MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JUNE 9: George Russell, from Great Britain, driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W15 leads Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 and the rest of the pack at the start of the F1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
We entered the latest Formula 1 weekend in Montreal without knowing who would be the leader, that is, we were uncertain if Red Bull would face difficulties or not.
Based on the results in Monaco, Ferrari should have been considered the favorite, as their SF-24 performed exceptionally well on the curbs, allowing them to navigate the slow chicanes of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with ease. However, that was not the case.
McLaren downplayed their chances and kept their strategies secret until the end of qualifying and the race. As for Mercedes, they have consistently talked about the progress they have made, but we have become skeptical.
However, the team that has won the Constructors’ Championship eight times delivered this time. George Russell secured pole position, recording the same lap time as Max Verstappen, but doing it before him. It was truly captivating!
The race was thrilling, with the lead changing throughout the different stages of the race. Russell, Verstappen, and Lando Norris were all contenders, but in the end, the current Formula 1 champion emerged victorious.
Now, let’s analyze the key takeaways from the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix.
In Canada, it was surprising to witness the downfall of the Ferrari team, considering their recent triumph at the Monaco Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc secured victory from pole position in Monaco, with Carlos Sainz finishing third. However, Lando Norris played mind games by suggesting that Ferrari was the favorite in Canada. On paper, this seemed plausible, but it appears that the pressure got to them, resulting in a disastrous performance.
During the qualifying session, both Ferrari cars were eliminated in Q2, and their weak performance was evident even during practice. The race was supposed to be an opportunity for them to bounce back, but instead, Ferrari faced another setback. Leclerc was forced to retire due to power unit issues, while Sainz’s race also came to an end, along with Alex Albon’s, due to an error towards the end of the race.
It is not uncommon for F1 teams to have weekends like this, but the timing was unfortunate for Ferrari. Their strong performance in Monaco had narrowed the gap between them and Max Verstappen and Red Bull in both championships, increasing the pressure on the current champions. It would have been interesting to see how Ferrari would have responded. However, after Canada, Verstappen extended his lead over Leclerc. The next race in Barcelona is expected to favor Red Bull, as the track layout does not expose any weaknesses in their RB20 car. However, the season is long, with 9 out of 24 grand prix races remaining, so there is still hope for a fierce title battle.
Although the performance of the RB20 in Canada was not as bad as in Monaco, the Honda power unit caused problems for Verstappen, resulting in his absence for most of FP2. In addition, the unpredictable weather added to the challenge, with dry qualifying and a wet race. This made it difficult for the teams to set up the cars, but Red Bull managed to do so effectively.
Mercedes emerged as the fastest team in qualifying, but Verstappen did a good job securing second place on the grid alongside George Russell. The qualifying sessions were incredibly close, with Russell and Verstappen registering equal times, and Norris just 0.021s behind. The race ended up being decided by who made the fewest mistakes. Verstappen had a moment while chasing Russell early on, but he recovered and made smart decisions with guidance from the Red Bull pit wall. This resulted in his 60th victory as a three-time F1 champion.
In contrast, Norris lost his second win due to a strategic error. He stayed out on track for one more lap when the rest of the pack switched to slick tires. As a result, Verstappen’s tires, which had been changed earlier, were at the ideal temperature when Norris came out of the pits with cold tires. Verstappen was able to take advantage of this and secure the win.
This once again highlights that winning championships is not solely dependent on having the fastest car. The McLaren MCL38 was arguably the fastest car in Canada, but they did not come out victorious. Some may argue that the Safety Car did not favor Norris, as was the case in Miami, but such incidents are part of the sport, and teams must adapt accordingly. Red Bull demonstrated exceptional management of the Canadian GP, leading to their success.
A Mercedes arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix with fully updated vehicles for both Russell and Lewis Hamilton, surprising everyone by dominating the final practice session. This strong performance made them the favorites for pole position in qualifying.
Although Hamilton was faster than Russell in the third practice session, it was Russell who led the Mercedes charge in qualifying, securing the pole position while Hamilton could only manage seventh place.
As mentioned earlier, the outcome of the Canadian Grand Prix would largely depend on which driver made fewer mistakes. Unfortunately, Russell was unable to avoid errors this time. Despite being hailed as the future star of Mercedes after Hamilton’s departure, Russell still shows vulnerability in intense race conditions and often needs encouragement from team boss Toto Wolff to stay in control.
It is worth acknowledging that Russell has consistently outperformed Hamilton in qualifying since they became teammates. However, as the saying goes, points are only awarded at the end of the race. If Russell truly wants to take on the role of team leader at Mercedes, he needs to improve his performance during the actual races.
In his defense, Russell admitted that he could have done better, and Hamilton also acknowledged that he made many mistakes. However, admission alone is not enough; learning from these mistakes and seeking improvements are crucial.
The question for Mercedes is whether their strong performance in the Canadian Grand Prix was genuine or just a matter of luck. The truth will be revealed in the next race in Barcelona.
The Formula 1 Twitter account shared an impressive video of Williams driver Alex Albon executing an impressive double overtake during the Canadian Grand Prix.
© 2024
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