The lights go out in Montreal, and the action begins! Relive the crucial opening moments of the Canadian Grand Prix as George Russell expertly defended his pole position, setting the stage for a dramatic race unfold.
Starting from his first pole of the season at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Russell knew a strong getaway was paramount to hold off the chasing pack led by Max Verstappen. When the lights went out, the Mercedes driver executed a flawless launch, controlling the car perfectly to immediately establish his authority.
Russell successfully fended off the initial challenge from Max Verstappen into Turn 1, maintaining his slender lead. The lead Mercedes then worked quickly to build a small buffer on the first lap, breaking the DRS range to Verstappen and leaving the Red Bull driver unable to mount an immediate counter-attack. Behind them, Oscar Piastri in the lead McLaren was also unable to challenge for the top spot.
Adding to the early race excitement, rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli wasted no time in making his presence felt. Pulling off an impressive move very early on Lap 1, Antonelli overtook Oscar Piastri, slotting his Mercedes into third place and ensuring both Brackley cars ran inside the top three in the opening stages.
Further back on the track, there was also plenty of action. Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto found themselves in a tussle, which saw the Williams car cut a corner to avoid contact. This created an opportunity for Nico Hulkenberg to capitalize, allowing the Haas driver to charge through and gain two positions in a single decisive move.
This commanding start from pole was a critical factor in George Russell ultimately securing his first victory of the 2025 season in the hard-fought Canadian Grand Prix. Coupled with Kimi Antonelli’s strong early performance that led to a historic maiden podium finish, it marked Mercedes’ best result of the year. The race, despite starting cleanly at the front, developed into a dramatic affair featuring various battles and incidents, including a late collision between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri that triggered a Safety Car finish.
You can watch all the pivotal moments of the race start from Montreal by clicking play on the video player above.
