Sports writing (EFE).- The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) reinforced his advantage at the head of the Formula One World Championship by winning the Canadian Grand Prix, the eighth of the championship, in which the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) finished second and signed his sixth podium of the year, number 104 since he competed in the premier class.
Verstappen, 25, achieved his sixth victory so far this year – equaling the 41 victories of the legendary Ayrton Senna, who won three World Cups for Brazil – by winning the Gilles Villeneuve circuit ahead of the double world champion from Asturias and the English Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who finished third.
The other Spaniard, Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) finished fifth, just behind his teammate, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc; while the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) – who, like the previous ones, improved six places from the start of the test – finished in sixth position in a test in which he set the fastest lap.
Verstappen now leads with 195 points, 69 more than ‘Checo’ and with 78 over the again masterful Alonso, in a second youth one month after turning 42 and who is third in a championship he won in 2005 and 2006.
Alonso achieves his podium 104
The Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), once again caused a great sensation by finishing second in the Canadian Grand Prix, the eighth of the Formula One World Championship, celebrated his 104th podium in the premier class at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal, the sixth in the first eight races of the year.
The Asturian double world champion – who at 41 is facing his twentieth season in F1 – was third at the Bahrain premiere, he repeated that position in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), in Melbourne (Australia) and Miami (USA).
His worst result, in a spectacular start to the course, was, after the fourth in Azerbaijan, the seventh two weeks ago, in Barcelona: after having raised the stakes with a second in Monaco.
“We expected to be able to put a better face on Max (Red Bull’s Verstappen, more leader after winning this Sunday) today, but I lost a position at the start with (the seven-time English world champion) Lewis (Hamilton, of Mercedes) and then I had to squeeze; I couldn’t relax for a single lap,” he commented.
As soon as he got out of the car in Montreal, the Asturian double world champion; who celebrated his 104th podium in the premier class, the sixth in the first eight races of the year: the first eight for him with Aston Martin.
“At the beginning I had a good rhythm, but Lewis (Hamilton) also. It was a very tough and demanding race; there were seventy qualifying laps ”, he pointed out, at the foot of the track, in the interview conducted by his former English teammate Jenson Button, the new and undisputed captain of Aston Martin.
“I don’t know if we had problems with the brakes or with the fuel, in the end”, answered, when questioned by Button and without wanting to give clues, Fernando, in a second youth at the age of 41 and who is facing his twentieth season in F1 .