The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve threw all conditions at the drivers during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Who best rose to the challenge? Here’s the RaceFans verdict on the field.
Lewis Hamilton – 7
Qualified: 4th (+4 places ahead of team mate) -0.666s quicker than team mate in Q3 Finished: 3rd (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- Tested more experimental set ups in practice, described car on Friday as “disaster”
- Secured season-best grid position of fourth after staying on intermediates
- Held fourth at the start, running there until pitting for hards under first Virtual Safety Car
- Passed Alonso for third place, but slowly began dropping back in second stint
- Pitted for a second set of hards on lap 44, losing one place to Russell and gaining back a lap later
- Could not challenge leaders after Safety Car restart but was quicker than team mate
- Crossed the line in third to claim first podium since Bahrain
George Russell – 6
Qualified: 8th (-4 places behind team mate) +0.666s slower than team mate in Q3 Finished: 4th (-1 place behind team mate)
- Faster than team mate in all three practice sessions
- Opted for a higher-downforce set up expecting less grip on Sunday after rain
- Took gamble on slicks in Q3 but spun at turn two in still wet conditions, falling to eighth on grid
- Gained one place from Schumacher on opening lap
- Overtook Ocon to take sixth on lap three, then passed Magnussen for fifth two laps later
- Stayed out under first VSC to run fourth, before pitting for hards a lap before second VSC to rejoin 11 seconds behind team mate
- Gradually began catching Hamilton at end of second stint, pitting at end of lap 45
- Pulled away from Ocon behind after SC restart but dropped back to finish five seconds adrift in fourth
Max Verstappen – 8
Verstappen contained the threatening Sainz Qualified: Pole (+12 places ahead of team mate) -9.381s quicker than team mate in Q2 Finished: Winner
- Fastest across both Friday sessions
- Quickest in all three phases of wet qualifying session to claim pole position
- Convincingly beat Alonso in sprint to turn one to hold the lead at the start
- Pulled around a three second gap to Sainz before pitting under first VSC, rejoining third on hards
- Drove by Alonso for second with DRS, then regained lead when Sainz pitted under second VSC
- Nine second lead slowly eroded in second stint until pitting for hards again on lap 43
- Regained lead of the race when Sainz pitted under Safety Car but lost driver-to-pit radio
- Absorbed consistent pressure for 15 laps from Sainz after restart to claim sixth win of the season
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Sergio Perez – 4
Qualified: 13th (-12 places behind team mate) +9.381s slower than team mate in Q2 Finished: Retired (Hydraulics – L8)
- Behind team mate in both Friday practices
- More than 1.5s slower than team mate in wet Q1 before crashing out of Q2 at turn three to start 13th
- Gained two places at the start to run 11th in early laps behind Zhou
- Moved to tenth when Magnussen was forced to pit at end of lap six
- Slowed to a stop having suffered a hydraulics failure, ending his race
Carlos Sainz Jnr – 7
Error on final Q3 lap cost Sainz Qualified: 3rd (+12 places ahead of team mate) -0.227s quicker than team mate in Q1 Finished: 2nd (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Regularly in the top three in practice and qualifying
- Claimed he lost half a second with final corner mistake on last Q3 lap after taking third on grid
- Held third at the start behind Alonso
- Overtook Alonso for second after DRS enabled on lap three
- Stayed out during first VSC and led before pitting for hards under second VSC on lap 20
- Slowly chipped away at Verstappen out front over second stint with fresher tyres
- Led again after Verstappen’s second stop and took advantage of Safety Car to pit for second set of hards
- Tried to pressure Verstappen for lead after restart but could not get close enough to try and pass
- Finished second, less than a second behind the winner
Charles Leclerc – 7
Qualified: 15th (-12 places behind team mate) +0.227s slower than team mate in Q1 Finished: 5th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Improved set up between first and second practice to end Friday second quickest
- Forced to start from back row of the grid after Ferrari strategically took new power unit
- Progressed into Q2 before calling a day on his qualifying
- Overtook Latifi on opening lap, then Gasly and Stroll over next two laps
- Continued to gain positions as cars ahead pitted, eventually rising as high as sixth
- Slow stop cost him around three seconds, putting him behind Ricciardo and Tsunoda
- Passed Ricciardo, Tsunoda and Zhou, then gained seventh with Bottas pitting under Safety Car
- Passed both Alpines after restart to finish fifth at the chequered flag
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Lando Norris – 5
Luck was not on Norris’s side Qualified: 14th (-5 places behind team mate) +0.430s slower than team mate in Q1 Finished: 15th (-4 places behind team mate)
- Slightly limited for running on Friday after mechanical problems
- Only just reached Q2 but was eliminated after power unit problems prevented him setting a time
- Started 14th and kept his position at the start
- Gained two places from Perez retiring and Magnussen having to pit for repairs
- Lost a place to Leclerc, then pitted under second VSC, but McLaren mix up dropped him last
- Passed Latifi but struggled to get by Albon
- Picked up a five-second time penalty for pit lane speeding
- Fell to 17th after second stop, which became 16th with Tsunoda’s crash
- Gained 15th passing struggling Magnussen, tried to pass Gasly in closing laps but could not
Daniel Ricciardo – 5
Qualified: 9th (+5 places ahead of team mate) -0.430s quicker than team mate in Q1 Finished: 11th (+4 places ahead of team mate)
- Squeezed into Q3 to take ninth on grid, but said he might have left two tenths on the table
- Held ninth place off the line but was passed by Zhou on lap four
- Did not pit under first VSC and remained ninth until pitting under second VSC
- Stuck at back of DRS train in middle stint but eventually passed Tsunoda for 11th
- Pitted for hards under Safety Car and passed Vettel with DRS on lap 57
- Overtaken by Stroll on lap 63, which would ultimately cost him the final point
Fernando Alonso – 8
A virtuoso performance in qualifying put Alonso on the front row Qualified: 2nd (+5 places ahead of team mate) -1.585s quicker than team mate in Q3 Finished: 9th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Ahead of team mate in every practice and qualifying session
- Topped wet third practice after running top five in both Friday sessions
- Secured front row start with final Q3 effort after ending each qualifying phase in second place
- Did not get as good a start as Verstappen, but held onto second place
- Passed by Sainz after DRS enabled on lap three
- Stayed out under first VSC, being passed by Verstappen who pitted
- Did not pit under second VSC, passed by Sainz and Hamilton
- Possible ERS problem around lap 20 cost him straight line speed for rest of race
- Eventually pitted for hards on lap 28, dropping him to seventh
- Pitted under Safety Car for mediums, but was passed by Leclerc for seventh on lap 58
- Held off constant pressure from Bottas in closing laps but penalty for weaving dropped him to ninth
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Esteban Ocon – 5
Qualified: 7th (-5 places behind team mate) +1.585s slower than team mate in Q3 Finished: 6th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Behind team mate in every practice and qualifying session
- Reached Q3 but was five grid places behind team mate in seventh
- Gained one place over Schumacher on opening lap before being passed by Russell to fall back to seventh
- Stayed out under first VSC and was passed by Hamilton on fresh tyres
- Ran sixth before pitting under second VSC, passing Bottas after race resumed
- Gained fifth when team mate eventually pitted, then had Leclerc on old tyres behind over 15 laps
- Pitted under Safety Car for mediums, retaining fifth
- Dropped to sixth after being passed by Leclerc at restart, eventually finishing there
Pierre Gasly – 4
Qualified: 16th (+4 places ahead of team mate) -2.083s quicker than team mate in Q1 Finished: 14th
- Ahead of team mate in every practice session
- Received fine for pit lane speeding in first practice
- Reprimanded for failing to stay to left of chicane bollard in second practice
- Admitted he was “not feeling great in the car” on Friday
- Suffered a brake issue in qualifying that saw him eliminated from Q1 in 16th
- Reprimanded for failing to stay to left of bollard at turn nine in qualifying
- Lost two positions on opening lap, then passed by Leclerc on lap two
- Pitted for hards on lap five, dropping to last
- Moved up to 13th before being passed by Vettel
- Pitted a second time for hards on lap 36, rejoining ahead of only Latifi
- Passed Magnussen after Safety Car to take 14th, then held off Norris to finish there
Yuki Tsunoda – 3
Tsunoda ended his day in a barrier Qualified: 20th (-4 places behind team mate) +2.083s slower than team mate in Q1 Finished: Retired (Crash – L48)
- Behind team mate in every practice session
- Multiple power unit penalties doomed him to the back of the grid
- Received fine for pit lane speeding on reconnaissance lap
- Gained one position on opening lap
- Pitted under first VSC for hard tyres, rejoining 15th
- Jumped to 11th after rivals ahead pitted under second VSC
- Spent 21 laps in DRS range of Zhou but could not get by
- Passed by Leclerc and Ricciardo before pitting on lap 47
- Crashed out leaving the pit lane, running straight into the barriers at pit exit
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Sebastian Vettel – 5
Qualified: 17th (+1 place ahead of team mate) -1.02s quicker than team mate in Q1 Finished: 12th (-2 places behind team mate)
- Reprimanded for failing to stay to left of chicane bollard in second practice
- Ran in top ten through all three practice sessions
- Eliminated in Q1 after mystifying loss of balance from third practice
- Gained one place over Gasly at start to run 15th
- Pitted for hards to find clear air on lap five before pitting again under second VSC
- Raced in 14th before passing Gasly for 13th
- Jumped to ninth after rivals pitted under Safety Car
- Struggled to keep cars behind on old tyres, losing places to Zhou, Ricciardo and Stroll
- Crossed the line in 12th under pressure from Albon
Lance Stroll – 6
After Q1 exit, Stroll salvaged a point Qualified: 18th (-1 place behind team mate) +1.02s slower than team mate in Q1 Finished: 10th (+2 places ahead of team mate)
- Reprimanded for failing to stay to left of chicane bollard in second practice
- Eliminated in Q1 behind team mate to line up 17th on grid
- Gained one place over Gasly on opening lap, passed by Leclerc on lap three
- Started on hards and stayed out under both VSCs to move up to ninth
- Headed DRS train of four cars, but did not allow Zhou to overtake him for 20 laps
- Finally pitted just before Safety Car was deployed on lap 47
- Restarted 13th, was waved past his team mate and used his fresh mediums to pass Magnussen and Ricciardo for the final point
Nicholas Latifi – 4
Qualified: 19th (-7 places behind team mate) +1.613s slower than team mate in Q1 Finished: 16th (-3 places behind team mate)
- Behind team mate in every practice and qualifying session
- Could not avoid hitting a groundhog in third practice which limited running
- Eliminated slowest of drivers to set representative times in Q1 to line up 18th
- Lost two places on opening lap to run in last place
- Pitted for hards under first VSC, rejoining ahead of Magnussen
- Overtaken by Magnussen, then Norris to fall to rear of the field
- Ran at the back before passing Magnussen on very old tyres after restart to finish 16th
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Alexander Albon – 6
As usual Albon was the quicker of the Williams drivers Qualified: 12th (+7 places ahead of team mate) -1.613s quicker than team mate in Q1 Finished: 13th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
- Ahead of team mate in every practice and qualifying session
- Reached Q2 but hit barrier at turn six, managing to recover back to pits and take 12th on the grid
- Held 12th at the start on medium tyres, staying out under first VSC
- Pitted for hards one lap before second VSC, costing him time to rivals around him
- Got stuck behind Magnussen, unable to pass him for 28 laps
- Pitted just before Safety Car to line up 15th at restart
- Overtook Gasly and Magnussen on lap 57
- Finished 13th, less than a second behind Vettel
Valtteri Bottas – 5
Qualified: 11th (-1 place behind team mate) +0.672s slower than team mate in Q2 Finished: 7th (+1 place ahead of team mate)
- Failed to set a time in second practice after electronics issue prevented running
- Eliminated in 11th in Q2 after being first over the line on drying track
- Started on hards but dropped two places on opening lap after missing chicane
- Shown black-and-white warning flag for hitting chicane bollard while rejoining the circuit
- Overtook Albon for tenth and stayed out under second VSC, moving to sixth
- Overtaken by Leclerc then ran eighth, gaining a place when Leclerc pitted
- Finally switched to mediums under Safety Car to line up eighth at restart
- Pressured Alonso in closing laps but could not find way by – in part due to the Alpine weaving
- Finished eighth on road but gained seventh after Alonso’s penalty
Zhou Guanyu – 6
Q3 and points on a solid weekend for Zhou Qualified: 10th (+1 place ahead of team mate) -0.672s quicker than team mate in Q2 Finished: 8th (-1 place behind team mate)
- Reprimanded for failing to stay to left of chicane bollard in qualifying
- Reached Q3 for first time in his career to secure tenth on grid
- Held tenth at the start before passing Ricciardo for ninth on lap four
- Stayed out under first VSC, then pitted for hards under second to fall to tenth
- Spent more than 20 laps within DRS range of Stroll but could not overtake
- Pitted a second time under Safety Car to line up tenth for restart
- Passed Vettel after DRS activated following restart to take ninth
- Finished ninth on the road but promoted to eighth with Alonso’s penalty to claim first points since debut
Mick Schumacher – 6
Qualified: 6th (-1 place behind team mate) +0.396s slower than team mate in Q3 Finished: Retired (Hydraulics – Lap 19)
- Comfortably reached Q3 to secure career-best sixth on grid behind team mate
- Lost two places at the start to run eighth in early laps
- Stayed out under VSC to run seventh under pressure from Zhou
- Suddenly forced to pull out of race at turn nine with hydraulics failure
Kevin Magnussen – 6
Magnussen felt black-and-orange flag was unnecessary Qualified: 5th (+1 place ahead of team mate) -0.396s quicker than team mate in Q3 Finished: 17th
- Got through to Q3 before taking best grid position of the season with fifth
- Held fifth at start but minor contact with Hamilton into turn three caused front wing endplate damage
- Forced by race control to replace front wing on lap seven, dropping him to last
- Used hard tyres to overtake Latifi for 18th
- Ran ahead of Albon, resisting sustained pressure from the Williams
- Stayed out under Safety Car to sit 12th for restart on very old tyres
- Overtaken by Stroll, Albon, Gasly and Norris in quick succession
- Passed by Latifi and continued to fade to finish last on the track in 17th
Over to you
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2022 Canadian Grand Prix
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