F1: Lewis Hamilton takes sixth Montreal win in devastating display

Lewis Hamilton took his sixth career victory at the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve as he led home Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in a dominant 1-2 display at the Canadian Grand Prix to reduce Sebastian Vettel’s Formula 1 World Championship lead to 12 points.

Daniel Ricciardo took a third consecutive podium finish in a row for Red Bull with the final spot on the rostrum, spared any challenge by a titanic battle behind between Force India and Ferrari.

The sharp end of the field could have had an entirely different dynamic; Max Verstappen made a blistering start in the sister Red Bull, sweeping boldly around the outside of Turn 1 to relieve front-row starter Vettel of second, before an electrical failure ten laps later forced him to park up.

Similarly, Vettel sustained front-wing damage in the process of being passed by the Dutchman, pitting on Lap 6 before a controlled recovery drive to fourth position.

It could have been much more for Force India, with the plucky independent outfit failing to order Sergio Perez aside with his team-mate, Esteban Ocon, behind on fresher tyres with stronger performance. Ocon argued he should have been released to attack Ricciardo – Perez disagreed.

That left both cars vulnerable to Vettel’s attack, when it came, and if not for a brake-by-wire issue for Kimi Raikkonen in the closing stages the situation could have worsened. As it was, they came home fifth and sixth respectively with Perez ahead.

Raikkonen would fend off Nico Hulkenberg’s Renault by 1.7 seconds to take seventh, whilst Lance Stroll crossed the line eighth to secure his first points in Formula 1 at his home event. Romain Grosjean came tenth.

Fernando Alonso suffered another engine failure for McLaren-Honda a fortnight after a similar issue curtailed his Indianapolis 500 charge, though in truth his race could have ended on the first lap as he narrowly avoided the colliding duo of Carlos Sainz and Felipe Massa.

Sainz had made contact with Grosjean’s Haas on the straight between Turns 2 and 3, turning the Toro Rosso around before it arrived at the apex backwards and wiped out Massa’s Williams on the spot.

Contrastingly, Hamilton would enjoy an untroubled run to his 56th career victory in Formula 1 at the same circuit he took his first back in 2007, and now sits within striking distance of Vettel’s championship lead once again heading to Azerbaijan in a fortnight.

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA – RESULT (70 LAPS):