NewsBite

F1 live Canada Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins as Daniel Ricciardo endures tough day

An incredible race in Canada saw Max Verstappen tighten his grip on a second world title, but Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren endured another nightmare because of a pit stop blunder.

Emily Benammar
7 min read
June 20, 2022 - 12:13PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JUNE 18: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JUNE 18: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia

An incredible race in Canada saw Max Verstappen tighten his grip on a second world title, but Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren endured another nightmare because of a pit stop blunder.

“You drove like a champion today mate,” Red Bull told Verstappen over the radio after the Dutchman staved off an incessant threat from Carlos Sainz who finished second.

It was a day of mixed fortunes for his teammate Charles Leclerc who - who having started at the back of the grid after new engine components - drove from 19th to fifth.

But Leclerc also fell victim to his team's poor decisions and pit stop issues.

And he wasn’t the only one, McLaren’s pit crews opting to double stack their drivers with Ricciardo a couple of seconds slow because the front right wouldn’t come off but Lando Norris lost almost eight seconds on his stop.

“It was not a well polished race,” Ricciardo said afterwards in either the understatement of the weekend of a bid to remain as diplomatic as possible.

“We were just not really quick today, we were struggling for some pace and then we had to manage a few issues a well so not being able to push and attack put us too far out of the battle for points.

“Simply not a very fast-paced race for us.

“Pushing 100 per cent we could just hang on to top 10 but once we start to manage temperatures and things like this, it put us out of the fight. Would love to have had a better race but we simply just weren’t quick enough.”

The Australian finished 11th with Norris 15th.

McLaren boss Zak Brown was less delicate.

“A weekend to forget, but a weekend to learn from,” he tweeted. “We didn’t deliver the performance our drivers and fans deserve, but we’ll keep our heads up and come back fighting at Silverstone.”

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving
Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

Unfortunately for McLaren a pit stop strategy during a virtual safety car backfired.

Opting to “double stack” the cars after Mick Schumacher’s race ended on the 20th lap, both came in one after the other and Norris paid the price.

“McLaren had an unusually bad day for them,” F1 pundit Ted Kravitz said.

“No points scored. Norris is 15th and down on power because he had to swap out for an old engine.

“That was not a good day for McLaren.

“They were effectively stacking, I don’t think the tyres were ready for Lando.

“He lost about six or seven or eight seconds.”

Mclaren said after the race they would be investigating the blunder.

LEWIS SMILING AGAIN

Incredibly, having struggled to even get out of the car in Baku a week ago because of the pain he endured in the car, Lewis Hamilton secured a podium place for the first time this season.

There were a number of hard luck stories in Montreal, Sergio Perez retired after 10 laps, Mick Schumacher was also forced to retire meaning he missed out on his first points in F1 and Fernando Alonso will be furious after starting second and somehow finishing behind his teammate.

Race winner Max Verstappen
Race winner Max Verstappen

Ricciardo finished 11th and his teammate Lando Norris 15th.

“They were quick in the race (Ferrari), it was very exciting at the end, I gave it everything I had,” Verstappen said afterwards.

“This year we seem quick on the straights. The safety car mean they had fresh tyres but I prefer defending than attacking.”

Verstappen is now 46 points out in front in the driver standings - the same points difference by which he once trailed Leclerc.

In what has been a hellish season for Hamilton, the seven time world champion was overcome to have finally finished in the top 3.

“It’s quite overwhelming to get this third place, it’s been such a battle this year, but we continue to stay so vigilant and focused,” he said.

“They’re a little bit too fast for us at the moment but we’re getting closer, so we gotta keep pushing!”

“It was not comfortable at all in the last 10 laps,” Christian Horner said after the race.

“We lost communication with the car - he could hear us we couldn’t hear him.

“Max was clinical today, a very impressive drive.”

Silverstone is next up in a fortnight’s time and Mercedes will be hoping to continue this show of form for both their drivers’ home race.

Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium
Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium

“I would think before the safety car came towards the end we had good signs, we need to keep working on the car,” Toto Wolff said afterwards.

“We need to develop the car more, we had it really low on the ground and clearly that doesn’t function. We own the problems and we have to fix it.

“Before we embark on 2023 we have to know the problem. The lower the car the faster you go they say but you can’t drive the car there.

“The more you raise the more performance you lose.

Wolff confirmed the Mercedes had been raised for this race amid fears Hamilton would have to sit out the weekend.

“It’s super to see him smile, I’m so happy for Lewis,” Wolff said.

“I think yeah (can win at Silverstone). We are back in the championship fight.”

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

LAP 67

Can’t help but think Sainz’s best opportunity has gone begging. He came close on lap 64 shortly after the SC came in but Verstappen is driving very smart.

Ricciardo has dropped out of the points to Stroll - which is not a sentence I thought I would write

LAP 60 VERSTAPPEN LEADS

The battle for first is insane, Sainz is creeping closer and closer to to the Red Bull. The other Ferrari is up to 6th, the Mercedes duo and Ocon between them.

Further back, Ricciardo has snuck into the points for now, he just made a move on Vettel for 10th.

Radio messages suggest an epic weekend for Alonso might be in some trouble.

LAP 53 WHAT’S UP WITH RICC?

Mclaren and Ricc on the radio suggests the car is not handling well and his P11 is a result of this. Worse still is his teammate Norris stuck back in 17. Not their day but a chance for the Aussie to sneak some points.

A warning up front for the Red Bull and Ferrari drivers “Hamilton has pace”. When did we last hear that said? Just imagine, Hamilton not only on the podium but winning? This is Canada, anything can happen.

Safety car coming in soon.

LAP 49 SAFETY CAR

This could transform the race. Tsunoda’s race is over. Locked up and went off just after the pitlane entrance.

This is miraculous for Sainz’s race as well as Bottas who hasn’t pitted yet.

So that’s a third car out and it’s indicative of the kind of race Tsunoda was having to be honest.

Crucially, Sainz pitting now could mean his tyres are good enough to actually beat Verstappen.

The end of this race could be insane.

LAP 45 - SAINZ LEADS

Ferrari need a word with themselves their strategy is all over the place and having just pitted Leclerc they could not have made a worse call. In fairness not the strategist’s fault, there was a window, but not for the first time today they pit crew were caught napping and the delay in the garage has forced their driver behind some terible traffic.

Remember the Melbourne GP when we all said Leclerc was gonna win the title, jeeez that feels a long time ago.

Leclerc riding 10th.

LAP 37

Leclerc has finally found second gear and he is up to 6th but sounds rather unimpressed on his radio - who can blame him, it’s taken his team half a race to get their sh*t together.

Funny story, remember when Mercedes said this car was undriveable? Hamilton currently driving a terrible car to a podium spot. Long way to go of course but man this Mercedes is unpredictable.

1-10 VER. SAI, HAM, RUS, OCO, LEC, ALO, BOT, STR, ZHO

LAP 33 - VERSTAPPEN LEADS

Some intriguing little battles starting to emerge. As things stand, the Mercedes bosses are going to have to make a call towards the end of this race: let them at each other or team orders? Hamilton currently third and Russell fourth - VSC pits really played into George’s favour.

Further back this is a disaster for McLaren who are riding 12th and 17th (Norris).

Alonso looks to be struggling with his new tyres - having been in second he is back in 7th.

And out of nowhere, Lance Stroll is in the points!

LAP 20 DISASTER!

I don’t know what Mick Schumacher has to do to score a point in F1 but the poor bloke can’t catch a break, his race has just come to an end and the radio message was less than family friendly.

Mick was on course to record his first points ever in F1, poor guy.

Elsewhere the McLaren pit stops were nothing short of terrible. Ricciardo slow but Norris losing about 6-8 seconds.

VERSTAPPEN BACK IN FRONT

LAP 14 - SAINZ LEADS

It’s Red Bull’s fourth DNF of the season relating to reliability issues. here’s what Christian Horner had to say:

“It’s always a concern but we have to get our head down and do what we can with Max.”

Tyres are in all sorts all over the track. Leclerc is making barely any progress from the back, Alonso is struggling and so too Russell.

1-10 SAIN, ALO, VER, RUS, HAM, OCO, MSC, ZGO, RIC, ALB

LAP 11 SAINZ LEADS

Not often you write this season that Carlos Sainz is leading a race but Verstappen took the chance for an early pit with the VSC. Bozarrely not many others did - perhaps they’re expecting more.

Ricciardo is driving 9th for now

Originally published as F1 live Canada Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins as Daniel Ricciardo endures tough day

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/f1-live-canada-grand-prix-candaniel-ricciardo-continue-turnaround-in-luck/news-story/2bbccc55cb8a6d923ab30cc4b72eb7fe