Max Verstappen is in danger of losing his Formula 1 title, as McLaren continue to get win after win. After winning the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last month, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took turns taking the chequered flag in Monaco and Spain to extend their lead in the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
Verstappen remains third in the drivers’ standings, but he has fallen behind after an unfortunate outing in the Spanish Grand Prix. The Red Bull star is under immense pressure to bounce back in this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix to catch up with the Papayas.
Elsewhere, Aston Martin are fighting their way out of the bottom of the constructors’ standings. The Silverstone-based outfit has a significant driver decision to make this week, which could either help or hinder their progress.
As we look forward to another fun event, you can learn more about the latest Canadian Grand Prix 2025 updates by reading today’s SBOTOP preview.
Verstappen and Russell back at it again
Max Verstappen looked on his way to winning the Spanish Grand Prix, as he and Red Bull went on the offensive and kept McLaren on their toes with their three-stop strategy. However, an untimely Safety Car and an unfortunate collision with George Russell undid his hard work.
When Kimi Antonelli triggered a Safety Car after he parked up in a gravel trap due to a power issue, Verstappen was fitted with hard tyres for the restart, while his counterparts had softs. That put him at a major disadvantage because he was slipping all over the place.
Charles Leclerc overtook Verstappen on the main straight for P3, where the pair briefly banged wheels. George Russell then dived down the inside into Turn 1, making contact with Verstappen, sending the Red Bull driver onto the escape road. Red Bull ordered Verstappen to hand the position back to Russell, but the pair collided again, and the race stewards handed the Dutchman a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from P5 to P10. Verstappen (11 penalty points) is one point away from a ban.
At 137 points, Verstappen trails by 49 points behind Oscar Piastri. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has been a successful track for him in recent times, but after what happened in Spain, the Dutchman is not so sure about his chances for a potential four-peat.
Aston Martin to make Stroll decision
Aston Martin announced they expect Lance Stroll to be back behind the wheel at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, following his withdrawal from the Spanish Grand Prix. The 26-year-old driver pulled out because he needed to undergo a medical procedure to fix his hand and wrist injuries that were related to his cycling incident during the 2023 preseason.
Before the positive announcement, Aston Martin reportedly thought about replacing Stroll with either Felipe Drugovich, Stoffel Vandoorne, or Valtteri Bottas.
Stroll said he is excited to drive the AMR25 in front of his home crowd in Montreal this weekend, though he isn’t expected to do much because he hasn’t finished in the points since the Chinese Grand Prix.
History
Max Verstappen has won the last three editions of the Canadian Grand Prix, though George Russell surprisingly won pole position last year. The Dutchman is tied with Nelson Piquet for the second-most wins at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton remain the winningest drivers on this track with seven victories each.
The Canadian Grand Prix was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunday marks the 54th edition of this race, making this a regular fixture in the Formula 1 calendar. This event has been held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve since 1978, after alternating between Mosport Park and Circuit Mont-Tremblant.
What are the odds?
The Canadian Grand Prix 2025 odds back Oscar Piastri to win his sixth race of the season at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this Sunday. The McLaren driver is the odds-on favorite at 2.20, while Papaya teammate Lando Norris is not far behind at 2.70, and Max Verstappen is pegged at 4.50. Charles Leclerc (17.00), George Russell (21.00), and Lewis Hamilton (21.00) are the distant challengers for the third and final podium spot.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, McLaren should have another smooth weekend. The Woking-based outfit is priced at 1.30 to be the winning team, with Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes behind them at 4.50, 6.00, and 10.00.
As for Aston Martin, their fortunes are unlikely to change even with the impending return of Lance Stroll. Stroll is pegged at 1501.00 to win in Canada, and Aston Martin have the second-worst odds (501.00) of being the winning team.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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