Formula One makes its first trip across the Atlantic in 2019, with the all-round favourite Canadian Grand Prix the stage for Round 7 of the world championship. Join The Roar for a live blog of the Canadian Grand Prix, starting from 4:10am AEST.
Mercedes AMG arrive in Montreal having been undefeated so far this season and given that their reigning world champion in Lewis Hamilton is also a six-time winner of this event – many can be forgiven for predicting the Silver Arrows to go 7 from 7.
Though the 4.3km Circuit Giles Villeneuve is largely comprised by long straights, which could yet favour the winless Ferrari, who still have a power advantage over the rest of the field.
The 70 unforgiving laps will require more than just a power advantage, with all-around execution required to win the race. Something that Sebastian Vettel achieved twelve months ago here.
Vettel will start the race on pole position, which is the German’s first in 17 races. Two-tenths behind the Ferrari in qualifying was Hamilton and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three.
Enjoying a season-best qualifying effort for Renault was Daniel Ricciardo, who’ll start on the second row of the grid next to Leclerc. The Aussie is a former winner in Montreal, though whether the Renault can keep up with the top three is another question.
A couple of heavyweights will be starting out of position, which could threaten Ricciardo, such as Valtteri Bottas out of sixth and Max Verstappen in tenth after he missed the Q3 cut due to a late crash from Kevin Magnussen.
McLaren’s Carlos Sainz will take a 3-place grid penalty for impeding Alexander Albon, which in turn has helped Verstappen up one position to tenth.
Strategy will be interesting, as the soft tyre life isn’t as long as expected. Drivers in the top ten who’ll have to start the race on softs, have the option of either taking one-stop and race the hard tyre to the end – or two-stop for medium tyres.
Can Ferrari avoid any stutters and break through then for their first win of 2019, with two of their drivers in the top three? Or will the clinical Mercedes continue their run of dominance.
Canada has produced some exciting races in the past, so can the 2019 edition do so also? Tune in for live blog coverage on The Roar from 4:10am AEST, to see whether there can be more magic in Montreal.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Yeah after a day of it sinking in, I find the penalty acceptable. But, not very consinstent. I present Monaco 2016 (Hamilton doing exactly this to Ricciardo) to the court Your Honour
Simoc
Guest
They won't be consistent because each incident is different. I thought it was a bad call as Vettel was bringing the car under control and Hamilton knew that and wasn't about to collide with him. Other stewards would have called it differently.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
It’s one of those decisions that if I was the steward, I wouldn’t make. But, can also clearly see why it was made. The interesting bit will now be whether or not stewards in the future will be consistent if this happens again.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Thanks again for tuning in to this live blog and sharing your thoughts on Vettel's penalty. I'll be back in two week's time as F1 returns to Europe at the French Grand Prix. But until then, thank you and good day!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
So Roarers, what are your thoughts on what has just transpired?
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 162 - Lewis Hamilton 133 - Valtteri Bottas 100 - Sebastian Vettel 88 -- Max Verstappen 72 -- Charles Leclerc 36 -- Pierre Gasly 18 -- Carlos Sainz 16 -- Daniel Ricciardo 14 -- Kevin Magnussen 13 -- Sergio Perez 13 -- Kimi Räikkönen 12 -- Lando Norris 12 -- Nico Hulkenberg 10 -- Daniil Kvyat 7 --- Alexander Albon 6 --- Lance Stroll 2 --- Romain Grosjean 0 --- Antonio Giovinazzi 0 --- George Russell 0 --- Robert Kubica
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 295 - Mercedes AMG 172 - Scuderia Ferrari 124 - Aston Martin Red Bull Racing 30 -- McLaren Renault 28 -- Renault 19 -- Racing Point Mercedes 17 -- Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda 16 -- Haas Ferrari 13 -- Alfa Romeo Racing 0 --- Williams Mercedes
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RACE REPORT A controversial end to the Canadian Grand Prix sees Lewis Hamilton win his seventh race in Montreal, as Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari were left fuming with a 5-second penalty that cost him the victory. Vettel, who qualified on pole position and made the best possible start to the race and had led without issue until Lap-48, made a mistake at Turn 4 whilst under pressure from Hamilton. Losing the rear end of his Ferrari, Vettel was forced to cut across the grass, but it was the manner in which he re-joined the track – almost putting Hamilton into the wall – which saw the German handed a 5-second penalty. As a result, Vettel crossed the line as the lead driver, however he was relegated to second behind Hamilton. Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc finished in third for his first podium since Bahrain. Behind the leading trio, Valtteri Bottas ran largely his own race in fourth, as did Max Verstappen behind – who both qualified out of position. Bottas collected fastest lap, as both drivers fought each other early in the race. Renault capitalised on their best qualifying of the season to collect their biggest haul of points in 2019. Daniel Ricciardo finished sixth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, as both couldn’t contend with the likes of Verstappen and Bottas – but were still best of the rest. There was a battle over the final points too at the end of the race, with Carlos Sainz losing two positions on what was a sour day for McLaren – following Lando Norris’ earlier retirement with his rear brakes having melted. Lance Stroll equalled his best result on home soil in ninth, with Daniil Kvyat delivering the final blow to Sainz to knock the Spaniard back to eleventh. Running long into his first stint, Stroll was able to capitalise as drivers ahead of him pitted early. A horrible day for Haas was compounded by Kevin Magnussen being shut down on the radio by his team boss Guenther Steiner, as the American team recovered after rebuilding the Dane’s chassis overnight following a qualifying crash. Hamilton with his fifth win of the season, now extends his lead in the championship to 29-points over teammate Bottas, as Mercedes’ unbeaten streak of wins continues.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
So Vettel made a b-line after the race straight to the FIA garage and then avoided the interviews with Brundle. He's now in parc ferme and has moved the bollards to put the P2 one in front of Hamilton and the first place one in front of the empty space where he didn't park his car.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
Glad someone agrees with me!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
POST-RACE INTERVIEWS - Hosted by Martin Brundle HAMILTON - "A big thank you to my team. It's not the way I wanted to win." "I had the run on the corner." LECLERC - "We were very quick, it was a shame yesterday in qualifying." "Disappointed for the team and the team deserved the victory today."
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
I have no problem with the decision. Vettel made the mistake, why should he benefit from running Hamilton off the road when out of control?
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RESULTS FROM THE 70-LAP CANADIAN GRAND PRIX 1 L. Hamilton 2 S. Vettel* 3 C. Leclerc 4 V. Bottas (FASTEST LAP) 5 M. Verstappen 6 D. Ricciardo 7 N. Hulkenberg 8 P. Gasly 9 L. Stroll 10 D. Kvyat 11 C. Sainz 12 S. Perez 13 A. Giovinazzi 14 R. Grosjean 15 K. Räikkönen 16 G. Russell 17 K. Magnussen 18 R. Kubica RET A. Albon RET L. Norris
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX! A contentious conclusion in Canada, with Sebastian Vettel who took the chequered flag has been hit with a penalty and has been relegated to second. Charles Leclerc also for Ferrari is back on the podium in third.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 70/70: FINAL LAP
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 69/70: 2 LAPS TO GO Leclerc still 2 seconds off relegating Vettel to third.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 68/70: Sainz loses two places in the space of two corners, as Stroll moves into ninth which could equal his best result on home soil and then Kvyat now enters the points in P10.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 67/70: Bottas to pit for soft tyres and go for fastest lap from fourth.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
If Hamilton can now pass him, then the penalty debate will be moot.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 66/70: 5 LAPS TO GO Leclerc 7.7 seconds off from Vettel overall, but with the 5 seconds to be added to Seb's time - the gap is only 2.7.