It’s set to be another crucial and intriguing weekend at the Canadian Grand🐈 Prix as the F1 2025 world championship fight continues to hot up.

After a two-week break to reset and take stock following an intense triple-header which ended in controversy in Spain, the teams and drivers now head to North America for a standalone race at one of F1’s greatest venues - Montreal.

Will Max Verstappen be more cautious?

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen finds himself in very real danger of picking up a race ban after his controversial late clash with Mercedes’ 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell in Barcelona.

As well as a 10-second penalty whi♔ch dr🐎opped him down to 10th place after crossing the line, Verstappen also picked up three penalty points on his superlicence.

That has taken the four-time world champiꩲon to 11 of a maximum 12 penalty points for the period coveri🃏ng the last 12 months, meaning the Red Bull driver will now walk a race-ban tightrope.

Verstappen must navigate the next two races - Canada and Austria - without picking up any more penalty ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚpoints to avoid a dreaded suspension that would act as a hammer blow to the Dutchman’s title hopes.

Will this precarious position cause Verstappen to change how his apꦍproach to racing his rivals? It will be fascinating to see how he responds, starting when he addresses ♍the media on Thursday.

Can Lewis Hamilton turn things around?

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton cut a desperately downbeat figure after a hugely disappointing Spanish🃏 Grand Prix, which he described as being his “worst race” i💛n a Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion uncharacteristically lacked pace i𒉰n the race as he slipped from fourth to seventh on the road (which later became P6 following Verstap꧂pen’s penalty).

Hamilton was ordered to make way for his much faster teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc and was even overtaken by 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber following a ☂late Safety Car. Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur revealed Hamilton had suffered damage to his car but refused to elaborate further.

Perhaps Canada will come at the perfect time for Hamilton. After all, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a happy hunting ground for the 40-year-old Briton, who has rac🍒ked up six pole positions and seven victories at the historic venue where 🍌Hamilton claimed his first pole position and win in just his sixth grand prix.

Hamilton has looked lost with his Ferrari for much of the season, but will this be the weekend he finally mak♌es a breakthrough?

How fit will Lance Stroll be?

At the time of writing, there has been no further update on 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lance Stroll’s condition and recove✃ry since he was forced to withdraw from the Spanish Grand Prix due to hand and wrist pain that is a legacy of a cycling accident he had two years ago.

Details surrounding the exact nature of Stroll’s procedure - and subsequent recovery time - have not been specified, but it was led by renowned MotoGP surgeon Dr Xavier Mඣir.

Mir and the same team helped Stroll recover from two broken wrists and a broken toe within a fortnight to take part inಌ the 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Everything points to Stroll being on target to contest his home race in Canada th♑is weekend, and understands a final decision is expected to be communicated by Aston Martin this week.

In the event Stroll was unable to compete, Aston Martin would have to call on one ♋of their two reserve drivers - Felipe Drugovich or Stoffel Vandoorne.

Piastri vs Norris to heat up?

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri led a McLaren 1-2 in Spain to make it five wins in nine races and move him into a 10-point lead over teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris in the championship.

Wi꧂th Verstappen’s costly penalty leaving him 49 points adrift of Piastri, coupled with McLaren’s current superiority, it is looking more than ever like being an in-house battle for the world title.

So far, Piastri and Norris have avoided major flashpoints, but McLaren know they need to be delicate in how they manage the intra-team fight as the season de🌌velops and the championship fight hots up.

There was a minor incident in Barcelona when Norris gained by catching a “cheeky” tow from Piastri during qualifying to briefly hold pole p🦋osition, only for the Australian to snatch it back.

Both Piastri and McLaren downplayed the moment which team principal Andrea Stella described as being a “minor episode” b𓄧etween th♋e pair.

Norris and Piastri have man𝓡aged to keep things clean for now, but the longer they duel over the same piꦑece of tarmac, the chance of potential fireworks will only increase as the stakes are raised.

Could Mercedes be back in the hunt?

Mercedes made a flying 🔯start to 2025 with Russell claiming four podi🙈ums in the first six races, though the Silver Arrows have not returned to the rostrum since Miami.

It was a brutal triple header for Mercedes and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Kimi Antonelli in particular🙈, but there is hope the 🦩team will be more competitive in Canada.

Weather can always be a bit of an unknown in Montrꦅeal at this time of year and cooler temperatures are expected across th🍬e weekend. Those are the conditions Mercedes’ W16 tends to like best, so the German manufacturer will be looking to capitalise.

Russell clai🍨med pole position here a year ago and went on to finish third in the race, giving reason to believe that Mercedes could be on for a stronger weekend after a r✤ecent performance slump.