Mercedes surges past Ferrari after brilliant Montreal performance

Mercedes found their rhythm at the Canadian Grand Prix, with both drivers not only successfully navigating the daunting 'Wall of Champions', but also securing significant points, as George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli both delivered strong performances on a rare off day for McLaren.

The high standards set by the Surrey-based outfit have positioned them as the team to beat this season, having dominated much of the campaign. However, after enduring one of their most challenging weekends on the calendar so far, McLaren may have received a timely reminder to address some areas that still need refinement.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen continues to carry the Red Bull Racing banner alone, as Yuki Tsunoda still struggles to fully adapt to the demanding RB21 car. This has added further intensity to the battle for second place in the Constructors' Championship, and here we break down three key talking points from the Canadian Grand Prix.

Mercedes' double strike boosts their bid for second in the Constructors' Championship

The Brackley-based team has shown remarkable improvement this season following a couple of years where their decade-long dominance was dismantled by Verstappen and his superior Red Bull machinery.

In 2025, they have arguably positioned themselves as the second-best team on the grid behind McLaren, even as rookie Antonelli fills the massive void left by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

The Russell-Antonelli partnership produced a solid one-three finish, earning Mercedes valuable points that allowed them to leapfrog Ferrari into second place in the standings, now holding a 16-point advantage as they head into the upcoming race at the Red Bull Ring in two weeks.

Russell’s victory marked his first of the season, and he has been one of the most consistent drivers outside the McLaren duo, notching five podium finishes so far. Sitting 19 points behind Verstappen, who occupies third in the standings, Russell has positioned himself as a contender for that third spot.

Lando Norris’ costly errors persist

As the season approaches its halfway point, Norris has yet to rediscover his top form, and his latest outing was another disappointment marked by critical mistakes that cost him dearly in his battle with teammate Oscar Piastri.

While attempting to overtake Piastri with just three laps remaining, Norris had a strong chance to finish fourth. With McLaren allowing both drivers to race freely, his aggressive move on the inside ultimately backfired, costing him crucial points and allowing Piastri to build a 22-point lead at the top of the standings.

Ferrari exposed again

The Italian team has shown they have a car capable of competing under certain conditions, but even at their peak, they struggle to match the pace of the frontrunners. This weekend was another example of Ferrari merely going through the motions without seriously challenging the leaders.

Hamilton, who suffered car damage early on, was effectively limited to seventh place without any real opportunity to move further up the field. While Charles Leclerc had more pace at his disposal, questionable strategic decisions from the pit wall hampered Ferrari's progress, particularly a puzzling choice to pit early and replace hard tyres with another set of hard tyres during that pit stop, which forced a second stop later in the race.

This conservative strategy prevented them from exploring alternative approaches that may have yielded better results, resulting in Leclerc finishing fifth and Hamilton sixth. Consequently, Ferrari lost their grip on second place in the Constructors' Championship and missed out on valuable points in the Drivers' standings.