Water allows a pilot’s hands to work ‘miracles’ and under these circumstances Fernando Alonso showed on Saturday that despite being 40 years old, he can still make a difference. But on Sunday the sun came up. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Montreal and magic remained a mirage. The Spanish fans had to rub their eyes when they saw two Spaniards, Alonso and Carlos Sainz, in front of a starting grid led, of course, by Max Verstappen. Nearly impregnable in the last five Formula 1 races (he just gave up to finish third in Monaco), the Dutchman gave another master class in tire management and strategy, leaving his sixth victory of the season with ‘honey on the lip’. ‘ to a great Sainz, and Fernando finished seventh.

more leader

Leaving Canada as the leader, Max wasn’t afraid when Fernando, who was half joking and half serious after the trial period, initially promised to beat him. Realistically, realizing that Red Bull’s pace was much higher, the Spaniard lessened his enthusiasm: “Even if I had succeeded, Max would have given it back to me. our actual location is 5th to 7th.“, in question. He nailed it.

The fact is that the champion starred in another brilliant start as the two Spaniards matched and hamilton Y Magnussen they came to touch Sainz pulled DRS to pass Alonso, but the Spaniard held his with a Madrid native to contain Hamilton.

Red Bull alert

Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc have started their special drive to come back from the bottom of the grid, but only eight laps Red Bull was alarmed when the Mexican reported engine problems. The ‘ghosts’ of reliability thus return to the energy drink team, which started the World Cup with a painful double retirement in Bahrain.

With 60 laps left, the virtual ‘safety car’ for the Pérez KO was the first stop for Verstappen and Hamilton, while Sainz and Alonso were still on the track and temporarily ahead. Max passed Fernando like an ‘airplane’, but the picture changed again as the plane was abandoned. Mike Schumacher’s photo. The appearance of the second safety car with 50 laps left presented itself as an excellent opportunity for the two Spaniards.

wrong strategy

Sainz did not hesitate, but Alonso strategy different and difficult to understand. While everyone was already riding hard, he remained on the track as the only driver on the middle tyre. speeds much higher.

Verstappen was leading 9 seconds behind Sainz, but with newer tires than Dutchman, who predicted an exciting finish between the two. Hamilton, Alonso and Russell finished the race. top five, Leclerc, who recovered 12 places (7th), survived an ‘extreme’ accident on the champions’ wall. Alonso had to correct and stopped on lap 29, lost 17 seconds and returned to the track in seventh place.

Distance race

With half a race left, Sainz, very solid and in ‘hammer mode’, was slowly getting closer to Verstappen, confident that any further relegation of the current World Cup leader would allow him to ‘chase’ him. “Box box.” Verstappen stopped with 26 laps and Carlos ‘inherited’ first position. But the bad news for Sainz came in the form of widespread ‘graining’.

owned by Ferrari ‘free’ stop despite losing his position again with the third safety car, due to Tsunoda’s accident, with Max going for his sixth victory of the season, but without further setbacks. Sainz’s heavy pressure in the final laps was not rewarded and the Madrid runner finished second, making it also his fifth podium finish of the season.

Mercedes has confirmed that it has taken a step forward, still insufficient to challenge Red Bull and Ferrari. As a result, Hamilton celebrated his second podium in 2022, beating his restless fellow traveler George Russell in fourth place. Leclerc minimized ‘damage’ in fifth place and Alonso had to settle for seventh place, outstripped by his teammate. Stephen OconAlpine asked him not to attack.