George Russell didn’t just win the Canadian Grand Prix—he flipped the script. From the moment the lights went out in Montreal, he seized control. Holding off Max Verstappen with calm precision, Russell delivered a flawless pole-to-flag drive. It was his first victory of the 2025 season and, more significantly, a moment of personal redemption after last year’s bitter third-place finish on the same track.
“Last year, I let the team down,” Russell admitted after the race. “But I’m in a different place now. I feel like I’m driving better than ever.” That wasn’t just post-race bravado. He looked composed, methodical, and locked in from start to finish—even with a mid-race safety car reshuffling the grid and a failed Red Bull protest looming overhead.
More importantly, the win reminded everyone that George Russell and Mercedes are still part of this championship conversation. While he currently sits fourth in the standings—62 points behind leader Oscar Piastri—he now has five podiums under his belt and momentum on his side.
Meanwhile, McLaren continued to crack under pressure. Despite having the grid’s strongest car on paper, the team self-sabotaged once again. Midway through the race, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided, knocking Norris out completely and handing Russell a cleaner path to victory.
“I don’t know how Max and I are still close to those two,” Russell said. “But I can’t imagine they’ll keep throwing points away like this”
That said, Russell’s performance wasn’t a fluke. Mercedes looked at home on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which played to the W15’s strengths: smooth tarmac, tight corners, and low-speed traction. The team’s pace was real—and Russell’s execution was even sharper.
Mercedes’ day got even better when 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli clinched his first Formula 1 podium with a third-place finish. At just 18 years and 294 days, he becomes the third-youngest driver in F1 history to stand on the podium—behind only Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll.
“It was stressful, but I’m super happy,” Antonelli said, smiling wide. “I probably pushed a bit too hard in the final stint, but the car felt amazing”
With both drivers firing, Mercedes suddenly feels dangerous again. The team hasn’t declared a comeback—but they don’t need to. Their results are speaking for themselves. Austria’s Red Bull Ring will present a new set of challenges, but Russell seems more than ready for it.
“I’m not going to sit here and say Mercedes is back,” he said. “But I know where I need to improve. And this win? It’s just the beginning”
Off-track, contract talks still linger in the background. However, there’s no panic inside the Mercedes garage. Team Principal Toto Wolff made that clear:
“The ambience in the team is great. We’ve agreed on a timeline. We’re going to get there”
If George Russell keeps driving like this, Mercedes might want to get there even faster.
