Max Verstappen, Red Bull (P2): 9/10
Verstappen was never too far from the race lead, but also never looked like he could challenge for the victory in Canada. He simply didn’t have the car beneath him to mount an overtake on Russell out front, but did well to keep a charging Antonelli behind. The Dutchman also had his team to thank after the race for their pit strategy, getting him out on fresh tyres in clear air and just ahead of chasing drivers to avoid the overcut. Most importantly of all, Verstappen showed calmness and poise behind the wheel to bring in a great haul of points, even though victory wasn’t on the cards.
George Russell, Mercedes (P1): 10/10
It was an absolutely flawless weekend for Russell, who completed the race weekend hat-trick: pole position, race win and fastest lap. The Briton performed a brilliant launch of the line, keeping a usually aggressive Verstappen at bay. From that point onwards, Russell barely had to push himself to stay out front, only turning up the wick when Verstappen closed in within a couple of seconds of his Mercedes. A race win looked inevitable for Russell from the moment the five red lights went out; can he and Mercedes continue this great form into Austria in a fortnight’s time?
