VERSTAPPEN WINS A CHAOTIC CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

Canada once again produced a race which included drama, chaos and changeable conditions. It was a messy race for pole sitter George Russell who managed a third placed finish in what was a crazy race. Verstappen as always is there to pick up the pieces at the front when others make mistakes as the Red Bull driver went onto claim his 50th career win. Lando Norris one of three race leaders in this race finished second and looked quick throughout the race.

George Russell (Mercedes) crawls off the line but leads into turn one ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull) with the two McLaren’s behind in third and fourth. Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari has dropped down to 14th after a bad start from 11th.

The Haas of Kevin Magnussen is having an excellent start to the race being one of only two drivers on the wet tyres as he’s up to fourth ahead of Oscar Piastri (McLaren). The other driver on the wets his teammate Nico Hulkenberg who sits eighth after starting 17th.

Just six laps in and the first noticeable mistake comes from Logan Sargeant in the Williams who has gone off but is able to keep the car running and gets back into the race. Sargeant drops from 15th to last.

Eight laps in Magnussen pits for intermediate’s but the crew are clearly not ready for him and his pit stop lasts around 30 seconds and he drops outside of the top ten.

As we hit 20/70 laps into this race Norris passes Verstappen for second. The McLaren looked quick enough to pass the leading Mercedes of George Russell. Piastri in fourth is consistently setting fastest laps as well. Just one lap later on lap 21 Norris leads the Canadian Grand Prix and on the start finish straight Russell gets passed by Verstappen and is now third. 

The day got worse for Sargeant on lap 24 as he crashes, and is out of the race.

This caused a Safety Car which allows Verstappen and Russell to pit without losing too much time with Lando deciding to carry on. They all pit for new intermediate tires.

Two laps later Norris finally pits on lap 26 and comes back out in third. Verstappen is the new race leader.

Leclerc has been struggling in the race after starting 11th and then seemingly having power unit issues and on lap 29 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) pits for hard tyres and seems to be resetting his car due to the issues he’s having and drops to 19th and last.

The race gets going again on lap 30, Verstappen leads into turn one ahead of Russell, Norris and Piastri. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) is in fifth.

On lap 43 Leclerc retires the car, putting a cherry on the top of a poor weekend for the hero of Monaco.

Lap 44: Everyone pits for the the dry tyres. The very next lap Verstappen and Russell pit. Norris stays out and retakes the lead of the race. Then on lap 47 Norris pits - but Verstappen just about takes the lead from Norris with the pit exit still wet Norris has a moment and has to go full lock to keep it on the tarmac which gifts the lead back to Verstappen.

Perez had been having a very nothing race going round fighting for 15th, 16th place when on lap 53 Perez has an off and his rear wing is hanging which will force him to pit and retire from the race, which he does. All this adding to the misery of the weekend of in which he renewed his contract with Red Bull. 

And the drama continues into the next lap as Sainz takes a spin collecting the Williams of Alex Albon in the process. Sainz carries on but Albon is out and the Safety Car is deployed.

Sainz wasn't able to carry on for much longer after the incident as he pits immediately and retires from the race.

The green flag was shown on lap 59 and Verstappen leads after the restart from Norris and Piastri with Russell and Hamilton in fourth and fifth.

The next race is the Spanish Grand Prix.

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