Red Bull’s Max Verstappen held off the McLaren of Lando Norris and Mercedes of George Russell to win a rain-splattered 2024 Canadian Grand Prix.
In wet conditions, Russell began the race on pole position and held that lead until Lap 21 when both Norris and Verstappen passed him. Four laps later, Williams’ Logan Sargent crashed and brought out a safety car where all top five cars – minus Norris – took advantage of with immediate pit stops. Verstappen emerged from the pits ahead of Russell and both of them passed Norris on the next lap when Norris took his pit stop.
As the track finally dried out, the top five – Verstappen, Russell, Norris, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and seven-time Formula One world champion, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes – all elected to put on either medium or hard tires. Verstappen took the lead for good on Lap 47 of the 70-lap race and Norris passed Russell on Lap 51. From there third place was up for grabs between Russell, Piastri and Hamilton with Piastri holding it from Lap 49 to Lap 63, Hamilton holding it from Lap 63 to Lap 69 and Russell finally claiming it just before the final lap of the race.
With the victory, Verstappen pads his 2024 Formula 1 driver’s standings lead to 56 points – 194 to 138 – over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as both Ferraris failed to finish the race. Norris moved within seven points of Leclerc with his 131 point-total.
2024 Canadian Grand Prix – Top 10 Finishers
1] Max Verstappen Red Bull
2] Lando Norris McLaren
3] George Russell Mercedes
4] Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
5] Oscar Piastri McLaren
6] Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
7] Lance Stroll Aston Martin
8] Daniel Ricciardo
9] Pierre Gasly Alpine
10] Esteban Ocon Alpine
