McLaren teammates Norris and Piastri clash late in 2025 Canadian GP thriller

The 2025 edition of the Canadian Grand Prix, held at the iconic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, is best remembered for the collision between the two McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris - the first real flashpoint in the title fight between the pair. But the race had plenty more highlights beyond that incident.

Qualifying results saw George Russell secure a surprise pole position, with the Mercedes W16 appearing particularly well suited to the characteristics of the Montreal circuit. Alongside him on the front row was Max Verstappen, immediately setting the stage for potential fireworks given the heated history between the two drivers. Behind them, Piastri and Kimi Antonelli lined up on the second row, with the young Italian still chasing the first podium finish of his Formula 1 career.

The leading group carried on exactly as they had started, while Norris found himself fighting his way back through the field after a less-than-perfect qualifying session, with Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton separating him from his teammate. Up front, Russell tried to pull away from the four-time world champion. After the Brit managed to get past the Aston Martin driver and the seven-time world champion, the race continued without many major overtakes, but the tension remained high. Piastri kept piling the pressure on Antonelli in the fight for the podium, although the Italian managed to hold him off, while their battle allowed Norris to close back in.

The drama unfolded on lap 67. After attempting a move at the hairpin the lap before, Norris was overtaken again by the Australian at the final chicane, only to then try another ambitious move that ultimately ended his race after hitting the barriers on the left-hand side, while Piastri was able to continue and finish fourth.

The incident triggered the deployment of the Safety Car with three laps remaining, effectively neutralising the final stages of the race. Russell therefore took victory ahead of Verstappen and his teammate, who was able to celebrate the first Formula 1 podium of his career, as Mercedes managed to place both cars on the podium. All things considered, Verstappen could also have been satisfied, as despite not taking victory he still managed to gain valuable points on Piastri and, above all, on Norris, the big loser of the day, who immediately admitted his mistake over the radio.

Formula 1 returns to Montreal for a packed Canadian Grand Prix weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with the Sprint format guaranteeing plenty of on-track action across all three days. The weekend gets underway on Friday, May 22, with the only free practice session scheduled from 17:30 to 18:30 BST, before Sprint Qualifying takes place later in the evening between 21:30 and 22:14 BST.

Saturday, May 23, will begin with the Sprint Race from 17:00 to 18:00 BST, while Qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix is set to take place from 21:00 to 22:00 BST. The weekend will then conclude on Sunday, May 24, with the main race itself, which is scheduled to start at 21:00 BST. Alongside Formula 1, support series including Formula 2 and F1 Academy will also be in action throughout the weekend in Montreal.