The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix delivered a dramatic duel between the McLarens, tense battles throughout the field and a race that ultimately ended under safety car conditions.
The race remains one of the standout events on the Formula One calendar, and Sunday's race lived up to that billing. Here are the key talking points from a chaotic weekend of racing.
Russell rules in Montreal
From lights out to the chequered flag, it was a commanding performance and arguably one of George Russell’s finest weekends yet – if not his very best.
It all started when the British driver produced a sensational lap to beat Max Verstappen by 0.160 seconds to clinch pole position in a dramatic conclusion to qualifying.
With no love lost between the rivals, a potential showdown on Sunday dominated headlines – especially after Russell cheekily stirred the pot, quipping: “I’ve got a few more points on my licence to play with.”
Verstappen, currently has 11 penalty points on his FIA super licence, and is just one point away from triggering an automatic one-race suspension. His tally rose after being handed three penalty points for a collision with Russell in Barcelona.
However, Russell executed the ideal launch, reacting sharply and left Verstappen trailing. The Dutchman was able to apply some pressure, but his pace eventually dropped off.
Mercedes' recent tyre troubles appeared to fade, as Russell managed them with precision en route to his first Grand Prix victory of the season. He capped it off by setting the fastest lap of the race – the perfect end to a flawless weekend.
Russell said: “I’d love to get our hopes up, but I think the strength of our car is in these cooler conditions. Let’s see going into the upcoming races, but we’ll just enjoy it for now.”
This was an important win given Russell's contract is set to expire at the end of the season. “He’s giving us all the reasons to [extend] quickly,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. “We know what he’s capable of doing and he has been leading this team now since a while. He has the pace and the right attitude.”
McLarens implode
A late collision between the two McLarens brought an end to the team’s impressive run of eight consecutive podiums.
It was a difficult weekend for Lando Norris, whose form remains inconsistent. In qualifying, he underperformed, securing only P7 despite driving what many consider the fastest car in the field. He admitted to pushing too hard – it's becoming a habit, and a costly one.
In the closing stages of the race, Norris found himself behind teammate Oscar Piastri. With both allowed to race, it sparked an exciting duel. Norris briefly got ahead with a move at the hairpin, but Piastri reclaimed the position into Turn 13 as the battle for fourth heated up. On the pit straight, Piastri maintained his line while Norris, desperate to get back in front, misjudged the space and made contact, crashing out and triggering the safety car.
Speaking over the radio, Norris immediately acknowledged his mistake. “I'm sorry. It's all my bad, all my fault. Unlucky, sorry. Stupid from me.”
Struggling to manage the pressure effectively, Norris will need to regroup and find the consistency expected of someone with his level of talent. Fortunately, Piastri was able to continue after the incident and secured a P4 finish, extending his lead at the top of the championship to 22 points.
Antonelli bounces back
While the weekend belonged to his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli drove a remarkable race to become the third-youngest podium finisher of all time behind Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll.
Starting the race in P4, the 18-year-old Italian managed to overtake Piastri at the start to set him up for a strong effort. With the McLarens behind him and closing in, Antonelli stayed calm and the subsequent collision helped him secure P3 and some well-earned celebrations.
“On the last stint I pushed a bit too hard behind Max and I killed the front left a bit,” Antonelli said. “I struggled at the end, but really happy to bring the podium home.”
It was a memorable performance from the young driver after a difficult run of form. Following retirements at both his home Grand Prix in Imola and in Spain – and a disappointing 18th-place finish in Monaco – Antonelli bounced back in style.
Vasseur's denials, Hamilton's road kill
Ferrari arrived in Canada under a cloud, forced to deny reports from the Italian media suggesting that team principal Fred Vasseur was on the brink of leaving. Corriere della Sera even named a potential successor, claiming Ferrari would be interested in Antonello Coletta, the global head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti.
To add to the tension, there were rumours that both drivers were unhappy. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton rejected the claims. In response to the speculation, Hamilton said: “It’s definitely not nice to hear that there are stories like that out there. Firstly, I love working with Fred – Fred’s the main reason I’m in this team and got the opportunity to be here, for which I’m forever grateful for, and we’re in this together.”
Nonetheless, one fact remains clear: Ferrari are underperforming. The weekend marked another disappointing outing for the Scuderia. Many had tipped Ferrari to be genuine contenders this season, but with zero Grand Prix wins and just three podiums so far, they have failed to build on the momentum of last year, when they finished as runners-up in the constructors’ championship, just 16 points behind McLaren.
On Sunday, Leclerc and Hamilton finished in P5 and P6, respectively. Hamilton picked up damage in lap 13 (he ran over an animal believed to be a marmot), damaging the floor of the car.
“It was feeling pretty decent up until then,” he told Sky Sports. “I got a good start, held position, I was holding on to the group, I was managing the tyres well, so I was feeling optimistic.”
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 523hp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh469,000
Analysis
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A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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MATCH INFO
Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
Brief scores:
Barcelona 3
Pique 38', Messi 51 (pen), Suarez 82'
Rayo Vallecano 1
De Tomas Gomez 24'
Men from Barca's class of 99
Crystal Palace - Frank de Boer
Everton - Ronald Koeman
Manchester City - Pep Guardiola
Manchester United - Jose Mourinho
Southampton - Mauricio Pellegrino
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
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Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
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Torque: 250Nm
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
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HAJJAN
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
