The first win of the year of Silver Arrow was supported by its crook driver Kimi Antonally, who finished third to score her first Formula 1 Podium Finnish.
George Russell on Sunday scored his first win and Mercedes first win in the Canadian Grand Prix in 1-3 to 3 finish for silver arrows.
Happiness for Mercedes, disappointment for McLaren
Britain claimed a four -time world champion Max Verustapen for 0.228 seconds under a security car to claim his fourth career victory with his teenage team partner Kimi Antonally.
Italian crooks became the third youngest podium finisher in Formula One History, showing the championship leader Oscar Piastry protesting late intense pressure, who survived a conflict with team fellow Lando Noris in fourth place.
It ensured that he extended his lead in the standing of drivers 22 points from Noris, which crashed at 67 out of 70 lap races, he broke his front wing as he tried to pass directly.
“Yes, forgive me,” Noris said about his accident. “All this is my bad, all my mistake. Inauspicious, forgive me. Stupid to me.”
Charles Lakeler finished fifth from Ferrari team partner Lewis Hamilton, Eston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Saubar’s Nico Hulcanberg.
Estabon Okon finished ninth for Has, beyond Williams’ Carlos Sainz, marking his 200th race with a solid point.
Russell was happy to give his team’s first win since the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year.
“It’s amazing to come back to the top step. The last time was Vegas and felt here last year that it had lost a win. But today we clearly won for that incredible pole lap and I am very happy to see the km on the podium too.”
Verustapane was hurry to greet both Mercedes drivers.
“It was a very good race, although we were struggling on tires in the first two stents. We had an aggressive strategy and we managed to hang there. And it was maximum possible for us today.”
Antoneley was greeted enthusiastically by a large crowd, as he took his name to a podium place.
“It was very stressful,” he said. “But I’m super happy! I had a good start, managed to jump into P3, and just stopped in front. I am very happy to bring this podium home.”
Race in detail
The top six were on all mediums. When the lights went out, Russell reacted the fastest to draw clearly, while Antoneley passed the third place to pass the piastry.
Vastapane sticking to Russell’s early pace, staying within a second of her during the first five laps, and three clear Antoneley, as she tried to put her under pressure, but by lap intake, Mercedes was clear 1.5 seconds.
By lap 10, it was two seconds because Dutchman made it easy for Hards to save his tires before getting up early on lap 13. This promoted Antoneley P2 behind Russell with Piastry in third place from Hamilton, Noris and Alonso.
Verustapane finished ninth because Russell reacted and beat, returning to seventh position before Antonally, a McLaren, leaving the piastry’s leading Noris in 1-2, before leading to Lap 15.
Piastry stood on Lap 17 for Hards, gifting Noris and took the lead after going to seventh place on Hardes.
After a quick onset, Hamilton stood on lap 16 and came to 10th position in traffic, reporting damage to his car, which delayed his discovery before Russell, was swept away by Lap 26, in the rear of Lakeler for the other.
Two laps later, Lakeler beat up for more hards after Noris, who took the mediums. “I don’t understand this option,” Lakeler complained, knowing that he had to pits again.
All of this restored Russell and Verustapane to charge Antonally and Piastry in fifth to charge in the fifth, which was ahead of two Ferrari.
The verstappen was again early to the pit, lap 37, but passed the Antoneley with a fast out-lap, as Mercedes gave a futile reply to the red bull under-cut and started another stop.
Only five seconds separated the top four as they started a fierce final 10-lips dash for the flag, resulting in a wheel-to-wheel for the fourth place near the McLerance end, when Noris hit his team-mat car and got out of the race.
“I have not really seen this incident, so I don’t know what has really happened, but if the lands have taken full responsibility, then how it goes,” said Piastry.
“It was normally a bit of a difficult race and did not have an ideal finish.”
Noris said, “No one is guilty, but I blame myself, so I apologize to the entire team and Oscar and also make some very silly efforts.