Max Verstappen took a superb victory in Canada soaking up immense pressure from Carlos Sainz in the closing laps to extend his championship lead with Lewis Hamilton in third place for Mercedes.

The Dutchman’s main championship rivals endured a tough afternoon as Charles Leclerc drove to P5 from the back of the grid and Sergio Perez retired with mechanical trouble.

Mercedes enjoyed a much improved weekend securing third and fourth which is their best result since the season opening round in Bahrain. 

At the start Verstappen got a great from pole position keeping the lead into Turn 1 ahead of Fernando Alonso as Sainz settled for third place in the Ferrari.

Leclerc gained two positions on the opening lap moving up to P17 after taking multiple penalties for power unit element changes. Sainz passed his compatriot three laps in to the race in a very easy overtake to snatch second place at a very sunny Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The Ferrari driver reported graining in the opening stages as he came under pressure from Alonso and Hamilton as the race leader drove away in the opening stages of the event.

Kevin Magnussen pitted for a new front wing on Lap 8 after the Haas driver picked up damage in the early laps of the Grand Prix after a very strong Qualifying.

Perez agonisingly retired with a mechanical issue on Lap 9 ending a very difficult weekend for the Mexican which deployed the virtual safety car.Verstappen and Hamilton took advantage of the VSC and boxed for hard tyres making a cheap pit stop with 60 laps to go.

The world champion rejoined in third place behind Sainz and Alonso who didn’t pit under the virtual safety car choosing to extend the first stint.

Hamilton mounted an attack on Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and passed the Frenchman into Turn 1. Ocon defended into the final chicane which left him vulnerable on the pit straight as Hamilton enjoyed a second dose of DRS making the overtake easier.

Verstappen breezed past Alonso 16 laps into the race making use of his much fresher Pirelli rubber to grab second place from the Spaniard in Canada.

Leclerc found himself marred in the midfield as his arduous afternoon continued getting stuck behind Valtteri Bottas and Alex Albon in vastly inferior cars. He eventually dispatched the Williams driver after he got a poor exit off the final turn to move into P11.

German driver Mick Schumacher grindned to halt twenty laps in triggering a second virtual safety car. George Russell read the situation perfectly and pitted for hard tyres. Lando Norris endured a slow pit stop and tumbled down to order to last place as his miserable weekend continued.

Sainz pitted as the VSC ended preserving his third position ahead of Hamilton. The Mercedes driver kept tabs with Sainz as the duo homed in on Alonso’s Alpine. He strolled past his compatriot on Lap 23 as the seven-time world champion produced a carbon copy move a lap later.

As a flurry of battles ensued behind him Verstappen built a sizeable advantage as the race reached the halfway mark in a peerless drive. Sainz responded on Lap 26 setting the fastest lap of the race but wasn’t within striking distance of the race leader.

Alonso stopped for the first time bolting on the hard tyres and rejoined the track in seventh place behind Leclerc who continued his comeback drive from P19 on the grid.

The Monagasque tediously followed Ocon but struggled to pass the 25-year-old costing him valuable time. The Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Russell continued to streak away in third and fourth.

The Ferrari driver boxed for a second time on Lap 42 and suffered a slow pit stop which dropped him to P12 behind a train of multiple cars adding to the misery of his tough afternoon.

Verstappen pitted a lap later and rejoined behind Hamilton in third place despite a slick pit stop from the Red Bull pit crew. The Dutchman made amends after losing track position and got past the Mercedes driver on the back straight.

Hamilton pitted immediately for the hard compound tyre falling back to fourth place behind his teem mate George Russell with 23 laps to go.

Sainz inherited the lead as Verstappen began to relentlessly close down his ten second advantage  setting the fastest lap on Lap 46.

Yuki Tsunoda clattered the barriers at Turn 2 with 21 laps to go which deployed the Safety Car as the Japanese driver retired after a decent drive. Sainz pitted for the hard tyres and rejoined in P2 with much fresher rubber than the race leader Verstappen.

After a lengthy Safety Car period Verstappen judged the restart perfectly fending off a stern challenge from Sainz and led into Turn 1.

The Spaniard crucially kept within the one second DRS window and attacked Verstappen with just twelve laps to go as Hamilton consolidated third place.

Sainz brutally attacked the race leader for the victory filling the Dutchman’s mirrors as the Red Bull driver soaked up the pressure perfectly in the final few laps.

The Ferrari driver tried every trick in the book to get past with his first victory tantalisingly close as Verstappen held firm up front withstanding incedible pressure.

The world champion performed admirably taking full advantage of his rivals misfortune taking his first win in Canada. 

Sainz desperately pushed for his first victory but had to settle for second place after a strong drive for Ferrari. Hamilton enjoyed his second podium of the season after a difficult start to the season by his incredibly lofty standards.