Max Verstappen claimed his sixth win of the 2023 F1 season in eight races with another dominant performance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montréal, Quebec. The Belgian was always ahead of the pack as he stormed to a landmark 100th Red Bull victory in the sport.
Prior to the race, Verstappen was the clear race favourite according to pundits and bookmakers featured in the ultimate Quebec betting guide. And their predictions were correct—the 2023 championship leader certainly didn’t disappoint! He cruised to victory 9.57 seconds ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and over 14 seconds in front of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in third.
Canadian driver, Lance Stroll, finished in ninth position, fighting his way up from 13th on the grid.
Canadian Victory Seals Verstappen’s Place Among the Greats
Max Verstappen’s 41st Grand Prix victory in his 171st start means he draws level with the late great Ayrton Senna in races won. He joins the Brazilian two-time world champion in joint-5th position for the most F1 wins in history. Only former champs Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumaker, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost have more wins.
There are still another 15 races left on the F1 calendar in 2023. With a 69-point lead over his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Pérez, Verstappen has a third world championship in his sights. With the current form of the car and driver, betting against him lifting the trophy before the last race in Abu Dhabi on 26 November is difficult.
Post-race, Verstappen was optimistic for the future, saying the following:
“Of course, to tie with Ayrton is something incredible. I’m proud of that, but of course, I hope it’s not stopping here, you know – I hope that we can keep on winning more races.”
He also paid tribute to his father, former F1 driver, Jos, for the time his dad has invested to help him break into the sport and achieve what he has to date.
Celebrations for Red Bull After Milestone Victory
Although the Montréal race itself was something of a procession for the championship leader, the Red Bull team didn’t have it all its own way. After a poor qualifying session, Sergio Pérez had to fight for position during the race. Pérez ended in a creditable 6th position after starting from 11th on the grid.
This didn’t curb the celebrations for Red Bull Racing, though, as the team earned its 100th grand prix win. Red Bull is only the 5th team in F1’s long history to achieve the feat.
Ferrari, who has competed since the second-ever F1 Grand Prix held in Monaco in 1950, tops the list of most F1 wins with 242. Considering Red Bull Racing only started in F1 racing in 2005, reaching a century of wins so soon is remarkable and just cause for celebration.
Red Bull’s Team Principal, Christian Horner, put the achievement into perspective, telling RacingNews365.com:
“We have only just got going really, we are still a young team. We achieved that first victory in 2009 and obviously have achieved a lot in that period. Hopefully, we can keep going and achieve another 100.”
Horner also hailed Verstappen, believing he can already be mentioned together with F1’s all-time greats. At 25, the youngest two-time F1 world champion has many years ahead of him in the sport. Bar any incident, he could end up much higher on the overall list of winners as time progresses.
Red Bull revellers celebrate in their droves
Canadian Rd Bull fans and many others attending the Grand Prix celebrated long into the night after the F1 race’s 4 pm end. Many visited the Grand Prix Festival on Crescent street in Montréal, taking in the sounds of Derek Falls and others while recognizing the achievements of both the Red Bull team and its driver.
Canadian F1 Grand Prix Results and Championship Standings
Results
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Sergio Pérez (Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT)
- Alexander Albon (Williams Mercedes)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine Renault)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes)
- Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo Ferrari)
Drivers’ Championship Standings
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT) – 195
- Sergio Pérez (Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT) – 126
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes) – 117
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 102
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 68
Constructors’ Championship Standings
- Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT – 321
- Mercedes – 167
- Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes – 154
- Ferrari – 122
- Alpine Renault – 44
What’s Next on the F1 Calender?
Next, the F1 drivers, teams and their entourages cross the Atlantic, visiting the 5.891 km Silverstone circuit in England for the British Grand Prix. Practice 1 and 2 take place on Friday, 7 July, with Practice 3 and Race Qualifying happening the following day.
On Sunday, 9 July, Canadian F1 racing fans should reserve their spots in front of the TV for the race, which starts at 11am in Quebec. If you’re a punter, you won’t be surprised if Max Verstappen is once again the favourite to win the British Grand Prix. Will the bookmakers’ predictions be right again, or will an underdog take the checkered flag this time? Don’t delay – place your bets and enjoy the race when it starts!
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