Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing equaled Ayrton Senna’s career total of 41 victories with a dominant performance at the Canadian Grand Prix. This marked Verstappen’s sixth win in eight races this season, extending his lead in the championship by 69 points. The victory also marked the 100th win for the Red Bull team.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso showcased his racing prowess by overtaking Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes on the track, securing a hard-fought third place finish. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc showcased resilience as he climbed from an 11th place qualifying position to secure fourth place.
Verstappen’s winning margin of 9.5 seconds was the narrowest Red Bull has had over another team this season, providing encouragement to the chasing competitors. It was evident that Verstappen, at 25 years old, did not need to push himself to the limit and could have potentially won by a greater margin.
Verstappen’s achievement of matching Senna’s career victories at a much younger age emphasizes his and Red Bull’s dominance in Formula 1 over the past two seasons. It raises the question of how far Verstappen’s career statistics may go, as he is currently only surpassed by Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, and Hamilton in terms of victories. Prost’s record of 51 wins and even Vettel’s 54 wins may be within reach for Verstappen this season, depending on his continued dominance.
Starting from a brilliant pole position secured in wet conditions, Verstappen converted his advantage into a lead at the first corner and maintained control throughout the race, carefully managing his pace amidst intense battles behind him.
The race featured a captivating fight between legends as Hamilton started third, one position behind Alonso. Hamilton eventually overtook the Aston Martin at the first corner, but Alonso closely trailed the Mercedes, occasionally pressuring him down the back straight before the final chicane.
Following a safety car period caused by a collision involving the second Mercedes driver, George Russell, Alonso intensified his challenge on Hamilton. On lap 23, Alonso executed a move into the final chicane, securing third place.
In the subsequent laps, Alonso gradually increased his lead over Hamilton. Despite Hamilton switching to medium tires during his second pit stop while Alonso remained on the hard compound they had used in their second stint, the seven-time champion could not close the gap on his old rival.
Toward the end of the race, Hamilton was informed that Alonso appeared to be dealing with a rear brake issue. While Hamilton made an effort to close the gap, Alonso reestablished his lead, solidifying an all-star podium featuring the three prominent figures in Formula 1.
