George Russell hails double podium finish for Mercedes

Mercedes’s George Russell lifts the winner’s trophy on the podium in Montreal on Sunday. Pic/AFP

George Russell won his first race of the Formula 1 season as the Mercedes driver held off defending race winner Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix.

It was the fourth victory of Russell's career, and the race ended under yellow when McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris staged a wheel-to-wheel late battle that ended with Norris hitting the wall. "It's amazing to be back on the top step," Russell said.

"I felt last year was a victory lost, so to get the victory and see [teammate] Kimi [Antonelli] on the podium, too, is an amazing day for the team. I think it shows the strength of our cars in the cooler conditions, so let's see in the coming races."

Russell started on pole for the second consecutive year in Montreal and held the advantage for most of the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Verstappen was satisfied with his second-place finish.

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