Verstappen hails team for staying calm in ‘crazy race’ as he takes victory in eventful Canadian GP

Max Verstappen hailed his Red Bull team for being on “top of our calls” after his victory in an action-packed Canadian Grand Prix, with the chaotic race requiring crucial strategy calls amid changing weather conditions and two Safety Car periods.

While pole-sitter George Russell initially led away from Verstappen as the race got under way, Lando Norris went on to slot into P1 before the lead changed hands again when the Safety Car was deployed on Lap 25 after Logan Sargeant hit the barriers in the Williams.

READ MORE: Verstappen beats Norris to victory in thrilling wet/dry Canadian GP

While the positions switched again following a second pit stop phase, Verstappen ultimately got ahead of Norris and the Dutchman held onto P1 to the chequered flag, despite further incidents including a second Safety Car, this time owing to a collision between Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.

Given that his running earlier in the weekend was curtailed following an ERS issue with his car, Verstappen bounced back in style by taking the win and praised his team for staying “calm” during an eventful Grand Prix.

“It was a pretty crazy race,” the world champion said after jumping out of his RB20. "A lot of things were happening and we had to be on top of our calls. I think as a team we just did really well today – we remained calm, I think we pitted at the right time.

RACE START: Watch the getaway in Canada as Russell holds the lead in wet conditions while Haas’s strategy gamble pays off

“Of course the Safety Car worked out nicely for us, but even after that I think we were managing the gaps quite well. I love it, that was a lot of fun. Those kinds of races, you need them once in a while.”

Asked about how much McLaren and Mercedes had taken the fight to Red Bull during the 70-lap encounter, Verstappen responded: “Yeah, in different stages of the race as well. It was a lot of fun out there.”

There looked to be a potential issue for Verstappen when he was heard to complain about his suspension in the race, having previously experienced this problem earlier in the weekend. Reflecting on this, the 26-year-old acknowledged that the team still have some areas for improvement.

AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from a dramatic Canadian GP as Verstappen takes victory

“[It was] not particularly an issue – we know what it is. We just need to work on it,” he explained. “But nevertheless we won, that’s the most important, and we still have a lot of room to improve.”