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Verstappen cruises in Montreal to match Senna and give Red Bull 100th win
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Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, June 18, 2023. /CFP
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, June 18, 2023. /CFP

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, June 18, 2023. /CFP

World champion Max Verstappen drew alongside Ayrton Senna in the Formula One record books when he drove his Red Bull to a flawless triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix to earn his 41st victory on Sunday.

The 25-year-old defending double champion and series leader led from lights to flag as he came home 9.570 seconds ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, with Lewis Hamilton finishing third for Mercedes for his team's 100th F1 win.

It was Verstappen's second win at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, his sixth in eight races this year and his 41st overall, taking him within reach of four-time champions Alain Prost (51) and Sebastian Vettel (53), seven-time champions Michael Schumacher (91) and Hamilton (103).

"It's amazing to get the team's 100th win here. I never expected to be on these kind of numbers for myself, so we have to just keep enjoying it and working hard, but this is a great day for us," said Verstappen.

It was Red Bull's eighth comprehensive victory this year and its 10th in succession – statistics that make the prospect of an invincible season appear ever more likely.

Max Verstappen during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, June 18, 2023. /CFP
Max Verstappen during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, June 18, 2023. /CFP

Max Verstappen during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, June 18, 2023. /CFP

Alonso's podium was his sixth of the season as he continued to deliver competitive and revived form, which is unusual for someone over 40 years old.

Alonso, 41, said he was managing a brake issue at the end of the race.

"We hoped to challenge a bit more, but we lost a place to Lewis at the start and then battled all race. It was like 70 qualifying laps," he said.

Hamilton said, "It's been a great weekend here for us, and we are chipping away and making progress. It's an honor to be here on the podium with these two world champions."

Charles Leclerc came home fourth ahead of his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, with Alex Albon taking an excellent seventh in his revamped Williams.

Esteban Ocon was eighth for Alpine ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, who dropped to 13th with a five-second time penalty, and local hero Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin.

Perez recorded the fastest lap of the race to take a bonus point but is now 69 points behind his teammate in the drivers' title race.

Source(s): AFP

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