Verstappen was superb in the Red Bull in F1. Get the popcorn ready—today could be a very different race from recent ones. Credit goes to Russell and Max, who secured the front row. This will be the first Grand Prix of the season without a McLaren in the top two positions on the starting grid. A surprising result only for those who haven’t analyzed the weekend of the Milton Keynes and Brackley teams.
Cooler temperatures compared to Spain certainly helped Mercedes. For years, the Silver Arrows have shown their full potential when weather conditions are on the cooler side. Red Bull, once again, delivered a flawless qualifying session. A job that must now be finished in today’s race, where two main challenges lie ahead.
At the beautiful Montreal circuit, many past races have been influenced by Safety Car interventions. Additionally, communication between the pit wall and the driver will be crucial, as the reigning world champion cannot afford to commit any infractions. It will fall to Gianpiero Lambiase to rein in, if necessary, his driver’s potentially reckless instincts.
Red Bull: C5 tyres mix things up
Together with Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen shook things up by running the C5 tyres in Q2, demonstrating they could be a strong option for a time attack. In hindsight, the only possible error in Red Bull’s qualifying strategy may have been the timing of the reigning champion’s second Q3 run.
Track evolution continued throughout qualifying, and those who crossed the finish line last were rewarded—specifically Russell and Antonelli, both on used medium tyres. Overall, it was a solid performance from the Blue Racing team. Tsunoda’s qualifying was already compromised during FP3, when he overtook another car under red flag conditions.
The ten-place grid penalty was the logical consequence of the Japanese driver’s serious misjudgment. Had he not been penalized, Yuki could have supported his teammate’s qualifying by providing a tow in Q3. However, Hadjar’s tenth-fastest time in Q2 with the Racing Bulls effectively ruled him out.
Max satisfied, unfazed by Russell’s jabs
After qualifying, Verstappen appeared fairly satisfied. The four-time world champion admitted he had good feelings from Friday onwards at what he called a giant kart track. As for the race, Jos Verstappen’s son believes Mercedes may have good pace, although the W16’s long runs during free practice didn’t look especially strong.
From a championship perspective, Max has a golden opportunity to close the gap to the McLaren duo, who seem to be struggling for the first time this season. A steady hand will be needed, especially as the pole-sitter has admitted he’s not afraid of battling Max, given he has far fewer points on his super licence—a pointed comment the Dutchman will no doubt use as fuel to try and secure his third win of the season.
A race with different meaning for Verstappen and Russell
Just yesterday, George Russell admitted he has not yet settled his future with Mercedes. The British driver also noted that a talent like Verstappen had to be on Mercedes’ radar. Today’s race (see schedule) holds completely different significance for George and Max.
Russell is doing everything he can to earn a contract extension beyond this season. For Max, it’s about keeping his championship hopes alive, despite McLaren’s clear superiority. The hope is that both drivers give us a thrilling race—without ruining it all shortly after the lights go out.
Leave a Reply