Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix and will hope another win will come along in June. The month begins with the Canadian Grand Prix on the ninth but then the action moves to Europe with races in Spain and Austria.
Let’s look back at how the Brits have fared in Canada in recent years. Lewis Hamilton has won the Canadian Grand Prix on seven previous occasions.
Bookmakers aren’t giving short odds on an eighth triumph taking place on June 9, but offer some lucrative bonuses. It's been five years since the former world champion last won this race. That win made it four times in five years he’d been standing at the top of the podium and wasting champagne.
It was Sebastian Vettel who started the race on pole. Hamilton was second on the grid with the McLaren of Lando Norris down in eighth. George Russell was still driving for Williams and was knocked out in Q1 and finished 16th in the race.
Lewis Hamilton may have won the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix but it was a controversial victory as you’ll soon read. It was a Grand Prix that Lando Norris doesn’t have fond memories of. He was in eighth position on lap nine when having to retire. His McLaren had a broken right-rear suspension but just how had that happened?
It was later revealed that the brakes of his McLaren had overheated and caused a fire that burnt through the suspension. He won’t want that happening in June.
Vettel, Leclerc and Hamilton all led the race at one stage but it was Hamllton who ran out the winner. That was despite nearly hitting the outside wall on lap 48 as Vettel’s Ferrari made it back onto the track after ending up on the grass.
Vettel was given a five-second penalty for his actions. He finished first but with a lead of only 1.3 seconds over Hamilton, it was the British driver that was declared the winner and Vettel was far from pleased about that.
The COVID-19 pandemic meant no Grand Prix in Canada for two years
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there was no return to Canada for the next two years. In 2022, the F1 circus did make its return and by now Red Bull rather than Mercedes ruled the roost. Verstappen led the drivers’ championship by 21 points from teammate Sergio Perez.
There were mixed results for British drivers in qualifying. Lando Norris was unable to set a time and found himself eliminated in Q2. Lewis Hamilton qualified in fourth but George Russell was down in eighth.
He’d decided to use slick tyres on his final attempt in Q3 but his gamble didn’t pay off. Driving through a puddle at turn 2 wasn’t what he had intended and his Mercedes spun and went into the wall. He was able to continue but his dream of pole position was over.
The race proved to be another win for Verstappen, finishing ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr’s Ferrari. Mercedes had a good race (how they’d love that in June) with Hamilton in third and Russell fourth.
Hamilton had problems early on after Kevin Magnussen’s Haas made contact with his car but avoided serious damage. Lando Norris finished 15th and was given a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Verstappen won the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
Last year saw another win for Verstappen who had arrived in Canada with a 53-point lead at the top of the standings. With Red Bull 135 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, bookmakers were offering short odds on another win for Verstappen.
He was the quickest in Q1 but then rain began to affect the rest of qualifying. Hamilton was fourth fastest in Q3, one place ahead of George Russell with Norris in eighth. Both Hamilton and Russell were upgraded a place after Nico Hulkenberg was penalised three places after a red flag infringement.
In Sunday’s race, Hamilton tried his best to get past Verstappen who had qualified on pole. He eventually finished third behind Verstappen. That was the 100th Grand Prix win for Red Bull
George Russell was in fourth, despite hitting the wall on turn nine leading to his Mercedes needing a new front wing.
Lando Norris had more problems with a five-second penalty being imposed for unsportsmanlike behaviour. He’d slowed down while a safety car period was still in place.
Will British drivers do better in June’s Canadian Grand Prix? Norris hasn’t had the best of luck in previous races but looks to have the best chance of a podium finish.
Bookmakers remain convinced that it’ll be Verstappen who will win a third straight race in Canada but hopefully there’ll be some challenge from the British drivers.
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