Johnny Herbert tips McLaren duo and George Russell to dominate Montreal podium. Johnny Herbert predicts a McLaren-Mercedes podium at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Johnny Herbert’s Canadian Grand Prix prediction

After another two-week break without Formula 1 action, the championship returns this weekend in Canada with another Sprint format event expected to deliver plenty of excitement. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has won the last three Grands Prix, but in Miami McLaren significantly raised its level, winning the Sprint and proving it has the pace to challenge Mercedes directly.

Both McLaren and Mercedes are set to bring upgrades to Canada, unlike Ferrari and Red Bull. According to former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert, the Woking-based team will place both of its drivers on the podium, with George Russell completing the top three.

Johnny Herbert backs McLaren and Mercedes in Montreal

“The Canadian circuit rewards efficient cars, and right now I think McLaren and Mercedes have something extra in that area,” Johnny Herbert said in comments to Jackpot City Casino.

“I believe the two McLaren drivers and George Russell will be on the podium because even though Andrea Kimi Antonelli is on a positive streak, I expect the British driver to beat him this time and reverse that trend.

“I still expect Max Verstappen to be in the fight because he always extracts the maximum from the car, and Red Bull has shown strong competitiveness on the straights. Maybe over a full race distance he will not be fully in contention, but in qualifying I expect him to be very strong.”

Johnny Herbert’s daring predictions for the Canadian Grand Prix therefore point toward a fascinating shift in power balance as Formula 1 embraces its intense 2026 development war. While Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s remarkable win streak has positioned Mercedes as the team to beat, McLaren’s rapid aerodynamic upgrades mean Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri possess the high-speed efficiency needed to completely disrupt Brackley’s dominance. By predicting a podium devoid of any Italian representation, Herbert highlights the immense pressure placed on Ferrari to execute a flawless setup matrix under a highly restrictive Sprint schedule. If McLaren and Mercedes successfully validate their latest upgrade sheets on Friday afternoon, the rest of the grid—including a charging Max Verstappen—will face a monumental task preventing a full-scale British manufacturing takeover on the streets of Montreal.