The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix saw a fierce battle in its closing stages when McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided, forcing a safety car and ending Norris’s race prematurely in the barriers. Meanwhile, George Russell surged to his first win of the season by fending off Max Verstappen, maintaining the lead from the opening corner to the finish in Montreal. Verstappen took second place, while Kimi Antonelli thrilled spectators by achieving his first-ever Formula 1 podium in third.

Intense Rivalry Between McLaren Drivers Escalates in Montreal

The intense on-track rivalry between Norris and Piastri culminated in a collision as they vied for fourth place late in the race. Norris’s ambitious overtaking attempt on Piastri backfired, resulting in a crash that ended his day and seriously damaged his championship hopes. This clash highlighted the simmering tension within the McLaren camp, as the pair battle fiercely for supremacy and championship points.

Expert Insights Highlight Russell’s Rising Championship Prospects

Matt Hobkinson, Global Lead Editor for GPFans, expressed growing confidence in George Russell’s potential to clinch the 2025 world championship. Hobkinson praised Russell’s consistently outstanding performances and noted that, in a more dominant Mercedes, Russell might already be the primary focus this season. With 14 races left on the calendar, Hobkinson believes Russell is poised to prove he is a genuine title contender.

“George Russell can win the F1 title this year. I am running out of words for Russell in 2025. He is driving superbly week in, week out – and in a more dominant Mercedes car he would be the only driver we’d be talking about in 2025. We have all been waiting for a collision between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and Montreal delivered. More of that – which will inevitably come – along with continued consistency from Russell, and the Mercedes star will be waiting to swoop in. With 14 races left to go, Russell is ready to show the world he is world championship material.” —Matt Hobkinson, Global Lead Editor

McLaren’s Management of Team Rivalry Sparks Divided Opinions

F1 journalist Sheona Mountford acknowledged the drama brought by Norris and Piastri’s rivalry, recognizing both the risks and excitement it injects into the championship. While Norris’s crash significantly hampers his title challenge, Mountford supported the intense competition between teammates, arguing that it keeps Formula 1 engaging and avoids dull racing. She compared the dynamic to the famed Hamilton-Rosberg duels, suggesting that McLaren’s willingness to let their drivers race freely benefits the sport’s spectacle, even if it complicates their own ambitions.

“That’ll wake the groundhogs up! McLaren have managed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s rivalry perfectly. Yes, they crashed. Yes, they failed to get a podium in Montreal. Yes, Norris has seriously harmed his title chances. But, who wants to see F1 team-mates tip-toeing around each other in a championship fight? It should be messy out on track! Norris should be going for moves that do not exist because he wants that world title at any cost. The Canadian Grand Prix was brought alive by their battle on track – albeit a little late – in a similar vein to Lewis Hamilton versus Nico Rosberg. McLaren must allow Piastri and Norris to continue to freely race. Nightmare for them. Box office for us!” —Sheona Mountford, F1 Journalist

Pressure Appears to Affect Norris’s Championship Mindset

Chris Deeley, another F1 journalist, offered a more critical analysis of Norris’s mental approach under pressure. Deeley argued that despite Norris’s evident talent, he lacks the composure required for a sustained title challenge. Citing recent mistakes including an error during qualifying and the crash with Piastri, Deeley suggested Norris is not yet equipped to handle the intense scrutiny and expectation that come with a genuine championship fight.

“When Lando Norris was roaring back towards Max Verstappen in the championship back in August of last year, I told you all one thing. Lando Norris will never win a Formula 1 world championship. I’ve never been more sure of that assessment. As soon as he’s faced the pressure of true expectation this year, he’s driven like the slightly nervous young man he often looks like. In Saturday’s qualifying, it was an error on his first lap in the top-10 shootout that put all the pressure on his final lap. He didn’t deliver. Today, he was closing up on Oscar Piastri and being truly encouraged to fight his team-mate for the first time. He ran into the back of him. For drivers who can smell blood in the water – that’s all of them, by the way – the way he’s being gently coached on the radio by his race engineer couldn’t be a clearer sign that as talented as he is, Norris isn’t in the mindset to deal with a title fight right now.” —Chris Deeley, F1 Journalist

Ferrari Struggles and McLaren’s Tactical Mishaps Spotlighted

Ronan Murphy, Social Media Editor, highlighted contrasting issues facing major teams this season. He criticized Ferrari for their ongoing mismanagement and repeated disappointments during races, likening their multiple contingency strategies to an alphabet soup of failures with little progress. Similarly, Murphy underscored how McLaren’s only significant blunder this weekend was the collision between Norris and Piastri, emphasizing that internal clashes remain their primary challenge.

“The only way McLaren can make a mess of things is when their drivers do something stupid like crashing into each other. The only way Ferrari can make a mess of things is in every single way every single race. Charles Leclerc wants Plan B? Plan C it is. At this stage, we’ve seen Ferrari use every plan in the alphabet and actually discover new letters that we did not know existed – or imported them from other languages to see if any of þose plans might actually do, well, something. Plan F for Fred seems to continue race after race despite setback after setback, disappointment after disappointment. But what does Fred Vasseur actually do? Not even the Rosetta Stone could translate these plans into a podium.” —Ronan Murphy, Social Media Editor

Impact on 2025 Championship Outlook and What to Watch Next

George Russell’s breakthrough victory in Canada significantly boosts his credentials as a leading title candidate for 2025, especially as his rivals face pressures both on and off track. The McLaren internal battle threatens to destabilize their championship hopes, particularly for Norris, while Verstappen remains a formidable challenger. The drama in Montreal signals that the remainder of the season will be intense and unpredictable, with team rivalries and driver form likely to shape the fight for the championship. Fans will be watching closely how these storylines evolve as the calendar progresses.