Aussie duo score points behind Canada winner Verstappen

Oscar Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo have both suffered setbacks in Montreal, but the Australian duo were happy they were in the points behind Canadian Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen.

Ricciardo, who recently came under attack from former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve over a lack of good results, answered his critics with an eighth-placed finish after qualifying fifth.

But the Aussie was controversially slapped with a five-second false-start time penalty, dropping him to 12th after early pit stops.

"I was quite confused because I knew I didn't jump the lights, but I recall maybe the car was creeping when I was looking at the lights," said the RB driver, who claimed four points to take his season tally to nine.

"So I guess we had probably a clutch issue, would be my guess.

"These races, it's hard to be perfect. I made mistakes, obviously, we were just trying to survive at times, so happy we got there in the end ... It's the first weekend I've gone well, start to finish."

On whether the criticism from 1997 world champ Villeneuve spurred him on, the 34-year-old West Australian said: "I think that little energy, probably a little bit of a chip on my shoulder I brought into the weekend, I've got to make sure that stays there and just keep that level of intensity.

"I don't know if I need to be a bit angry or just get my testosterone up, but I think it helps me."

Lando Norris (McLaren) was nearly four seconds behind Verstappen, with George Russell third. His Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton crossed fourth and, after colliding with Russell in the later stages, Piastri was fifth.

After a second-placed finish in Monaco a fortnight ago, Piastri admitted he battled hard around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve but couldn't stave of the Mercedes pair to remain on the podium.

"I tried my best to stay in front, but I think just on the new tyres they were clearly a lot quicker than everybody," the 23-year-old Victorian said.

"Some laps were good, some were bad, and I think once I got into a rhythm I was OK.

"So some things to look at."

Red Bull's triple world champion Verstappen completed a hat-trick of victories on a wet, wild and tricky afternoon.

The Dutchman, who started on the front row alongside pole-sitter Russell, stayed clear of trouble, snatching the lead from Norris on the final pit stops and then grimly hanging on to claim his sixth victory from nine races this season and the 60th of his F1 career.

"Not easy but we did it," Verstappen said over the team radio.

"We had to be on top of our calls and I think, as a team, it went really well today.

"I love it, that was a lot of fun. Those kind of races you need them once in a while."

With AAP.