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 reaction from this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix:

F1 Canadian Grand Prix 2022

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

• Lewis Hamilton takes 3rd and George Russell comes 4th

• Full results from Canadian Grand Prix

• Lap 54: Safety car ends and sets up thrilling final 16 laps as whole field tightened up

• Lap 49: Sainz gets cheap pit stop under safety car to get in hunt for win vs Verstappen

• Lap 44: Verstappen pits safely and in prime position for victory

• Lap 24: Hamilton passes Alonso for 3rd, behind Verstappen and Sainz

• Lap 9: Sergio Perez OUT as he loses power

• Lap 1: Verstappen holds on to the lead from pole, Alonso 2nd, Sainz 3rd and Hamilton 4th

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Sainz back in DRS range

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:38 , Dan Austin

LAP 69/70

There are just a couple more laps of this Canadian Grand Prix to go, and Carlos Sainz is back within DRS range of race leader Max Verstappen.

The Spaniard has a straight line speed advantage and fresher tyres, but so far Max Verstappen is placing his car immaculately and defending his lead expertly.

Sainz has two more shots at passing for victory down that back straight.

Alpine cars told not to fight

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:36 , Dan Austin

LAP 66/70

Fernando Alonso is showing signs of a slight loss of power in a straight line.

The Spaniard is still around half a second behind team-mate Esteban Ocon, who is in sixth-place, but Alonso’s race engineer has told him to hold position and not fight his colleague.

Alonso insists he is the faster driver right now but Alpine are worried that Ocon would also lose a place to Valtteri Bottas, who is just behind Alonso.

Verstappen edges further away from Sainz

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:31 , Dan Austin

LAP 63/70

Max Verstappen has managed to go fourth tenths quicker than Carlos Sainz in the first sector of the lap, which pulls him over a second clear of the Spaniard and out of DRS range.

That means Sainz doesn’t have the extra speed boost down the back straight, and he may have lost his best chance at an overtake and a shot at winning the race.

Let’s see if Sainz can make it back into range and close enough to make the pass happen.

Leclerc passes Alonso

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:28 , Dan Austin

LAP 61/70

Charles Leclerc has managed to pass Fernando Alonso for sixth, and the Spaniard is struggling with an engine problem acorrding to Leclerc’s race engineer on the team radio.

The Monegasque also makes it past the other Alpine Esteban Ocon at the final chicane, but cuts the corner and has to give the place back. A lap later he does make it into fifth after going down the inside at Turn 1.

Leclerc really is on a salvage mission now, while his team-mate fights for the lead.

Sainz back within DRS range of Verstappen

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:25 , Dan Austin

LAP 58/70

Carlos Sainz has managed to reel Max Verstappen back in on his fresher tyres and is all over the Red Bull’s gearbox using DRS.

The Spaniard looks much faster right now and could well take the lead.

This is a thrilling fight now.

Verstappen holds lead after safety car

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:21 , Dan Austin

LAP 54/70

Max Verstappen has held onto the lead of the Canadian Grand Prix after the safety car has pulled into the pitlane.

The Dutchman managed the restart well and has pulled a lead of over one second on Carlos Sainz, meaning he is crucially out of DRS range.

There were no overtakes off the restart down the field.

Verstappen leads behind safety car

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:15 , Dan Austin

LAP 52/70

The safety car is currently conducting a fourth tour of the circuit with Max Verstappen following closely behind.

Verstappen leads the race, ahead of Carlos Sainz on fresh hard tyres, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in third and fourth respectively.

Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso are fifth and sixth for Alpine on new medium compound rubber, while Charles Leclerc is in seventh.

Sainz’s tyres are fresher than Verstappen’s, which could give him a speed advantage. This could be a fascinating battle for the win.

Drivers head for new tyres for final sprint

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:12 , Dan Austin

LAP 50/70

A glut of drivers including Esteban Ocon, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo have all come in for cheap pit stops behind the safety car.

That means they have fresh rubber they can burn out between now and the end of the grand prix.

With the field bunched up behind the safety car, this could be a thrilling final portion of the race.

Tsunoda crashes and safety car is out

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:10 , Dan Austin

LAP 49/70

Yuki Tsunoda has crashed at Turn 1 and the safety car is out.

The Japanese driver came out of the pitlane on cold tyres and drover straight into the barrier at Turn 2.

Carlos Sainz is into the pits for new hard tyres and will now be right behind Max Verstappen at the restart on fresher rubber than the Dutchman.

Sainz could go to the end

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:08 , Dan Austin

LAP 47/70

Carlos Sainz currently leads the race, with an 8.5s lead over Max Verstappen in second.

The Ferrari driver has been on his hard tyres since lap 20 and has yet to stop a second time. He is aiming either to go to the end of the race on the current set, or to wait for another safety car and the chance of a much less time consuming pit stop. Lance Stroll has managed 48 laps on the hard tyres, so Sainz could make it work.

It’s a sensible strategy from Ferrari, who have no chance of catching Verstappen for the win on raw pace alone.

Russell into pits for new hard tyres

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:06 , Dan Austin

LAP 46/70

George Russell made his first pit stop on lap 20, with the aim of going to the end of the race on one set of hard tyres.

That hasn’t been possible though and Russell has come in for new hards, leaving him in fourth, six seconds behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

That should pretty much guarantee Hamilton a podium finish, barring a calamity or another safety car.

Verstappen and Hamilton into pits for second stop

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:03 , Dan Austin

LAP 44/70

Max Verstappen has pitted for his second pit stop and despite quick work by the Red Bull mechanics, the Dutchman comes out just behind Lewis Hamilton.

The Mercedes was rounding Turn 1 as his great rival exited the pits, and Hamilton took the racing line to cut Verstappen off.

Hamilton pits at the end of the following lap for new tyres of his own, though, and comes out in fourth behind team-mate George Russell.

Leclerc finally pits but stop is slow

Sunday 19 June 2022 20:01 , Dan Austin

LAP 42/70

Charles Leclerc is finally into the pits for Ferrari but his stop is slow.

The Ferrari mechanics are working on his car for 5.5s, about three seconds longer than a typical pitstop.

That has dropped the Monegasque just behind a four-car DRS train involving Lance Stroll, Zhou Guanyu, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo in 12th place.

Leclerc would have been ahead of all these cars if not for the slow stop.

Race has settled down with Verstappen leading

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:57 , Dan Austin

LAP 40/70

We’re now past the halfway mark in this race and for now things have stabilised quite considerably over the past efw laps.

Max Verstappen is maintaining a lead of around seven seconds ahead of Carloz Sainz, with Lewis Hamilton ten seconds further back in third and George Russell another nine seconds off his team-mate.

Esteban Ocon is fifth, still fending off Charles Leclerc, with Fernando Alonso behind them in seventh.

Leclerc is still on the hard tyres he began the race with.

Verstappen losing grip

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:50 , Dan Austin

LAP 34/70

Max Verstappen has been on the Red Bull team radio to report that he is losing grip on his hard tyres.

The Dutchman came in behind the first virtual safety car on lap eight for fresh rubber, and will need to stop again to make it to the end of the race.

He is ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari, who is eight second behind but could potentially make it to the end after waiting until lap 20 to stop.

Alonso finally pits

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:45 , Dan Austin

LAP 29/70

Fernando Alonso has finally come into the pits, and is out in seventh behind Charles Leclerc who is chasing Alonso’s team-mate Esteban Ocon.

This is a frankly bizarre strategy from Alpine, who seem to have managed to drop Alonso way out of contention for a podium after his spectacular performance in qualifying.

Even if the Spaniard can go to the end on these tyres he is now extremely unlikely to be able to challenge the Mercedes cars which were behind him when the first virtual safety car came out.

Leclerc targeting Ocon in sixth

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:41 , Dan Austin

LAP 27/70

Charles Leclerc is up to seventh after the slew of pit stops behind the second virtual safety car, and could take a home strong haul of points if he is able to continue making progress through the field.

The Monegasque has yet to stop in this race but is all over the gearbox of Esteban Ocon who has. Leclerc needs to make the pass happen soon if his strategy is going to work.

Hamilton up to third past Alonso

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:37 , Dan Austin

LAP 24/70

And on the very next lap, Hamilton is through using the exact same method as Sainz and is now running in third.

Alpine’s decision to leave Alonso out on track already looked strange and the way he is dropping back through the field behind drivers who have already pitted shows the French team have made a significant error. He will drop to sixth or seventh when he eventually does make a stop.

Sainz passes Alonso for second

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:35 , Dan Austin

LAP 23/70

Carlos Sainz has already passed Fernando Alonso with ease using DRS on entry to Turn 14 once in this race, and has just done the same again after catching his compatriot very quickly on fresh rubber.

Lewis Hamilton is now behind Alonso in fourth and will be looking to make a similar pass very soon.

Sainz out in third just ahead of Hamilton

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:33 , Dan Austin

LAP 21/70

Carlos Sainz has come into the pits on the second lap behind the virtual safety car and comes out less than a second ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

The Mercedes is within DRS range and is on the attack.

The pair are only just over a second behind Fernando Alonso in second, who Alpine have inexplicably left out on track during both safety car periods.

Schumacher retires and more cars make pit stops

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:31 , Dan Austin

LAP 20/70

Mick Schumacher has retired from the race and the virtual safety car is out again.

That means the likes of George Russell, Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo are in for cheap pit stops.

Schumacher retired by parking his car at Turn 8 after losing power.

Leclerc stuck in DRS train

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:27 , Dan Austin

LAP 16/70

Charles Leclerc made a strong start to the Canadian Grand Prix, gaining a few places off the start after starting towards the back due to engine penalties.

But the Monegasque has been stuck in 12th for a number of laps now, behind Valtteri Bottas, Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo in a DRS train which just won’t budge.

His race is being significantly compromised here.

Verstappen passes Alonso for second

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:25 , Dan Austin

LAP 15/70

Max Verstappen is flying on his new hard tyres and has already caught and passed Fernando Alonso for second place.

The Red Bull used its better pace and DRS on entry to Turn 14 to pass the Alpine, which was rendered a sitting duck.

The world champion is now only 5.5s behind Carlos Sainz in the lead, though Sainz has yet to stop.

Horner concerned about Verstappen reliability

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:23 , Dan Austin

LAP 14/70

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the cause of Sergio Perez’s retirement has not yet been established, but that the team is concerned about team-mate Max Verstappen potentially suffering a similar problem.

Both Red Bulls retired in the season opener at Bahrain.

“It’s always a concern,” he told Sky Sports F1. “But we have to get our heads down and do the best we can with Max now.”

Hamilton passes Ocon

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:21 , Dan Austin

LAP 12/70

Lewis Hamilton is on the march on his brand new hard tyres.

The seven-time world champion is back up to fifth after overtaking Esteban Ocon. He needed two cracks at it, using the double DRS activation zones at the end of the lap to pass the Frenchman into Turn 1.

Having stopped once he already, he should also leapfrog Fernando Alonso later.

Verstappen comes into pits behind safety car

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:17 , Dan Austin

LAP 10/70

There was no billowing smoke from the back of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, suggesting it was a hydraulics or transmission failure.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have come in for cheap pit stops while the virtual safety car is out. Both are now on hard tyres which they will hope can take them deep into this race.

Carlos Sainz now leads the race, with Verstappen third, only nine seconds off the front.

Perez suffers engine failure and retires

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:15 , Dan Austin

LAP 9/70

Sergio Perez is out of the race!

The Mexican has lost power in his Red Bull and can’t continue. The hydraulics and throttle seem to have given up on his RB18.

The virutal safety car is out

Magnussen told to stop for repairs

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:12 , Dan Austin

LAP 6/70

George Russell has managed to pass the damaged Haas of Kevin Magnussen, and the Dane’s race has now been ruined by a black and orange flag.

That is the race stewards’ way of informing the team that its car has damage which needs to be fixed on safety grounds. that means Magnussen will be into the pits for a new wing and will be dropped to the back of the field.

Sainz passes Alonso for second

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:10 , Dan Austin

LAP 4/70

DRS has been activated by the stewards and Carlos Sainz has made excellent use of it, passing Fernando Alonso on the long straight before the final chicane way before reaching the breaking point.

That puts Sainz in second, over two seconds behind Max Verstappen, and Lewis Hamilton is now all over Alonso’s gearbox too.

Magnussen has damage

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:08 , Dan Austin

LAP 3/70

Kevin Magnussen got himself a lightening quick start behind Lewis Hamilton and almost overtook the seven-time world champion on entry to Turn 3.

The Dane didn’t quite manage it, though, and has damaged the end plate on the right-hand side of his front wing. He is told he can stay out but may struggle with that.

Perez and Leclerc making progress

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:07 , Dan Austin

LAP 2/70

Sergio Perez is up to eleventh after passing Alex Albon and Valtteri Bottas off the start, while Charles Leclerc is also up two places after overtaking Pierre Gasly and Nicholas Latifi.

Both men will be looking to continue to slice through the field as they try to maintain their title challenges.

Verstappen leads on opening lap

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:05 , Dan Austin

LAP 1/70:

Max Verstappen starts fastest and is under no pressure from Fernando Alonso off the start.

The Spaniard holds onto second ahead of Carlos Sainz as Verstappen pulls away, while Lewis Hamilton has to defend hard to maintain fourth ahead of Kevin Magnussen.

Canadian Grand Prix begins!

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:04 , Dan Austin

Lights out and the Canadian Grand Prix is underway!

Formation lap begins

Sunday 19 June 2022 19:00 , Dan Austin

Drivers have set off from their grid positions and are out on the formation lap.

Once the mechanics and TV personnel have moved off the grid, we’ll be ready for what could be a scintillating Canadian Grand Prix thanks to its mixed up grid order.

Lights out in just a couple of minutes.

Two stop strategy likely for Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:54 , Dan Austin

We’re now only around five minutes away from the start of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Tyre degradation is expected to be high here with F1 having not raced around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve owing to complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

That means a two-stop startegy is likely for most drivers.

Alonso realistic about goals but aiming for fast start

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:52 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso is aiming to take the fight to Max Verstappen at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix from second on the grid, but is realistic about where he feels he will finish.

“It depends on the first 50 metres if we can attack Max,” the 40-year-old explained. “If not, we will have to focus on Carlos and the Mercedes behind. I love this! I will try to win for sure. We are out of position and realistically we are fighting for fifth or sixth.”

Horner says Red Bull can’t worry about Alonso

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:49 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso has made a number of punchy claims about his plans for the start of the race behind Max Verstappen, but Red Bull team principal insists his committe cannot worry too much about the Spaniard.

“We’ve got to focus on getting a good start,” Horner told Sky Sports F1. “Fernando is going to be wind up and going for it so we have to get clear of him as soon as we can. You’ve got to get on with your own thing, we can’t worry about Fernando is going to do.”

Magnussen realistic about Haas’ chances

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:46 , Dan Austin

Kevin Magnussen is starting fifth for Haas this afternoon, but is realistic about his chances in the race.

“We’re very happy,” The Dane explained to Sky Sports F1. “Mick is right there in P6. Great day for us yesterday, and we have to try make today a great day today. Of course you’ve got to be realistic, those guys [Perez and Leclerc] are going to come quickly and they’re not really in our race. We’ll take it as it comes. If you have got a Ferrari behind you they’re very quick so you dpn’t really fight them. We have to focus on scoring points.”

Stroll planning to overtake from the start in Canada

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:43 , Dan Austin

Hometown boy Lance Stroll might be starting 17th for the Canadian Grand Prix, but he is optimistic about the possibility over moving up towards the points.

“We’re gonna have to climb through the field today,” Stroll explained to Sky Sports F1. “Yesterday was chellenging but here there’s always opportunity to do something, you can overtake here. We saw some guys benefit from the wet weather yesterday so it’s a mixed up grid and anything can happen.

Drivers’ standings ahead of Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:40 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen currently leads the Formula 1 drivers’ championship, and is likely to increase his lead in Canada tonight with rivals Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc starting outside the top ten. Here’s a reminder of where we currently stand.

1) Max Verstappen - 150

2) Sergio Perez - 129

3) Charles Leclerc - 116

4) George Russell - 99

5) Carlos Sainz - 83

6) Lewis Hamilton - 62

Domenicali talks up Alonso’s chances

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:37 , Dan Austin

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is on the grid and has been talking up Fernando Alonso’s chances of challenging Max Verstappen at the start.

“Today I’m expecting a great race,” Domenicali told Sky Sports F1. “Verstappen could have a big chance to move out alone but I think the old man called Fernando will be there at the beginning! That’s the beauty of the first hundred metres of the race.”

Alonso says experience is reason for lofty qualifying position

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:30 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso has credited his experience for helping him qualify on the front row of the grid for the first time since 2012.

The Spaniard will start in second behind Max Verstappen for the Canadian Grand prix, after producing a superb lap just before the end of the final aprt of qualifying in wet conditions on intermediate tyres.

“It’s a circuit that I think you need some rhythm,” Alonso explained. “You use a lot of kerb riding here and it’s quite bumpy. There are a few things that are there for many, many years. I guess for half of the grid it’s either the first time they come here or the second time because after the pandemic there were not many races hosted here in Canada. I’ve been racing here 16 or 17 years so as I always said, age and experience is always a help, it’s never a downside.”

Slater says Russell has made important ‘point’ to Hamilton in Canada

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:25 , Dan Austin

George Russell will start eighth for this evening’s Canadian Grand Prix after his dry trye gamble didn’t pay off in yesterday’s qualifying sessions.

Russell insisted he could have finished third or fourth had he remained on intermediate tyres instead, which would have put him ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton who did qualify P4. Sky Sports reporter Craig Slater believes Russell was making a point about his own ability in relation to Hamilton.

“I heard George Russell say well I could have been third or fourth if I hadn’t taken the high-risk gamble on the dry tyres,” Slater said. “Almost making a little point that Lewis might not have outqualified me yesterday.”

Kravitz calls Vettel ‘incongruous’ over climate change conflict

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:20 , Dan Austin

Sky Sports F1 report Ted Kravitz has called Sebastian Vettel’s decision to where a helmet calling out a climate issue ‘incongruous.”

The German’s Canadian Grand Prix helmet design draws attention to the mining of oil sands, but also includes the logo of Aramco, the enormously wealthy Saudi Arabian oil company which sponsors his Aston Martin team.

“Sebastian Vettel is wearing a sort of darker crash helmet calling out, or drawing attention I should say with his environmental activism credentials, Canada’s climate crime I think he calls it, which is about the tar sands,” Kravitz explained. “It’s slightly incongruous because on the top of his helmet there’s this big sort of oil pipeline, and then of course they are sponsored by Aramco. The Saudi oil company. The most wealthiest company in the world.

“So there’s this sort of Saudi oil company logo and then this big oil pipe over Seb’s helmet.” Kravitz then shrugged his shoulders in confusion adding: “I mean okay Seb, listen, of course I’m with you, But, you know what I mean.”

Perez determined to ‘attack Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:12 , Dan Austin

Sergio Perez insists he is aiming to ‘attack’ the Canadian Grand Prix after qualifying a lowly 13th for this evening’s race.

The Mexican is Max Verstappen’s closest title challenger as things stand but failed to make it into the final part of qualifying after aquaplaning into the barriers at Turn 3 in wet conditions. Now, the 32-year-old is setting his sights on overtaking.

“A mistake from my side, so I’m very sorry for my team,” Perez told Sky Sports F1. “I let them down today unfortunately, but I’ve got to be thinking already for tomorrow and hopefully I’m able to recover and get into strong points. Tomorrow I will try to minimise the damage and just attack from lap one onwards and see where we end up.”

Wolff reveals he almost quit Mercedes in 2020

Sunday 19 June 2022 18:04 , Dan Austin

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed he almost walked out of Formula 1 in 2020 after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Austrian has overseen a golden era of success with the Brackley-based outfit, winning the contructors championship every season since 2014 and managing Lewis Hamilton to six of his seven drivers’ titles. After spending almost a year considering quitting, he made the choice to stay.

“It was ten months that were very difficult for me,” he explained. “Also mentally, I gave everything for almost eight years and felt burnt out to a certain extent. In addition, my contract was due to expire and I could have sold my shares. All this led to an inner conflict, ‘Do I want to stay in Formula 1? Can I still make my contribution? Or can someone else do the job better? In the end I chose Mercedes and Formula 1, I have found my place here.”

Zhou aiming for double Alfa Romeo points finish in Canada

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:57 , Dan Austin

Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu says Alfa Romeo should be aiming for a double points finish at the Canadian grand Prix after qualifying in 10th and 11th.

Chinese driver Zhou made it into the final part of qualifying for the first time in his rookie season yesterday, and is oprtimistic that the team can capitalise with a rare double score in Montréal.

“We have to keep fighting for points,” he said. “Let’s see about the performance. We are starting quite close together – maybe we can do something to get both cars in the points. To be closing that gap, to be learning from Valtteri, is definitely the key and it’s been very helpful so far this season.”

Verstappen slams Mercedes drivers and says they should ‘speak for themselves’

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:50 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has criticised Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for speaking out about porpoising issues, saying the pair should “speak for themselves.”

The Mercedes drivers have been suffering with intense bouncing all season long and have spoken publicly about the need for the FIA to regulate against the issue on healthy and safety grounds. Verstappen has not suffered from such intense porpoising in his Red Bull, and is frustrated by Hamilton and Russell’s public accounts of the injuries and difficulties they have faced.

“It’s not only him, but his teammate as well,” Verstappen said. “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 into it.”

Button excited for Turn 1 action in Canada

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:42 , Dan Austin

Ex-Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button says he “can’t wait” for the frontrunning drivers to reach Turn 1 in Montréal after lights out.

The former Brawn GP driver won arguably the most thrilling Canadian Grand Prix of all-time with McLaren in 2011, coming from the back of the field twice to take victory on the final lap, and expects fireworks from Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso out front.

“There’s big respect between them,” he told Sky Sports F1. “But I am looking forward to Turn 1. fernando is very good at starts, very good at first laps, and pretty aggresive off the line.”

Verstappen vows to be ‘ready’ for bold Alonso start

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:36 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has vowed to be “ready” for a bold start from Fernando Alonso behind him at the beginning of tonight’s Canadian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman is aiming to extend his world championship lead, and with closest rivals Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc starting outside the top ten, will be setting his sights on a controlled start before building up a healthy lead in Montréal.

“I know he starts very well you know, so I have to be ready,” Verstappen said.

“Of course I still expect it not to be straightforward race but I think today with the tricky conditions, we stayed calm, we didn’t make mistakes and we had the right calls in Q3. So of course [I’m] super happy with that you know, to get pole position here and also to be back here in Montreal, it’s been a while and it’s great to see all the fans.”

Alonso promises ‘maximum attack’ on Verstappen at race start

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:26 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso will line up second on the grid for the first time since 2012 this evening, and is promising to give Max Verstappen a tough time into Turn 1.

The Spaniard is a two-time world champion and his experienced proved vital in yesterday’s qualifying session where he mastered the wet conditions to put his Alpine on the front row as the Dutchman’s closest challenger. Now the 40-year-old is determined to try to take the lead off the start.

“Well, the goal is to lead the race in Lap ,” Alonso explained. “So that’s Turn 1, maximum attack. And then after that, they can go and they can fight. But it would be nice, sweet, to lead the race. I think it’s going to be difficult to hold the pack behind but we did in Baku, one week ago, so we’ll try to make our car very wide tomorrow.”

Schumacher says Canada qualifying performance shows he deserves F1 seat

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:18 , Dan Austin

Haas driver Mick Schumacher says that qualifying in sixth position during yesterday’s wet session in Montréal proves he deserves a seat in Formula 1.

The 23-year-old German’s spot has been called into question by some pundits and fans this season as he is one of only two drivers who has failed to score a point in the opening eight rounds. Team principal Gunther Steiner has also criticised Schumacher for a series of expensive crashes, but the driver himself was in bullish mood ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.“Obviously it is nice to have a good result but it is also something to build on,” he said. “[It] just proves to everybody that I am here for a reason I don’t really listen to [the scrutiny.] I am here for a reason and that is because I love the sport and love racing. I have proven enough in my junior days to have a reason to be here and the rest, again, I love this sport, that is why I am here.”

Tost tells drivers who complain to ‘stay at home'

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:10 , Dan Austin

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has told Formula 1 drivers who complain about porpoising to “stay at home” rather than racing.

Porpoising means the new generation of F1 cars are bouncing intensely at high speeds on the straights, and drivers including Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo voiced healthy and safety concerns after a physically demanding Azerbaijan Grand Prix last time out. Tost, though, is not sympathetic.

“These are Formula 1 cars. This is not a Rolls-Royce, and drivers should be aware about this,” said Tost. “If the cars are too stiff or it’s too difficult for them, maybe they should stay at home in the living room, sitting in the chair, and then they can do the races in TV or where, I don’t know.”

Leclerc aiming for fourth with help of clever strategy

Sunday 19 June 2022 17:01 , Dan Austin

Early world championship leader Charles Leclerc is attempting to salvage his title challenge in Canada this evening, but will be starting from 19th on the grid thanks to a slew of engine penalties.

The Monegasque has driven excellently so far this season but Ferrari’s lack of reliability means he has dropped behind both Red Bull drivers in the standings, and needs to limit the damage in Montréal.

“I don’t know whether it will work out or not,” said Leclerc when asked if he could slice through the field in Canada.

“It was a bit more difficult to overtake than what I initially thought yesterday, but overall I think we’ve got quite a good pace in the car. If we play it smart with the strategy, having some clean air, we can come back to P4 or something. So that is the goal and yeah, I’ll give it everything.”

Williams boss comments on Piastri and Alpine links

Sunday 19 June 2022 16:50 , Dan Austin

Williams team principal Jos Capito has spoken about the possibility of Oscar Piastri joining the team for the 2023 season.

The Australian is reigning F2 champion and the most highly-rated young driver who does not currently have an F1 seat. The Alpine team which managed the 21-year-old is keen for him to race next season, and rumour of Paistri replacing Nicholas Latifi and Alpine’s parent company Renault supplying engines to Williams have been commented on by Capito.

“Oscar is interesting for everyone who has a free place, there is no question about it,” conceded Capito. “It’s all speculation at the moment. We have a contract with Mercedes until the end of 2025, and there will be new regulations in 2026. A lot of water will flow down the Rhine before then.”

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

Sunday 19 June 2022 16:34 , Dan Austin

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 top teams would have to get rid of circa 2-300 people next year to stay within the cost cap,” Horner claimed. “If the cost cap fails badly, it’ll be gone forever. We need to find a solution for an issue nobody could have ever predicted. About 50% of teams are going to be in breach of the cap if things don’t change. We don’t want a championship decided in front of a court or the FIA in Paris, they need to act now.”

You can read the full story here:

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

Sunday 19 June 2022 16:33 , Jack Rathborn

Hamilton elated with ‘awesome’ fourth at wet Canadian Grand Prix qualifying

Sunday 19 June 2022 16:25 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton drove through the pain to qualify an “awesome” fourth in Montreal.

Saturday brought a smile to Hamilton’s face as he was running as high as second before having to ultimately settle for a spot on the second row.

“This past week has been a real challenge and every day working through the pain and getting my body right,” he said.

You can read the full story here:

Lewis Hamilton elated with ‘awesome’ fourth at wet Canadian Grand Prix qualifying

Starting positions for Canadian Grand Prix

Sunday 19 June 2022 16:16 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen will start on pole position at today’s Canadian Grand Prix after he dominated qualifying in changeable conditions to continue his quest for a second world championship.

Fernando Alonso will start second for Alpine, the experienced campaigner also getting on top of the weather to take his first front-row start in over a decade.

Carlos Sainz starts third for Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton able to compete near the top of the field due to the inclement weather, the seven-time world champion taking fourth for Mercedes.

You can see the full grid order below:

F1 grid today: Starting positions for Canadian Grand Prix

Toto Wolff denies claims of Lewis Hamilton decline

Sunday 19 June 2022 16:00 , Jack Rathborn

Toto Wolff has played down claims that Lewis Hamilton has regressed as a driver, insisting that the Briton is not “losing his ability”.

Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula 1 titles, with six of them having come with his current team, Mercedes – including four in a row between 2017 and 2020.

The 37-year-old was one lap away from winning the title in 2021 and has struggled so far this season, but Mercedes team principal Wolff believes that car issues are to blame for Hamilton’s recent underwhelming finishes.

“No, I don’t think it’s like [he is in decline]. He is the best that has ever been,” Wolff told Channel 4, per Planet F1.

“Between Abu Dhabi in 2021 [and] dominating the last third of the season, to four months later, you are not losing your ability.”

Toto Wolff denies claims of Lewis Hamilton decline

Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer on Oscar Piastri future

Sunday 19 June 2022 15:45 , Jack Rathborn

Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer insists Oscar Piastri will be driving in Formula 1 next season.

He said: “Oscar is a bright young talent coming through, as we know, he's testing last year's car at more than Silverstone. We'll test more in the future, he's doing very well.

“We're contracted with Oscar, we have some options on him. There's no need to hurry that. We'll take our time, in the silly season, we'll make those type of decisions.

Then, when pushed if he will race in F1 next year, Szafnauer was blunt: “Yes.”

Lewis Hamilton on what the Canadian Grand Prix means to him

Sunday 19 June 2022 15:30 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton might be enduring a torrid season, but he’s at a home from home, so to speak.

The seven-time world champion appreciates the Canadian Grand Prix more than most.

He’s up to P4, could the magic return to ignite his season?

George Russell warned over Lewis Hamilton’s potential at Mercedes

Sunday 19 June 2022 15:15 , Jack Rathborn

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

The seven-time world champion has finished behind teammate Russell at every round since the first race and trails him by 37 points in the standings.

Hamilton has also been cast 88 points adrift of his title rival a year ago, Max Verstappen, amid consistent technical problems with his Mercedes.

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

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