Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix after 'giving it everything' in Montreal

Red Bull driver controlled a tactical race from pole position and resisted intense late pressure from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to win by under a second with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton third

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Canada Formula 1 Grand Prix on June 19, 2022, at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. AFP

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen takes a turn at the Senna corner during the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. AP

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after finishing third at the Canada Formula 1 Grand Prix. AFP

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen crosses the finish to win the Canada Formula 1 Grand Prix. AFP

Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Reuters

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Canadian Grand Prix. AP

Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, centre, shares the podium with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, left, who finished ssecond, and third-place Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. AP

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen waves to the crowd after winning the Canadian Grand Prix. AP

Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz celebrates on the podium with Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton. AFP

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz celebrates after finishing second in the race. Reuters

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen speaks with Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz. AFP

Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz Jr arrives at the pits during the Canada Formula 1 Grand Prix. AFP

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton takes a turn at the Senna corner. AP

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton during a pit stop. Reuters

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates after taking third place. AP

World champion Max Verstappen increased his lead in the Formula One title race with a thrilling victory in a closely-fought Canadian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Red Bull driver controlled a tactical race from pole position through three safety car interventions and resisted intense late pressure from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to win by under a second.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who on Friday declared his car as "undriveable", finished third for Mercedes ahead of teammate George Russell in fourth.

Verstappen's sixth win of 2022 - the 26th of his career - hoisted him 46 points clear of his rivals in the championship.

"I was giving it everything," said Verstappen. "But so was Carlos. He was pushing, charging, pushing, charging. Naturally, it's easier to charge with DRS! I had fun today."

Sainz said: "We were quicker, faster all race, but it's difficult to overtake round here. I'm particularly happy with the race pace and with the pressure we put on Max."

Hamilton, a record seven-time winner in Montreal, cheered the big crowd - part of a weekend attendance of 338,000 - and said he was "overwhelmed to get third place. It's been quite a battle, but we've never given up. I've been inspired by my crew."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who started at the back of the grid after taking a penalty for a new engine, finished fifth ahead of Esteban Ocon of Alpine.

Valtteri Bottas and his Alfa Romeo teammate Zhou Guanyu were later promoted to seventh and eighth after Fernando Alonso in an Alpine was penalised five seconds for his defending against Bottas.

The Spaniard slipped to ninth with Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin.

After Saturday's deluge, the race began with a mixed-up 'wet' grid - with Leclerc, Perez and several others out of their normal race positions - as Verstappen made a clean start from his 15th pole position to take control.

Perez suffered ill-luck on lap nine when, battling in midfield after starting 13th, his Red Bull lost drive at Turn 13.

"I've lost the engine, man," he told the team as a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed and Verstappen and Hamilton pitted promptly to switch from mediums to hards.

Seeking his first F1 victory, Sainz pulled clear at the front as Verstappen eased past Alonso, with a DRS move, to take second by lap 18.

A second VSC on lap 20, when Mick Schumacher pulled up and retired at Turn 13 after his highest ever grid position of sixth. It appeared his Haas car had suffered a power failure.

Sainz also pitted, re-joining third ahead of Hamilton - with Verstappen back in the lead ahead of Alonso, who did not pit.

Alpine's reluctance to pit Alonso, still on his original mediums, resulted in Hamilton making an easy pass for third on lap 25.

The two-time champion finally came in after 29 laps and re-joined eighth behind Leclerc, who was struggling on old tyres to pass Ocon.

By mid-distance, Verstappen led Sainz by 7.5 seconds with Hamilton third, a further nine seconds adrift.

A lap later Verstappen made his second stop, emerging just behind Hamilton who pitted again on lap 45, gifting Russell third place, briefly, before he too came in.

Sainz led again, 7.5 seconds ahead of Verstappen, with 20 laps to go when Yuki Tsunoda crashed his Alpha Tauri at Turn Two and a full Safety Car was deployed.

Sainz pitted, followed by both Alpines and Bottas, all opting for mediums.

Verstappen regained the lead, but faced a close scrap with the Spaniard when the action resumed, after a 10-minute delay, with a final dash to the flag.