Five Formula 1 Winners & Losers: Canadian Grand Prix

Photo from Planet F1

Man, the Canadian Grand Prix just never disappoints.

Didn’t hurt that it was raining, either.

Here are the winners and losers from a wild Canadian Grand Prix.

Losers

5. Alexander Albon

A brilliant race from Albon, including one of the overtakes of the season, was ruined through no fault of his own after he was caught up in a Carlos Sainz accident.

A damn shame, because he was doing a great job.

4. Logan Sargeant

Time’s out on Logan Sargean’t Formula 1 career.

You don’t necessarily have to be the fastest driver, but if you aren’t you best not crash the car.

He has, and on a team like Williams, that’s not good for the purse.

Unless he starts to turn in insane races, he won’t be in this sport next year.

3. Esteban Ocon

Ocon, fresh off of a disaster at Monaco and losing his seat at Alpine, still was nice enough to play the teammate game and give up a place to his teammate Pierre Gasly so that Gasly could chase Ricciardo.

But Ocon never got the spot back, and was very angry about it.

It’s a good race all things considered, but upsetting that Ocon has to play nice for the rest of the year to try and get a spot on the 2025 grid.

2. Sergio Perez

Qualified 16th. Had a terrible race. Crashed the car.

He did get a two year extension, though.

So that’s something.

1. Ferrari

Carlos Sainz had an abysmal race. Charles Leclerc had an engine issue. Qualifying was terrible. They put Leclerc on hard tires while it was pouring down rain.

One race after Monaco, Ferrari reminded us that they can still have a classic disaster class.

Winners

5. Alpine

Alpine really, really needed the points today, and they got a double points finish.

Ocon can be as mad as he wants for it not being him ahead of Gasly, but at the end of the day it’s still a great result and good progress forward.

4. George Russell

On the one hand, two mistakes cost Russell’s first place position and found himself in 3rd.

On the other hand, he put the car on pole and brought home Mercedes first podium of the season.

Hard to see that as anything but good.

3. Lando Norris

Lando was ahead towards an easy win until a safety car cost him track position and he never got it back.

Still, Lando has shown that he is more than capable of taking the fight to Max and winning more races this year.

2. Max Verstappen

He wins so often that sometimes you forget how good he is.

I was reminded of that after a late safety car bunched the field together.

Norris was quick all race and was suddenly right behind Verstappen. The race was on.

And then it was off in a flash, as Verstappen got a two second advantage on Norris before the first lap was even done.

It was a perfect opening lap, and he sailed easily to the win.

He’s still a step above everyone else.

1. Daniel Ricciardo

Before qualifying, Ricciardo found out he lost his chance at the second Red Bull seat, still doesn’t have a seat for next year, and had former world champion Jacques Villeneuve trash him on live television, saying he doesn’t belong in the sport.

He needed an answer.

5th in qualifying and 8th in the race, even overcoming a 5 second time penalty, was a perfect response.

And hopefully it builds some confidence, because nobody is more fun to watch than a confident Daniel Ricciardo.