Max Verstappen dominates Canadian Grand Prix to give Red Bull 100th Formula 1 race victory

ByEthan Van Ristell

Updated 18/06/2023 at 22:22 GMT

Max Verstappen fended off Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton off the start line of the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and it enabled the Red Bull driver to claim his sixth win of the Formula 1 season and extend his lead in the drivers’ championship. Aston Martin’s Alonso and Hamilton in his Mercedes completed the podium places.

Max Verstappen took the chequered flag at the Canadian Grand Prix to give Red Bull Racing their 100th win in Formula One, and seal his fourth victory in succession.

The Dutchman, who led from start to finish, now moved to 41 victories, which moved him levl with the legendary Ayrton Senna in joint-sixth place in the all-time winners' list.

He finished 9.5 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso, with the Aston Martin driver managing to hold off the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton whilst nursing a rear-brake issue in the dying laps as the Briton had to settle for third place.

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Verstappen started on pole position, with Alonso beside him on the front row, following a three-place grid penalty for Haas' Nico Hulkenberg after qualifying for a red flag breach. Both Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate George Russell lined up on the second row in third and fourth respectively.

Hamilton managed to get off to a great start, and slipped past Alonso into the first corner to move into P2, whilst Verstappen remained out in front.

On Lap 13, Russell, who was running in fourth position, went into the barrier at the chicane of Turns 8 & 9. The debris on the track as a result of the accident saw a full safety car deployed.

All of the front runners took advantage of it, and came into the pits to switch their worn medium tyres to a fresh set of hards. The Briton managed to nurse the car back to the pits to resume his race, but dropped to the back of the pack because of the lengthy repairs.

The two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who started down the order in P10 and P11 respectively, opted to stay out, as did Sergio Perez behind them, as they chose to go with a one-stop strategy. The call paid off for the Maranello-based team as they made up positions on track.

On Lap 23 after a close fight, Alonso made his move and got back past Hamilton down the straight into the final chicane to move up into second place.

With the front runners all stopping for fresh tyres again on their two-stop strategies to enter the closing stages of the race, rear brakes became a concern for Alonso as he was told to lift and coast by his team to manage the problem.

It meant Verstappen could increase the gap out in front to all but ensure the win, but it also saw Hamilton steadily close in on the Spaniard as the battle for second place heated up.

Mercedes were dealt a blow on Lap 55, as Russell was told to retire the car due to a brake problem from his earlier crash. In their other car, however, Hamilton closed the gap further to Alonso to under two seconds with just eight laps remaining.

Luckily for Alonso, his team recognised this, and the Spaniard was finally able to push. Hamilton was unable to respond and second place was no longer in his grasp.

Leclerc came home in fourth place, with Sainz in fifth, as Ferrari completed a solid recovery drive with both cars. Perez finished sixth, and also took home a bonus point for the fastest lap of the race.

It was also a fantastic day for Alex Albon in the Williams, as he fended off a train of cars behind him for the final 15 laps to secure a brilliant seventh place - his best result for Williams.

Verstappen’s sixth win of the season further extends his championship lead to a commanding 69 points over his team-mate Perez.

DRIVER OF THE DAY - Alex Albon

Williams driver Alexander Albon during the 2023 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix

Image credit: Getty Images

The Williams driver produced a stunning display in his FW45 to take his best result yet for the Grove-based outfit, as he added a well-deserved six points to the team's total.

The Thai-British driver capped off a great weekend with the points finish, after using a bold strategy call to take his Williams car into the final part of qualifying on Saturday.

Despite running on worn hard tyres with faster cars behind him in his final stint, his defensive driving proved to be the difference.

KEY MOMENTS

LAP 1/70 - LIGHTS OUT! - We are underway for the Canadian Grand Prix! Verstappen gets away well, but Alonso does not! Hamilton jumps him into Turn 1, and is up into P2! Verstappen leads!

LAP 13/70 - SAFETY CAR - Russell has hit the wall! The Mercedes has a moment with the barrier down into the hairpin at the rear of the circuit, and he has to crawl back to the pits! He goes too deep into the chicane, and goes wide into the corner and has a snap of oversteer! Both the front and rear of the car hit the barrier. A Safety Car is deployed, and the leaders have used the opportunity to pit for the hard tyres.

LAP 23/70 - ALONSO INTO P2! - Alonso gets past Hamilton down the back straight after a few laps of fighting, and the Aston has moved into second! A big overtake in the context of the race!

LAP 42/70 - VERSTAPPEN AND ALONSO PIT - Alonso, as expected, comes in to cover off the earlier pit stop by Hamilton. He comes back out over five seconds ahead of the Mercedes. Crucially, Aston Martin have put the harder compound on Alonso's car. Red Bull then opt to bring in the race leader, as Verstappen comes in for a set of mediums. He comes back out 4.3 seconds ahead of Alonso.

LAP 63/70 - ALONSO FINALLY CAN PUSH - The Aston Martin team have relayed the information to Alonso that the gap to Hamilton behind has dropped to under two seconds, and that has given the Spaniard the license to push a bit to increase the gap. He has responded, as the gap has now increased by five tenths in two laps.

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