Highlights of the Canadian Grand Prix

Time penalty costs Vettel the race win

The Canadian Grand Prix ended in controversy when a time penalty for Sebastian Vettel issued late in the race cost the Ferrari driver an almost certain victory. Despite crossing the finish line ahead of Lewis Hamilton, it was the Mercedes driver who was named the winner when Vettel’s five-second penalty was applied to his final race time. On lap 48, Hamilton was gaining on race leader Vettel when the Ferrari driver missed the chicane at turns three and four, cutting across the track as he fought to regain control of his car. The stewards found Vettel had not rejoined safely and issued the German racer with the highly controversial punishment.

Changing strategy games at Ferrari and Mercedes

Before the drama of the closing laps and Vettel’s controversial penalty, both Mercedes and Ferrari found themselves readjusting their pit strategies in the middle of the race, each team desperately trying to cover the other.

With both teams on a one-stop strategy, Ferrari radioed their drivers as the pit stop window opened.

To Vettel: “Switch to plan B, plan B, head down.”
To Charles Leclerc: “Charles, we are on Plan B, Plan B.”

When Vettel pitted at the end of lap 26, Hamilton was asked to extend his stint and was told it was ‘Hammer-time’. But the Briton complained his tyres were shot, and at the end of lap 28 Mercedes altered their strategy and brought both Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas into the pits in quick succession.

Vettel puts own spin on post-race podium and parc ferme

Angered by his missing out on victory following the five second time penalty, Vettel marked the end of the Canadian Grand Prix in an unusual manner. Instead of following traditional post-race procedures, he left the track after being weighed and went straight to the Ferrari hospitality unit, ignoring the post-race interviews with Martin Brundle. When he was persuaded to attend the podium ceremony, Vettel went to the holding area and swapped the winners’ boards around, giving Hamilton’s Mercedes the #2 board, and putting the #1 in front of the slot where his SF90 should have been parked. Vettel also briefly joined Hamilton on the top step of the podium during the trophy ceremony.