Canadian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen boosts F1 championship lead with win

Max Verstappen held off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz to take victory at the Canadian Grand Prix and further extend his championship lead.

With Formula One returning to Montreal for the first time in three years, it was the Red Bull of Verstappen that took the chequered flag as he moved 46 points clear at the top of the standings.

Sainz was fast in the closing stages after a period behind the safety car but could not find a way past Verstappen and had to settle for second place.

The two were joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton as the seven-time world champion took third for Mercedes.

His teammate George Russell continued his record of top-five finishes all season as he took fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who recovered from starting 19th to claim a decent haul of points for Ferrari.

The Alpines were sixth and seventh, with Esteban Ocon managing to finish ahead of Fernando Alonso, while Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou and local favourite Lance Stroll rounded out the points.

Verstappen cantered off the line and into the first corner well ahead of Alonso, who had impressed in qualifying to take his first front-row start in a decade.

Hamilton had started an impressive fourth and held off a challenge from the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, with Alonso passed by Sainz on lap three.

An early virtual safety car for the retirement of the sister Red Bull of Sergio Perez, seemingly with an engine problem, allowed a spate of pit stops with Verstappen and Hamilton among those to put on fresh tyres.

A similar situation occurred on lap 19 as Mick Schumacher was forced to retire, this time the VSC allowing Russell to pit as Sainz also stopped and Verstappen retook the lead.

With Perez out, another of Verstappen’s title rivals was