Antonelli leads Italy to podium: McLaren disappoints, Verstappen only rival for winner Russell

When Leclerc is given fresher tyres, it is still medium, it becomes difficult to think that over 70 laps he could have made a difference, especially with a one-stop strategy. It doesn't seem plausible to believe this with the medium, let alone the hard tyres he started the race with. Moreover, according to the regulations, which require the use of two different compounds for each race, such an option would not have been conceivable for any of the single-seaters.

Midway through the race, Verstappen was the first of the 20 drivers to re-enter for his second pit stop, replicating the initial strategy. This time, too, the team had verified that the gap to Kimi Antonelli had narrowed to a dangerous level. By lap 40 both had, therefore, already completed their second pit stop, maintaining their respective positions: a successful operation by a whisker, with the aim of securing the podium.

In the last stint nothing happened to turn the tables. The tracks of a Canadian test which, every time it is raced in the absence of precipitation, is shown to be a little monotonous, brought the expected results except for the aforementioned unforeseen Norris. On one side the discreetly impregnable Mercedes with an angry and stubborn Verstappen in the middle. On the wheel were the two McLarens, with Piastri at the front who needed to stay ahead of his box-mate to protect and increase the ten-point margin in the drivers' championship.

The two Ferraris followed, however, with Leclerc sixth and Hamilton seventh until the orange papatrac which allowed them both to move up one position (so and sixth to the chequered flag): yet the seven-time champion had qualified fifth by more than three tenths of a second in the decisive Q3. Another weekend that will be remembered as negative, but on the other hand there will probably be no significant surprises until the summer break. Adding to the gloom of the day is the consideration of the loss of second place in the constructors' championship to Mercedes: now trailing the three-pointed star by sixteen points. And for some, probably, the regret of not having trusted Antonelli at the right time.

The end of the race, as explained, was particularly nervous, not to say 'stupid' as the McLaren Englishman put it himself. When there were five laps to go, the two of them started to pummel each other, but they certainly weren't called Prost and Senna. And there were only two points at stake. After a bit of back-and-forth and failed overtaking attempts, Norris on lap 67, under full acceleration, touched Piastri's left rear end and crashed into the wall. Significant damage and a carbon shower on the straight ensues. Inevitably, the safety car comes on, effectively ending Sunday with a single-file finish, behind the usual Aston Martin that brought the smartest drivers on the catwalk. A rather unforgivable mistake that, according to the driver himself over the radio, he blames himself for. So from a ten-point disadvantage, the gap increased in Piastri's favour because Norris, with a retirement, did not take a single one.

Piastri was therefore lucky but will not have celebrated completely last night, as being overtaken by Antonelli at the start does not help his defence of the lead, considering Verstappen's recent progress.

Good thing Alonso finished seventh: a meagre consolation for the team manager with the maple leaf passport who continues to race a son who is turning out to be one of the worst drivers in decades.

On the other hand, Jacques Villeneuve had not even managed to win at home (but he did a second in 1996), and his father Gilles had only managed it once, in 1978.

Lance Stroll received a 10-second penalty in the Canadian Grand Prix after forcing Pierre Gasly off the circuit. Gasly claimed the penalty, which was given to Stroll. Stroll had however remained at the back of the field throughout the race.

Among the rumours from the paddock, Steve Nielsen's return to Briatore's team seems imminent, this time as team manager of Alpine. Despite a good sixth place finish among the teams in 2024, Oliver Oakes was sacked with immediate effect following a disastrous performance in Miami.

Finally, looking at the less conspicuous folds of last weekend, we can see that Haas celebrated the remarkable quota of 200 Grands Prix after debuting in 2016 but still remains without a podium finish: with Bearman and Ocon in 14th and 15th place, one could not hope for much yesterday either. However, looking at the constructors' standings, it is not bad at all to be able to play for sixth place with Racing Bulls Honda.

As many feared, the Imola Grand Prix fortuitously reintroduced 'thanks' to the cancellation of the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago, following the provisional publication of next year's schedule will be replaced by the Madrid GP, with reservations, as the circuit is still awaiting homologation. Stefano Domenicali, renewed by Liberty Media at the top of Formula 1 until 2029, reassured fans that the absence of Imola does not mean the end of his relationship with the premier class. He did, however, underline the challenges of hosting several races in a single country and the need for a different strategic approach. This, however, does not apply in the United States of America, where the beautiful Austin track has been joined by two less 'traditional' circuits, in Las Vegas and Miami. The latter in particular, with an armoured contract for a record duration already extended until 2041 to allow it to amortise the significant investments. Domenicali emphasised the importance of the rotation of historic circuits from 2027 and saw the exclusion of Imola as an opportunity to explore new possibilities, with at least a reference to the monumental track of Spa-Francorchamps.

With Amato Ferrari, after two successful years with the official team, came the third consecutive seal of approval for the prancing horse in the hypercar class with a crew led by none other than Robert Kubica. The 40-year-old Pole, who is also much loved in Italy thanks to his debut with Prema, which allowed him to learn the language at a very young age, is sadly known for having had a rallying accident at a time in his career when he had begun to shine in Formula 1. Despite a debilitating injury to his arm, he was able to show that he could briefly return to racing in the top series and win in several international categories, from rallying to endurance racing, excelling in particular in the European Le Mans Series 2021 and 2024, in the 2023 World Endurance Championship, and in the most beautiful seal, the legendary Le Mans victory a few hours earlier at the wheel of the number 83 Ferrari 499P together with Briton Philip Hanson and the surprising Chinese Ye Yifei (already champion in small formulae and continental LMS). On the podium of the ninety-third edition, in third place, with the only real rival in the long distance race (the #6 Porsche) also the #51 official Ferrari with Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pierguidi and James Calado, the same trio that brought the Maranello stable back to success in this mythical competition in 2023.