Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has claimed a thrilling Canadian F1 GP 2022 this Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal to extend his lead of the standings. A remarkable Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) was second.  

The Spaniard stood up to the World Champion right up to the final meters and claim the fastest lap but finish nine-tenths of a second behind Verstappen. 

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) completed the podium. The Briton, who just a day earlier had spoken very harshly about his car, achieved his second podium of the season after Bahrain ahead of teammate George Russell, fourth. Charles Leclerc gave yet another remarkable performance coming back from a nineteenth starting position to finish fifth. 

https://twitter.com/DAZN_ES/status/1538608628743032833

On its return to Montreal, Formula One has not disappointed with a very exciting race, There were no less than three virtual safety car periods and an actual safety car deployed and teams changed their one-pit to a two-pit strategy. 

All in all, a new master class from the flying Dutchman, who has claimed his sixth victory of the season (Saudi Arabia, Emilia-Romagna, Miami, Spain & Azerbaijan) and his 26th in Formula One. He now commands the driver’s standings with 175 points, 46 more than Checo Pérez, who retired on the ninth lap.  

Fernando Alonso, for his part, fell victim to the virtual safety car, finishing down in seventh place from a second starting position. 

UPDATED STANDINGS

Following a post-race penalty in Canada, the tables look like this#CanadianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Qglw1xz0CB

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 19, 2022

Verstappen holds on to the pole at the start  

Verstappen has kept his first place at the start of the Canadian GP 2022 followed by Alonso, Sainz and Hamilton. Completed the fourth lap, Verstappen escaped ahead with four seconds as he claimed one fast lap after another and Sainz passed his compatriot to second. 

On the ninth lap, Pérez retired due to a mechanical fault calling a virtual safety car period. Verstappen and Hamilton took advantage of the situation and pitted to mount hard tires. Sainz and Alonso, on the other hand, stayed on track leading the race with Verstappen behind in third.  

The virtual safety car concluded one lap after that. Sainz was then 4.6 seconds away from Alonso, who in turn had Verstappen hot on his heels 1.4 seconds behind. A few laps later the Dutch driver finally passed the Spaniard. 

After the 20th lap, the Hass of Mick Schumacher suffered another mechanical fault when he was running seventh, triggering the second virtual safety car period. Russell took the risk of entering the pits just before this was decreed. 

https://twitter.com/DAZN_ES/status/1538583936208498688

Moments later, Sainz also took the opportunity to mount hard compounds, Alonso, on the other hand, unlike his rivals, could not make his pit stop in time before the end of the Virtual Safety Car period. 

Back at the top of the race and Max was commanding the Canadian GP 2022 ahead of Alonso, Sainz and Hamilton. On lap 23, Carlos cleared Alonso and one turn later, the Englishman repeated the manoeuvre. 

By the halfway point of the Canadian GP 2022, Verstappen was in the lead, eight seconds ahead of Sainz. Behind them was Hamilton followed by his teammate Russell nine seconds behind. 

https://twitter.com/DAZN_ES/status/1538585038979182593

Verstappen and Sainz battle it out for the win 

After a foolish accident by Tsunoda on lap 49, the third period of VSC was decreed which shortly after gave way to an actual safety car. Sainz used this time to change his tyres again, re-joining the track in second, between Verstappen and Hamilton. Russell was now running fourth ahead of the Alpines of Ocon and Alonso. 

https://twitter.com/DAZN_ES/status/1538604006569717761

The safety car abandoned the track almost five laps later. At the restart, Max and Sainz, separated by less than a second, set a blistering pace. The Spaniard embarked on a brutal chase of his Dutch prey but he was unable to pass him and had to settle for second. One position below came Hamilton and his very deficient car.