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The 2025 Canadian GP ended under a safety car after a late collision between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. While George Russell won his first race of the season, his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli not only secured a podium but also won the driver of the day award.
The race began on a strong note for Antonelli as he used his racing craft to overtake Piastri at turn 1. He jumped to P3 on the first lap itself, and Mercedes nailed a perfect strategy to ensure he stays in the race for a podium finish.
However, the race was loose and nervy during the final 10 laps. McLaren teammates Piastri and Norris fought wheel-to-wheel for P4, but the latter made a massive error in judgement and hit the wall on lap 67.
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That forced the deployment of a safety car, and eventually, the race ended behind the safety car. George Russell crossed the checkered flag first to win his first race of the season. Max Verstappen followed him at P2, while 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli finished P3 to register his first podium finish of the season.
For his excellent drive on his debut at the challenging Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Antonelli was voted as the driver of the day for the 2025 Canadian GP.
He started the race from P4 and came home P3 to effect a double podium finish for Mercedes. Since the beginning of the season, Antonelli has been proving himself. With pace and temperament, he had his moments of glory.
Despite inconsistency, Kimi Antonelli finally managed to get his first career podium in Canada.
Kimi Antonelli reacts to his podium win at the Canadian GP
Mercedes' rookie driver Kimi Antonelli was elated after his first podium victory of the season. He finished P3 at the 2025 Canadian GP in what he thought was a stressful race since two McLarens, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, were chasing him until the 67th lap.
In a post-race interview with Sky Sports, Antonelli said:
"It was so stressful but super happy. I had a good start, managed to jump into P3, and just stayed up there at the front. The last stint I pushed a bit too hard behind Max, and I killed a bit of the front-left and struggled a bit at the end, but I'm really happy to bring the podium home. Definitely this track has been good for us; the car has been incredible all weekend, and hopefully we can carry the same momentum into the next few races."
Kimi Antonelli not only kept the McLarens at bay but also fought Max Verstappen to a certain extent. However, the rookie eventually settled for P3 but still managed to get on a podium for the first time in his F1 career.
