George Russell celebrated a remarkable comeback after a disappointing triple header by taking pole and victory in the F1 Canadian GP.
After a strong start to the season that saw Russell step on the podium on a few occasions, the Briton recently experienced a few setbacks in terms of results.
Not put down by recent results, Russell arrived at the Canadian GP knowing the potential for victory.
Russell was confident about his chances ahead of the GP
In the FIA press conference following the GP, Russell noted that scoring pole on Saturday was key to his success.
“Yeah, it’s been great to get the win and, you know, seeing Kimi up here as well on the podium.
“Really, really pleased for him.
“And, you know, as a team, we’ve been performing so well this year.
“Up until the last triple header, we’d maximised every single race weekend, whether, you know, that was the P2 in Bahrain or the other podiums we had.
“But coming into Canada, we knew we did have the potential to fight for pole and for the race win, and, ultimately, it came down to that quali lap yesterday.
“There was obviously not much movement in terms of positions shuffling around but really pleased with the job.”
Tyres worked better than expected.
The Canadian GP is widely known for its capricious weather. This time around, the grid was greeted by sizzling heat, which posed a particular challenge for the tyres.
Once again, Pirelli brought the softest compounds, which held surprisingly firm given the high temperatures this weekend.
Russell believes the smoothness of the asphalt contributed to the unexpectedly low overheating rate observed in the race.
“I was, to be honest.
“There wasn’t much tyre overheating even though it was hot. It’s a very smooth tarmac here in Canada.
“There are quite low-speed corners, so the tyres aren’t under much stress.
“I think we expected a bit more tyre overheating considering the track temperature, but we’re under no illusions that this really suited the strengths of our car the same way as it did last year.
“But for the majority of the circuits, we know it’s a bit of a challenge, and that’s why this is the first weekend both of us are on the podium.
“But it’s great to see that when we get that chance, we take it.
Verstappen threat
While the tyres were of little concern, the front row in the F1 Canadian GP promised excitement.
Polesitter Russell was lined up next to Max Verstappen, with whom he clashed in Spain two weeks ago.
The duo remained close throughout the majority of the race but kept it clean this time around.
Russell notes that his focus was on maximising his result rather than his previous encounter with Verstappen.
Despite pressure from Verstappen, the Briton kept his cool and claimed the victory.
With Antonelli claiming the last podium spot, Mercedes scored its seasonal best result.
‘A good day,’ Russell summarised after the Canadian GP.
“No. Not really.
“To be honest, for the last couple of weeks, obviously, there’s lots of noise going on, after what happened in Spain as well.
“But from my side, you put it to one side, and you know that if you make a good start, you get into a groove.
“I knew I had potentially the fastest car today, you’ve got to dial into that and put all of the additional noise to one side.
“And, of course, it was a bit challenging at points when you had Charles and Lando on the offset strategy, and they were kind of getting in our way.
“But as soon as I had clear air, I could comfortably pull the gap out.
“It wasn’t dead easy, but I felt confident in myself and the car.
“I was keeping a close eye on how Kimi was getting on, and on the TVs, and seeing Lando and Oscar closing down.
“But, no, it was a good day, and I feel proud of myself, feel proud of the team, especially after this time 12 months ago when it was a victory lost.”
Confidence in con
Russell’s Mercedes contract is due to expire at year’s end.
This leaves the Canadian GP winner without a seat for the upcoming 2026 season.
Although he hasn’t signed a contract for 2026, the Briton is not overly concerned about his F1 future.
“It doesn’t hurt! It doesn’t hurt at all,” Russell says, referring to the race win, which puts him in an advantageous position for his contract negotiations.
The Briton feels like he is showing great form this season and is well prepared for a future title fight.
“But, you know, as I’ve said many times, I’m not concerned at all about next year.
“I know I’m going to be on the grid next year.
“I feel that I’m driving better than ever.
“I still feel I’ve got more in the tank.
“I feel ready to fight for a world championship, and I think results like today, results like Bahrain this year, when we got half a chance of a good result, we’re there to take it.
“And I’m pretty relaxed.
“Just enjoying the moment, enjoying my racing, and just taking it week by week.”
