Watch the race start in Canada as Russell maintains the lead

George Russell delivered a masterful performance from pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix, successfully fending off challenges from Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to maintain his lead around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. The Mercedes driver executed a strong launch, quickly establishing a small but crucial gap over Verstappen on the opening lap, while Piastri in the lead McLaren was unable to mount an immediate threat for P1. The race saw a continuation of McLaren’s challenging weekend as Piastri soon found himself under pressure from rookie Kimi Antonelli, who brilliantly overtook him, elevating both Mercedes cars into the top three. Further back in the field, a lively battle unfolded between Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto for a spot within the top 10. Their skirmish led to the Williams car cutting a corner to avoid contact, which in turn opened the door for Nico Hulkenberg to capitalize, making an impressive double overtake and gaining two positions in a single swift move. The start of the race in Montreal set a thrilling tone for what promises to be a captivating Grand Prix.