F1’s annual go to to Quebec isn’t freed from drama or controversy, however by bringing the Montreal race ahead within the 12 months Could put the race’s destiny within the laps of Canada’s climate gods greater than ever. However regardless of the chilly situations and the specter of rain which by no means actually materialised, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve served up an absorbing spectacle with duels throughout the highest six, and a pricey retirement which can change the face of the 2026 title battle.
Loser – McLaren The prospect of F1 2026’s first wet-weather race stored a number of groups up at night time, however as drizzle endured all through race morning, the skies cleared up proper at the beginning of the race. That caught out a number of groups, with McLaren the principle offender as its advantageous beginning place meant the selection for intermediate tyres on each automobiles was fairly the gamble.
Whereas capitalising on a grip benefit at the beginning to leap into the chief, third-starting Lando Norris quickly needed to put, as did Oscar Piastri, who already had misgivings concerning the staff’s alternative within the formation lap.
Hindsight is a superb factor, and the 2 further formation laps did not assist McLaren as they additional negated any early benefit the staff might have had. However then issues went from dangerous to worse when Piastri clattered into Alex Albon and Norris disappeared from the race with a mechanical failure, guaranteeing McLaren would end outdoors the factors. A weekend to neglect, though the staff can have been considerably inspired by its efficiency relative to Mercedes.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photograph by: Andy Hone/ LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures
Winner – Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli retains prompting revisions to the historical past books after being the first-ever driver to open his win account with 4 consecutive grand prix wins. The 19-year-old continues to impress this 12 months together with his maturity, you do not want us to inform you that. However what’s particularly intriguing is to see that course of happen in real-time.
This week’s class in his crash course on learn how to change into a world champion taught {the teenager} what will probably be like racing his team-mate wheel-to-wheel this 12 months. In Saturday’s dash, Antonelli appeared stunned at how forcefully Russell defended his place, which after the streak Antonelli is on shouldn’t be a shock. There was no such naivety on Sunday as he and Russell traded the lead in an absorbing duel, just for Russell to drop out with engine bother.
Loser – George Russell
That now opens up a 43-point hole within the standings, which shifts the tide towards Antonelli on a circuit that’s considered one of Russell’s favourites. It is nonetheless very early with 17 rounds to go, as final season’s title battle confirmed us. However 43 factors is beginning to exceed the “good to have” bracket and feels important as early as Could.
Russell did what he needed to do by successful the dash, and he was main Antonelli when he disappeared from Sunday’s race. So, given the momentum that had been swinging in direction of his youthful team-mate, you possibly can perceive his crestfallen response as he threw away his headrest, an motion he apologised for and for which he was handed a suspended 5,000 euro superb.
George Russell, Mercedes
Photograph by: Brett Farmer / LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures
Winner – Lewis Hamilton
Amid all of the hoopla round how a lot simulator work Lewis Hamilton does or does not do, it seems his finest two outcomes of the 12 months have are available in China and Canada – two weekends Hamilton determined to forgo a digital prep spherical. That does not imply Hamilton does not do any sim work in any respect, as he typically heads in post-weekend to assessment what he might have completed higher, equivalent to after Japan the place he wasn’t deploying his power in addition to team-mate Charles Leclerc.
A person with 20 years of F1 expertise and 7 world titles in all probability is aware of what works for him by now, and he actually discovered what labored in Montreal as he got here out on prime what he hailed as an pleasing cat-and-mouse recreation with Max Verstappen.
That is in all probability the very best – and the happiest – Hamilton has appeared in pink.
Loser – Alex Albon
When your season has been derailed by a troubled improvement and manufacturing schedule that left the staff on the again foot, you typically simply want a fortunate break. In Canada, the alternative occurred with Alex Albon, who suffered an unlucky encounter with a groundhog on Friday and was taken out of the race by Oscar Piastri on the hairpin.
Given the excessive attrition in Montreal, that robbed Albon of a clear-cut scoring alternative so as to add to his two factors collected in Melbourne and Miami.
Albon’s 2026 season feels cursed proper now, however the silver lining is that he is going via it whereas the Williams staff is struggling for tempo earlier than deliberate aero improvement and weight financial savings arrive to enhance the automobile.
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Photograph by: Andrej Ivanov / AFP through Getty Pictures
Winner – Franco Colapinto
Whether or not it’s right down to Alpine’s upgrades or not, no matter staff Enstone has completed to make Franco Colapinto extra comfy within the 2026 automobile has labored, as he backed up a career-best seventh in Miami with one other career-best sixth in Montreal.
Group-mate Pierre Gasly struggled, for causes which Alpine continues to be wanting into, though attrition nonetheless allowed him to financial institution factors on Sunday. In distinction, Colapinto has been firing on all cylinders and that is regardless of solely doing one lap of free observe in Canada’s dash weekend, which put the Argentine on the again foot. Having stated that, the 22-year-old was fortunate to get away with going off at pit exit on chilly onerous tyres and tapping the boundaries.
Coming into the 12 months, it felt like Colapinto was going to be on a brief leash with staff advisor Flavio Briatore. Over the month of Could he has constructed up some a lot wanted credit score heading into the European a part of the season.
Talking to us after the race, staff boss Steve Nielsen summed it up finest: “I am unable to faux I do know what’s modified with Franco, however no matter it’s, let’s hold going…”
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