Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is back in the title race with victory on the circuit in Montreal. The defending champ profited from a better race strategy than second-placed Sebastian Vettel.
Hamilton began in pole position alongside his teammate and main title rival Nico Rosberg, but the Mercedes drivers surrendered that advanatge immediately after the green light.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, starting in third, roared into the lead, while the two teammates appeared to make contact. Standings leader Rosberg careened off the track, and he dropped back in the pack.
Vettel opted to make an early pit stop, while Hamilton stayed out, pitting only once. That decision proved to be the difference in the race. Vettel recorded faster lap times but could never erase the time he lost during his two fuel and maintenance stops.
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” Lewis Hamilton said while taking his victory lap. “That’s for Muhammad Ali.”
Hamilton also performed the famous “Ali shuffle” atop his car for cheering fans.
Williams’ Valtteri Bottas placed a surprising third ahead of Red Bull’s 18-year-old wunderkind Max Verstappen in fourth and Rosberg in fifth.
It was Hamilton’s second straight Formula One win. The result closes the gap in the overall drivers’ standings between leader Rosberg and second placed Hamilton to a mere nine points. Vettel is in third overall, 29 points adrift of Hamilton.
