I think we did a really great job this weekend.

“It’s different to a win, but I think it feels as good as that in the sense that being on the podium in front of the crowd here is great. I know we can do better, I know I can do more, so we just have to keep working hard.”

Full race results from the Canadian Grand Prix as Verstappen wins again

Monday 20 June 2022 11:10 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal on Sunday with Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton joining him on the podium.

That’s a sixth straight victory for Red Bull, and the full results of the race are below:

1 Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull)

2 Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari) +0.993

3 Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes) +7.006

4 George RUSSELL (Mercedes) +12.313

5 Charles LECLERC (Ferrari) +15.168

6 Esteban OCON (Alpine) +23.890

7 Valtteri BOTTAS (Alfa Romeo) +25.247

8 Guanyu ZHOU (Alfa Romeo) +26.952

9 Fernando ALONSO (Alpine) +29.945*

10 Lance STROLL (Aston Martin) +38.222

11 Daniel RICCIARDO (McLaren) +43.047

12 Sebastian VETTEL (Aston Martin) +44.245

13 Alexander ALBON (Williams) +44.893

14 Pierre GASLY (AlphaTauri) +45.183

15 Lando NORRIS (McLaren) +52.145

16 Nicholas LATIFI (Williams) +59.978

17 Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas) +68.180

DNF Yuki TSUNODA (AlphaTauri)

DNF Mick SCHUMACHER (Haas)

DNF Sergio PEREZ (Red Bull)

*Fernando Alonso finished seventh but after the race was given a five second penalty for weaving on the penultimate lap to drop him back to ninth place.

Max Verstappen details key to defending Carlos Sainz to land Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 11:03 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen revealed that finding the perfect racing line at the corner before the DRS zones was decisive in holding off Carlos Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix.

Verstappen was the dominant force all weekend in Montreal and looked set for a comfortable victory until a safety car after Yuki Tsunoda crashed out tightened up the field in the closing stages.

It ensured a 15-lap shootout to decide the race and - despite being on slightly older tyres, as well as his pursuant having the benefit of DRS speed boosts - Verstappen demonstrated his incredible driving skill to keep Sainz at bay.

The Ferrari had greater straight-line speed and the long back straight at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve enabled the Spaniard to use DRS to get up to the Red Bull’s rear wing but he was unable to get past at either the final corner or Turn 1 of the following lap.

And the Dutch world champion explained the precision required to not leave himself vulnerable to an overtake from the slightly quicker car.

Max Verstappen details key to defending Carlos Sainz to land Canadian Grand Prix

‘More to come’ claims Hamilton

Monday 20 June 2022 10:55 , Michael Jones

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is having a tough season by his very high standards and after a painful, bumpy ride in Azerbaijan things looked to be getting worse during a difficult Friday practice in Montreal after which Hamilton described Mercedes’ W13 as ‘undriveable’.

However, what a difference the weekend makes. Hamilton qualified ahead of teammate George Russell on Saturday for the first time in three races then improved on his P4 start to claim his second podium of the year and his first since the opening race in Bahrain.

He eventually finished third behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz but the a level of pace he got from the W13 reassured him there’s more performance to be unlocked from the Mercedes.

“It feels great to be in amongst the battle,” said Hamilton, “For a second I was kind of keeping up with these guys. It’s given me and the team a lot of hope that there’s more to come from this car, the potential is there.

“When you get a full race distance you find a lot out with the car. A lot to take from today. Got really good reliability. Great work from team. Just got to keep our heads down.

“I know where I’m losing to these guys, so that’s where I’m going to focus on attacking to improve.

“It was honestly one of the best feelings of the year to be back, especially in Montreal where I got my first win 15 years ago and to be back up there, to feel the atmosphere, and the crowd was pretty special.”

Wolff pleased with Mercedes progress in Canada

Monday 20 June 2022 10:48 , Michael Jones

Toto Wolff is pleased with the progress Mercedes have made in Canada this weekend, and believes Lewis Hamitlon and George Russell could be competitive enough to challenge for the win at Silverstone next time out.

“They were both very good,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. “We showed good pace today. In terms of performance they were both good in the race on different setups. The hairpin is where hey put new asphalt and we suffered less from stiffness there. I don’t think that’s the case [that we’re back], we need to keep working.

“We need to develop the car in a different window than we had. We had it really low on the ground and that clerly wasn’t working. You can’t drive it there, so we lift it and lift it and lift it, but then you lose downforce. It’s always a compromise. We need to own the problem and that’s what we’re doing. Before you embark on next season’s car you need to understand the problems first.

“Within the team Lewis was always positive. How the two work together is astonishing. I’m happy for him because he had the bad luck on his side so far this season, and he could have been on the podium a few times but safety cars stopped it. If we are able to run the car low then we can be competitive at Silverstone. So let’s see.”

Rival F1 team boss behaviour “pitiful” and “disingenuous” says Wolff

Monday 20 June 2022 10:42 , Michael Jones

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has slammed the behaviour of rival Formula 1 team bosses as “pitiful” and “disingenuous” amid the row over porpoising at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Following the FIA’s intervention to solve safety concerns expressed by a number of drivers, most vocally Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, over the ‘porpoising’ issues, Mercedes has found itself in the middle of a heated debate.

During Friday’s qualifying they ran with a second floor stay as allowed by the FIA’s pre-event technical directive but rival teams questioned whether or not the team had had advance notice of the changes to get them ready in time – something which Mercedes denied. Then it ws claimed that the stay was actually illegal as the FIA had not changed the regulations to allow it and it was removed for Saturday after Mercedes said it had not delivered any improvement.

Wolff believes that rival teams are briefing their drivers to play down safety concerns so as to not encourage the FIA to intervene even quicker and the disagreements between Mercedes and its rivals are understood to have reached a head in a meeting of team principals with Wolff expressing his anger at others for playing political games.

“This is a sport where you’re trying to keep a competitive advantage or gain it,” he told Autosport. “But this situation has clearly gone too far.

“All drivers, at least one in every team, have said that they were in pain after Baku, that they had difficulty in keeping the car on track or blurred vision.

“Team principals trying to manipulate what is being said in order to keep the competitive advantage and trying to play political games when the FIA tries to come up with a quick solution, to at least put the cars in a better position, is disingenuous. And that’s what I said.

“I’m not only talking about the Mercedes: all of the cars suffered in some way or other in Baku, and still do it here. The cars are too stiff. The cars bounce or whatever you want to call it.

“We have long term effects that we can’t even judge. But at any time this is a safety risk, and then coming up with little manipulations in the background, or Chinese whispers, or briefing the drivers, is just pitiful.”

Red Bull beginning to dominate new regulation era

Monday 20 June 2022 10:35 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen’s Canadian Grand Prix victory is a sixth on the spin for Red Bull. That is their best run since Sebastian Vettel’s spell with the team, when he won four consecutive world championships.

The Dutchman now holds a 46-point lead in the drivers’ standings, with teammate and closest rival Sergio Perez scoring zero points this weekend thanks to a mechanical failure.

The Red Bull team are beginning to dominate this new technical era, they lead in both the driver’s and constructors’ championships and are showing no signs of their early season troubles.

Piastri to Williams?

Monday 20 June 2022 10:28 , Michael Jones

Alpine may be planning to bring Osacr Piastri to Formula 1 in 2023 but he might not line up on the grid for them. The future vacancy which Piastri has been tipped to fill is said to be over at Williams, where it is believed they are preparing to bring him in as a replacement for Nicholas Latifi.

Williams team boss Jost Capito has consistently denied that his team could make a mid-season driver change but the possibility of Piastri racing in Formula 1 before next season hasn’t been ruled out.

Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz reaffirmed the speculation that Piastri’s 2023 switch to Williams could be confirmed at the British Grand Prix, which follows Canada.

“Alpine are expecting Piastri to have a race drive in Formula 1 next year,” he reported “Everyone thinks it’s Williams and it could even be announced as early as the next race at Silverstone.

“Some people think before [2023], but I don’t think they would want to do that. Why would they want to do that? Especially when Nicholas Latifi is going well at the moment and not putting it in the barriers and costing the team a lot of money.”

Mr Consistent

Monday 20 June 2022 10:22 , Michael Jones

George Russell continued his impressive record this season by finishing fourth, has maintainin the high standards he has built up since joining Mercedes.

In all nine outings so far this year, the 24-year-old has finished inside the top five come the chequered flag - a feat no other driver on the grid can match.

Mercedes are also the only team who have yet to suffer a retirement so far this season. Not bad for a team sporting a car that Lewis Hamilton branded ‘undrivable’ on Friday.

Peerless Max Verstappen could race away with 2022 F1 title after superb Canada victory

Monday 20 June 2022 10:15 , Michael Jones

Once a late safety car had drawn them close together around the parkland streets of Montréal, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were threatening to produce a thoroughly thrilling end to Sunday’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, as two men driving the fastest cars in the field set off on a 15-lap shootout for victory.

Sainz, the Ferrari driver who through a combination of poor fortune and fundamental errors has fallen to the wayside in this season’s title fight already, was clambering all over Verstappen’s gearbox in the final portion of the race as he hunted his victory in the top tier of motorsport. Separated by less than a second, on fresher tyres, and with the marginally quicker car on the day, the 27-year-old Spaniard seemed destined to pass his former team-mate and step onto the top step of the podium for the first time in his eight-season career.

On each tour of the circuit before the chequered flag was waved, Sainz was able to use the assistance of F1’s DRS system to draw himself in towards Verstappen’s rear wing along the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s long back straight. With the straight-line speed advantage afforded to him by DRS, making a pass just once in fifteen attempts should have been possible.

Peerless Verstappen could race away with 2022 F1 title after superb Canada victory

A ‘frustrating’ race for Leclerc

Monday 20 June 2022 10:07 , Michael Jones

Charles Leclerc was able to mitigate the damage caused by his lowly start by finishing fifth in the Canadian Grand Prix, but was left ruing a “frustrating” race.

“It was very frustrating actually,” the 24-year-old told Sky Sports F1. “The last part was nice but obviously the very first part I was stuck in a DRS train and couldn’t do anything.

“Then in the middle part of the race I found myself stuck behind Esteban [Ocon] on much newer tyres so he had very good traction and that was enough to keep me behind.

“Then we had a slow pit stop and fell behind another DRS train, but the end was quite fun. I had to be aggressive to get more points and fifth is the best we could manage.

“Overall the feeling was good and that’s a good sign. Whether it would have been enough to Red Bull I don’t know, but it has been close all season and I felt like Carlos [Sainz] was quite strong today. This shows that it would have been close.”

Leclerc limits the damage

Monday 20 June 2022 09:58 , Michael Jones

Charles Leclerc was voted ‘driver of the day’ at the Canadian Grand Prix for his fight from the back of the pack up to a P5 finish. Leclerc’s Ferrari took on a whole host of new components including engines and power units that resulted in grid penalties.

AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunodo also faced a grid penalty putting him to the back of the grid meaning that Leclerc started the race 19th out of 20 drivers.

The Monegasque was in real danger of conceding a heavy points deficit to the current championship leader, Max Verstappen, but a P5 finish was a resounding success from where he started to limit the damage of yet another Verstappen victory.

Horner praises ‘clinical’ Verstappen for impressive Canada GP win

Monday 20 June 2022 09:51 , Michael Jones

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the ‘clinical’ nature of Max Verstappen’s driving gave him victory over Carlos Sainz in the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman withstood late pressure from the Spaniard to extend his championship lead to 46 points.

“Max just couldn’t break the DRS and the Ferrari was very quick in a straight line,” Horner told Sky Sports F1. “But there was not a single mistake. We lost communication with the car, we couldn’t hear him [on the radio] but I guess he didn’t need it. All credit to Carlos, he pushed Max really hard. It was super tight.

“We have to take each race as it comes. We’ve put a great run together, it’s great to be heading to Silverstone leading both championships, and Max is in the form of his life. It’s so easy to lock a wheel into the last hairpin, but Max was absolutely clinical today. A really impressive drive.

“Silverstone is one of the best circuits on the calendar and it’s going to be a record crowd there again. We’re going there fired up and trying to put right what went wrong there last year. Looking at it on pure form Barcelona should be a good track for Ferrari. I’m hearing there are upgrades coming on the Ferrari for that race too. Mercedes could be a factor at that race too.

“The swing in the championship has moved around so much. It’s too soon to right anybody off. We’re not even near the halfway point yet so plenty of racing left to be done.”

Max Verstappen revels in exciting finish to win in Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 09:44 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen was having a ball in his Red Bull as he held off a late charge from Carlos Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix and extend his championship lead.

With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen which took the chequered flag to move 46 points clear at the top of the standings.

Sainz was fast in the closing stages but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place, the pair joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time world champion taking third for Mercedes.

His team-mate George Russell continued his record of top-five finishes all season as he took fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who recovered from starting 19th to claim a decent haul of points.

Max Verstappen revels in exciting finish to win in Canadian Grand Prix

Alonso bemoans engine trouble and lack of luck

Monday 20 June 2022 09:38 , Michael Jones

After a stellar Q3 where he finished second behind Max Verstappen, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso but could only finish seventh at the end of the race behind teammate Esteban Ocon.

Alonso was left ruing an engine issue which cost him speed in a straight line and a futher penalty for weaving dropped him down to ninth in what was a raceday to forget for the 40-year-old.

“On the safety car we were unlucky,” Alonso explained. “We decided to box just after the safety car ended. Other people behind us got lucky once more and overtook us.

“In Lap 20 or something I had an engine problem with the battery, I was clipping on the straights and losing eight tenths per lap. I had to overdrive in the corners to try to keep the pace and the DRS. It was a very difficult race.

“Still positive. The car was very quick this weekend. Without the engine problem we were P3 in the race ahead of Lewis. Without the engine problem that was still possible.”

Sainz happy despite losing to Verstappen

Monday 20 June 2022 09:33 , Michael Jones

Carlos Sainz had to make do with a second place behind Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix but the Spaniard is happy with the pace Ferrari have shown this weekend.

“I was pushing flat out,” Sainz said. “I wasn’t leaving any inch against the walls, I was trying everything to pace Max. We just didn’t have the pace delta to pass Max.

“We were faster all race but you just need a bit extra to make the pass. I am particularly happy with the race, with the way we managed to put pressure on Max the whole race.

“We were very close to winning today so I will take the positives into the next race.”

Verstappen admits Ferrari were faster than Red Bull in Canada

Monday 20 June 2022 09:26 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen has admitted that Ferrari were faster than Red Bull in the Canadian Grand Prix.

The world champion had to hold off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz in the final fifteen laps to take victory, extending his championship lead to 46 points.

“In general it was quite a tough race for us, “ he told Sky Sports F1. “I was hoping for some more pace from the car but the Ferrari seemed quite fast in the race. It was tough to match Carlos on laptimes.

“Those last fifteen laps were flat out and I knew I could not afford to make a mistake because he was so close to me. I think [they were faster] today, absolutely. So we have to figure that out. One race we have the advantage, then they look quick again, so we are very closely matched.

“It’s very important to always have a good points lead but you also know it can swing around very quickly. There are always things to do better.”

Alpine confident Piastri will be an F1 driver in 2023

Monday 20 June 2022 09:20 , Michael Jones

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer is confident that Oscar Piastri will be on the Formula 1 grid in 2023.

The 21-year-old Australian replicated the achievement of both Charles Leclerc and George Russell by winning the Formula 3 title, or GP3 as it was known then, and the Formula 2 crown in back-to-back seasons.

But, Piastri unable to find an opening on the Formula 1 grid for 2022 despite his being backed from Alpine yet it looks as though he’ll get his chance next year.

When asked by reporters in Canada if he thinks Piastri will be on the grid in 2023, Szafnauer replied: “Yes.”

“We don’t talk about the details of our contracts with the drivers and that’s something that we never do,” Szafnauer explained. “So as much as I’d like to tell you, I don’t think I can.

“But when I do say yes, that’s the plan.”

Hamilton given ‘hope’ after podium finish in Canada

Monday 20 June 2022 09:14 , Michael Jones

Lewis Hamilton says his third place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix has given him hope that Mercedes can return to competitiveness this year.

The seven-time champion had not scored a podium since the first race of the season in Bahrain but his result in Montreal ended a run of difficult races.

Hamilton has repeatedly been out-driven by teammate George Russell this season but a decision to switch to soft tyres in qualifying ultimately worked against the 24-year-old this weekend giving Hamilton the edge in the race by starting four places ahead his teammate.

Russell has finished in the top five of every race this season including Canada where he came from eighth in qualifying to end just behind Hamilton in fourth. His highly impressive form this season has led to questions about Hamilton’s future in F1 but it remains to be seen who will prove the faster driver by the end of the year.

“It has given me a lot of hope there is more to come from this car, that the potential is truly there if we can get the set-up right,” Hamilton said. “We are just trying to progress as a team,

“Moving forwards, we will be a little more cautious on doing too many experiments as it really does hinder you through the weekend, especially if you only have first and second practice in the dry.

“There are lots of learnings from this weekend and improvements we can make going forwards but really great pace today. It is so nice to see. That has not always been the case with this car.”

Max Verstappen dramatically holds off Carlos Sainz to win Canadian Grand Prix and boost championship lead

Monday 20 June 2022 09:06 , Michael Jones

Max Verstappen held off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz to take victory at the Canadian Grand Prix and further extend his championship lead.

With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen which took the chequered flag to move 46 points clear at the top of the standings.

Sainz was fast in the closing stages following a period behind the safety car but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place. The pair joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time world champion taking third for Mercedes.

His teammate George Russell continued his record of top-five finishes all season as he took fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who recovered from starting 19th to claim a decent haul of points for Ferrari.

Max Verstappen dramatically holds off Carlos Sainz to win Canadian Grand Prix

George Russell on porpoising

Monday 20 June 2022 08:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

George Russell has said the issue of porpoising – the car bouncing heavily at speed – remains a serious concern for Mercedes despite their improved showing in Canada.

“It was bumpy, it was definitely bumpy out there,” he told Sky F1. “We weren’t porpoising, we were just bouncing around a lot down the straight and just hitting the ground. So it’ll be a good sleep tonight again for sure.”

Lewis Hamilton ‘overwhelmed’ to finish on the podium at Canadian Grand Prix

Monday 20 June 2022 08:52 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton was left feeling “ecstatic” with his second podium of the season as he rolled back the years to take third place at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion has struggled with his Mercedes this season and only just made it to Montreal.

The design of this year’s cars has led to some teams suffering from bouncing – known as porpoising – at high speeds, with Mercedes among the worst.

Hamilton needed assistance to get out of his car following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix a week ago and required acupuncture and cryotherapy on his back to make it to the grid.

The 37-year-old qualified fourth in the Montreal rain on Saturday and went one better in the race, claiming the 184th podium of his career but just his second of a difficult 2022.

Lewis Hamilton ‘overwhelmed’ to finish on the podium at Canadian Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz maintains Ferrari ‘faster’ than Red Bull in Canada despite loss

Monday 20 June 2022 08:28 , Jack Rathborn

“This weekend I was quicker for the first time – I want to say all season, but for the first time in the championship,” Carlos Sainz said after the Canadian Grand Prix.

“I’ve been the fastest guy on track, both in the medium and on the hard. I was catching Max in both occasions and I felt comfortable with the car.

“I was all over the place, close to [the] walls, you know, with confidence – ragging it, and I felt comfortable out there so it’s a pity not to have got the first win.”

Silverstone up next for British Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 22:59 , Dan Austin

Next time out Formula 1 is back in the UK as the sport heads to Silverstone in front of what is expected to be another record crowd.

Will Red Bull take a seventh consecutive win, meaning Max Verstappen can extend his championship lead? Can Charles Leclerc claw back some ground after taking his engine penalties in Canada? Or coudl Lewis Hamilton spring a surprise with a rejuvenated Mercedes and take his first victory of the season on home soil?

Make sure to keep your eyes on The Independent’s F1 coverage across the next fortnight in anticipation of another huge race.

Constructors’ standings after Red Bull win Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 22:44 , Dan Austin

Here are the current constructors’ standings after Red Bull won their sixth successive race at the Canadian Grand Prix.

1) Red Bull - 304

2) Ferrari - 228

3) Mercedes - 188

4) McLaren - 65

5) Alpine - 61

6) Alfa Romeo - 47

7) AlphaTauri - 27

8) Aston Martin - 16

9) Haas - 15

10) Williams - 3

Drivers standings after Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 22:29 , Dan Austin

Here are the current drivers’ standings after Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix.

1) Max Verstappen - 175

2) Sergio Perez - 129

3) Charles Leclerc - 126

4) George Russell - 111

5) Carlos Sainz - 102

6) Lewis Hamilton - 77

7) Lando Norris - 50

8) Valtteri Bottas - 44

9) Esteban Ocon - 39

10) Fernando Alonso - 22

11) Pierre Gasly - 16

12) Kevin Magnussen - 15

13) Daniel Ricciardo - 15

14) Sebastian Vettel - 13

15) Yuki Tsunoda - 11

16) Zhou Guanyu - 3

17) Alex Albon - 3

18 ) Lance Stroll - 3

19) Mick Schumacher - 0

20) Nico Hulkenberg - 0

21) Nicholas Latifi - 0

Verstappen admits Ferrari were faster than Red Bull in Canada

Sunday 19 June 2022 22:22 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has admitted that Ferrari were faster than Red Bull in the Canadian Grand Prix.

The world champion had to hold off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz in the final fifteen laps to take victory, extending his championship lead to 46 points.

“In general it was quite a tough race for us, “ he told Sky Sports F1. “I was hoping for some more pace from the car but the Ferrari seemed quite fast in the race. It was tough to match Carlos on laptimes. Those last fifteen laps were flat out and I knew I could not afford to make a mistake because he was so close to me. I think [they were faster] today, absolutely. So we have to figure that out. One race we have the advantage, then they look quick again, so we are very closely matched.

“It’s very important to always have a good points lead but you also know it can swing around very quickly. There are always things to do better.”

Sainz says Ferrari did everything to challenge Verstappen for win

Sunday 19 June 2022 22:14 , Dan Austin

Carlos Sainz insists that Ferrari did everything they could in order to challenge Max Verstappen in Canada this evening, but says the first F1 win which continues to elude was just too far out of reach in the end.

“In the end I didn’t leave anything on the table out there,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1. “I want my first win very much so you can imagine how much I was pushing. I was the fastest guy on track today and I was giving it everything out there. We had enough ace but not enough pace delta to pass the Red Bull. With the tail wind it was very difficult to overtake today. I know I gave my maximum.

“I think without the safety car I could hang it out. Max was catching me but not at a pace that was going to pass me easily at the end of the race. But there was a safety car and we had to take it. As a team we executed a good race. This weekend for the first time in the championship I have been the fastest guy on track. On the medium and hard I was catching Max. I was close to the walls with confidence, ragging it and I felt comfortable out there.

Leclerc rues ‘frustrating’ race

Sunday 19 June 2022 22:06 , Dan Austin

Charles Leclerc was able to mitigate the damage caused by his lowly start by finishing fifth in the Canadian Grand Prix, but was left ruing a “frustrating” race.

“It was very frustrating actually,” the 24-year-old told Sky Sports F1. “The last part was nice but obviously the very first part I was stuck in a DRS train and couldn’t do anything. Then in the middle part of the race I found myself stuck behind Esteban [Ocon] on much newer tyres so he had very good traction and that was enough to keep me behind. Then we had a slow pit stop and fell behind another DRS train, but the end was quite fun. I had to be aggressive to get more points and fifth is the best we could manage today.

“Overall the feeling was good and that’s a good sign. Whether it would have been enough to Red Bull today I don’t know, but it has been close all season and I felt like Carlos [Sainz] was quite strong today. This shows that it would have been close.”

Russell continues impressive record

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:58 , Dan Austin

By finishing fourth, George Russell has maintained the impressive finishing record he has built up since joining Mercedes.

In all nine outings so far this year, the 24-year-old has finished inside the top five come the chequered flag. No other driver can match that record.

Mercedes are also the only team who have yet to suffer a retirement so far this season.

Verstappen celebrates Canadian Grand Prix win

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:50 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has extended his lead at the top of the F1 drivers’ standings to 46 points thanks to his win in Canada and team-mate Sergio Perez’s retirement due to mechanical failure.

This is the current world champion’s first ever win in Montréal, and he has been celebrating the victory in style.

Hamilton compares podium finish to win at Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:42 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton took his first ever Formula 1 victory in the Canadian Grand Prix back in 2007, and the seven-time world champion is delighted to have finished on the podium in Montréal tonight after a difficult start to the 2022 season.

“Firstly I want to give a shoutout to the team back home; the men and women back at the factory are working so hard,” he told Sky Sports F1. “It’s been such a difficult year for me personally in the car. But this is beautiful for us, we’ve been working so hard. To have a strong race today gives me so much hope and confidence that we can move forward. There is potential in this car, even though it’s not currently where we want it to be. It has such a small working window, and if you don’t get it perfect it’s all over the place. That’s what we have to work through, but I think we did a really great job this weekend.

“It’s different to a win, but I think it feels as good as that in the sense that being on the podium in front of the crowd here is great. I know we can do better, I know I can do more, so we just have to keep working hard.

Verstappen dramatically holds off Sainz to win Canadian Grand Prix and boost championship lead

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:35 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen held off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz to take victory at the Canadian Grand Prix and further extend his championship lead.

With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen which took the chequered flag to move 46 points clear at the top of the standings.

Sainz was fast in the closing stages following a period behind the safety car but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place, the pair joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time world champion taking third for Mercedes.

You can read the full race report below:

Max Verstappen dramatically holds off Carlos Sainz to win Canadian Grand Prix

Alonso bemoans engine issue and lack of luck

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:28 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso started second but could only finish seventh behind team-mate Esteban Ocon at the end of the race.

The 40-year-old was left ruing an engine issue which cost him speed in a straight line.

“On the safety car we were unlucky,” Alonso explained. “We decided to box just after the safety car ended. Other people behind us got lucky once more and overtook us. In Lap 20 or something I had an engine problem with the battery, I was clipping on the straights and losing eight tenths per lap. I had to overdrive in the corners to try to keep the pace and the DRS. It was a very difficult race.

“Still positive. The car was very quick this weekend. Without the engine problem we were P3 in the race ahead of Lewis. Without the engine problem that was still possible.”

Wolff pleased with Mercedes progress in Canada

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:21 , Dan Austin

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is pleased with the progress his team have made in Canada this weekend, and believes Lewis Hamitlon and George Russell could be competitive enough to challenge for the win at Silverstone next time out.

“They were both very good,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. “We showed good pace today. In terms of performance they were both good in the race on different setups. The hairpin is where hey put new asphalt and we suffered less from stiffness there. I don’t think that’s the case [that we’re back], we need to keep working.

“We need to develop the car in a different window than we had. We had it really low on the ground and that clerly wasn’t working. You can’t drive it there, so we lift it and lift it and lift it, but then you lose downforce. It’s always a compromise. We need to own the problem and that’s what we’re doing. Before you embark on next season’s car you need to understand the problems first.

“Within the team Lewis was always positive. How the two work together is astonishing. I’m happy for him because he had the bad luck on his side so far this season, and he could have been on the podium a few times but safety cars stopped it. If we are able to run the car low then we can be competitive at Silverstone. So let’s see.”

Horner lauds ‘clinical’ Verstappen for impressive Canada win

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:14 , Dan Austin

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the ‘clinical’ nature of Max Verstappen’s driving gave him victory over Carlos Sainz in the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman withstood late pressure from the Spaniard to extend his championship lead to 46 points.

“Max just couldn’t break the DRS and the Ferrari was very quick in a straight line,” Horner told Sky Sports F1. “But there was not a single mistake. We lost communication with the car, we couldn’t hear him [on the radio]m but I guess he didn’t need it. All credit to Carlos, he pushed Max really hard. It was super tight.

“We have to take each race as it comes. We’ve put a great run together, it’s great to be heading to Silverstone leading both championships, and Max is in the form of his life. It’s so easy to lock a wheel into the last hairpin, but Max was absolutely clinical today. A really impressive drive.

“Silverstone is one of the best circuits on the dalendar and it’s going to be a record crowd there again. We’re going there fired up and trying to put right what went wrong there last year. Looking at it on pure form Barcelona should be a good track for Ferrari. I’m hearing there are upgrades coming on the Ferrari for that race too. Mercedes could be a factor at that race too.

“The swing in the championship has moved around so much. It’s too soon to right anybody off. We’re not even near the halfway point yet so plenty of racing left to be done.

Red Bull beginning to dominate new regulation era

Sunday 19 June 2022 21:08 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen’s Canadian Grand Prix victory is a sixth on the spin for Red Bull. That is their best run since Sebastian Vettel’s spell with the team, when he won four consecutive world championships.

The Dutchman now holds a 46-point lead in the drivers’ standings, with team-mate and closest rival Sergio Perez scoring zero points this weekend thanks to a mechanical failure.

The Red Bull team are beginning to dominate this new technical era.

Hamilton ‘ecstatic’ with podium finish

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:57 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton earned his first poidum since the season opener in Bahrain in Canada this evening, and says he is ‘ecstatic’ with the result.

“We’ve had such an awesome crowd here this weekend,” Hamilton said. “It’s quite overwhelming to get this third place. We’ve been fighting all year long, and they’re a bit too quick for us at the moment. But we’re closer and we’ll keep giving it everything. Our pace was quite good, we did a lot of work to get the setup right so honestly I’m ecstatic. I didn’t expect this coming into this weekend so it feels great. I love it here in Montréal with all the fans.”

Sainz happy despite being unable to snatch victory from Verstappen

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:51 , Dan Austin

Carlos Sainz may have had to make do with second place behind Max Verstappen come the chequered flag, but the Spaniard is happy with the pace Ferrari have shown in Canada this weekend.

“I was pushing flat out,” Sainz said. “I wasn’t leaving any inch against the walls, I was trying everything to pace Max. We just didn’t have the pace delta to pass Max. We were faster all race but you just need a bit extra to make the pass. I am particularly happy with the race [ace, with the way we managed to put pressure on Max the whole race. We were very close to winning today so I will take the positives into the next race.”

Verstappen revels in ‘fun’ Canadian Grand Prix victory

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:50 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen is celebrating his win at the Canadian Grand Prix and says enjoyed the final few “fun” laps where he defended from Carlos Sainz in close quarters.

“The safety car didn’t help,” Verstappen said. “Overall Ferrari were really quick in the race. It was really exciting in the end. I was giving it everything I had, and I could see Carlos was doing the same. The last few laps were a lot of fun. Luckily this year we are quick on the straights so that helps a lot.”

Full race results from the Canadian Grand Prix as Verstappen wins

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:44 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal this evening, with Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton joining him on the podium.

That’s a sixth straight victory for Red Bull, and full results are below.

1 Max VERSTAPPEN

2 Carlos SAINZ +0.993

3 Lewis HAMILTON +7.006

4 George RUSSELL +12.313

5 Charles LECLERC +15.168

6 Esteban OCON +23.890

7 Fernando ALONSO +24.945

8 Valtteri BOTTAS +25.247

9 Guanyu ZHOU +26.952

10 Lance STROLL +38.222

11 Daniel RICCIARDO +43.047

12 Sebastian VETTEL +44.245

13 Alexander ALBON +44.893

14 Pierre GASLY +45.183

15 Lando NORRIS +52.145

16 Nicholas LATIFI +59.978

17 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +68.180

DNF Yuki TSUNODA

DNF Mick SCHUMACHER

DNF Sergio PEREZ

Max Verstappen wins the Canadian Grand Prix!

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:40 , Dan Austin

The chequered flag is out and Max Verstappen has won the Canadian Grand Prix!

Carlos Sainz put him under plenty of pressure in the final stint after the safety car came out, but just couldn’t pass the Dutchman and has to settle for second.

Lewis Hamilton has finished third for Mercedes, taking only his second podium finish of the season.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website