formula 1
Lessons from the Canadian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen celebrates his victory. Photo: Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press/AP/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The lead is growing, but it’s still exciting. Max Verstappen knows that. The Formula 1 race in Montréal provides some insights. Also for the two German pilots.
Sixth win of the season, clear lead – but be careful. Max Verstappen doesn’t want to be fooled. There are still many races to come in this Formula 1 season, a lot can still happen.
And the Canadian Grand Prix showed that others were actually faster than the victorious Dutchman in the Red Bull. One of them was in time for the home race.
Max Verstappen does what champions do
He took pole, he drove to victory. But it wasn’t that easy. They weren’t the fastest in the race, emphasized the defending champion and clear World Championship leader after his first win in Montréal. “But we still won, that’s also a quality.” Victory number six this season in the ninth race was above all his merit. Lap for lap in the closing stages he had Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari in the rear-view mirror less than a second apart. Despite the faster Ferrari and the DRS overtaking aid, the Spaniard simply couldn’t get past Verstappen. world champion.
He’s still hopping, but he’s getting faster
With almost childlike enthusiasm, Lewis Hamilton suddenly spoke about his Mercedes again. The hopping wasn’t as bad as it was in Baku a week ago, and the Silver Arrow was fast, especially with Hamilton at the wheel. 15 years ago he had achieved the first of his now unbelievable 103 victories in Montréal. Third place now felt similar for the 37-year-old. Hamilton, who has his home race at Silverstone in two weeks, stressed that Red Bull and Ferrari are a little too fast for Mercedes at the moment. “But we’re getting closer.”
German problems
The result was modest for both. Only the reasons were very different. Sebastian Vettel, the four-time world champion, quarreled with the Sky broadcaster after twelfth place in the Aston Martin: “We would have needed a completely different race. The two virtual safety cars broke our necks, and then it was over.” What at times seemed promising in Canada ended in another disappointment for the 34-year-old, who otherwise had a public quarrel with a Canadian politician on environmental issues at the race weekend.
And then there was Mick Schumacher. This time the Haas let him down. He would have been ready to take the first points of his Formula 1 career. Starting position sixth, he had never been so good in the premier class. And then that. After the two serious accidents and a lot of criticism of him, he showed strength in qualifying and also in the race, before he was stopped by the weakening car. But he builds on the positive. His own performance should serve as a points accelerator.
The return to Canada was a complete success
The ranks were full, people in the city lived Formula 1 again. Just like before the races were canceled due to the corona pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The unstable weather with rain in qualifying, plus the fast track with long straights, but also rock-hard braking manoeuvres once again gave the fans a race with a suspense factor.