Verstappen holds off Sainz to win in F1’s return to Canada

MONTREAL (AP) — Max Verstappen cruised to his sixth Formula One win of the season by holding off a late challenge from Carlos Sainz Jr. and pulling away in a fairly easy Sunday drive in the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen started from the pole at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and wasn’t challenged until the final 10 laps by Sainz. The Ferrari driver was able to close the gap over the final 10 laps and pressured the reigning Formula One champion but faded on the last lap and finished .993 seconds behind the Red Bull. Mercedes had a tremendous rebound as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished third and fourth. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rallied from a 10-place grid penalty to finish fifth from 19th.