Kimi Antonelli won the Canadian Grand Prix as Mercedes teammate George Russell retired with powertrain problems after an epic battle between the Silver Arrows.
Antonelli became the first driver in F1 history to win four consecutive wins, extending his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 43 points.
But the two Mercedes almost came to blows as Antonelli and Russell traded positions several times around the Gilles Villeneuve circuit, locked in a fierce battle for the lead that lasted 31 laps until Russell retired.
Antonelli was inches away from plunging into the back of Russell early on and the pair had some contact later on but avoided any damage in one of the most exciting battles for the lead in recent F1 memory.
“There’s nothing between Russell and Antonelli, so we’re in for a bit of a classic season.” Sky Sports F1 Martin Brundle.
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George Russell was forced to retire due to powertrain failure
Lewis Hamilton finished second with Ferrari’s best result in a strong weekend that saw the seven-time world champion overtake Max Verstappen in the closing stages.
But Verstappen will be satisfied with his first podium of 2026 after securing a place in the opening heat in cold conditions that were challenging for the drivers.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth despite a late half-spin and Ferrari finished second ahead of McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
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Watch Kimi Antonelli win the Canadian GP as Lewis Hamilton takes P2
Neither McLaren driver scored any points as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri gambled by starting in the middle section, which proved to be a poor strategy.
Norris later retired with a suspected gearbox failure as he made his way through the field, while Piatri received a 10-second time penalty for contact with Williams’ Alex Albon.
Isack Hadjar maintained fifth place despite two penalties for weaving and speeding in yellow flag conditions as he attempted to defend against Leclerc.
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Lando Norris reflects on the Canadian Grand Prix where ‘a lot didn’t go his way’.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto continued his strong form with a career-best sixth place, while Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson beat Pierre Gasly to take seventh.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz finished ninth for the third time this season, while Haas’ Oliver Bearman finished 10th.
Two extra formation laps were required before the race due to issues with Britain’s Arvid Lindblad being unable to make the start.
The epic Russell-Antonelli battle ended early
Russell was under pressure in what was a big weekend for British drivers after taking first place in Sprint Qualifying, Sprint and Qualifying.
But there was little that could separate the Mercedes duo in terms of pure speed, as shown when Antonelli lost the race after making slight contact with Russell in the sprint.
Antonelli was not satisfied with Russell’s defense on Saturday and the aggressive racing continued almost from the start until the grand prix.
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Watch Lando Norris take the lead at the start of the CHAOTIC Canadian GP race.
This time Antonelli got off to a better start and defended Russell at first. Although both Mercedes were overtaken by Norris into turn one, the McLaren driver pitted at the end of the second lap as his middle car quickly overheated.
Russell overtook Antonelli entering the final chicane on lap 6, but the Italian almost ran over the back of his team-mate, leading to a race-ending collision for both drivers.
Both drivers made minor mistakes in the gusty Turn 10 hairpin, but they maintained the lead before Antonelli retook the lead on Lap 22.
But two laps later, at the final chicane, the pair wiped Antonelli’s wheels as he cut the corner and were told to give up position, which he did a lap later.
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Russell and Antonelli had wheel-to-wheel contact with Antonelli being forced off before giving the place back.
Unfortunately, the drama ended on lap 31 when Russell was forced to stop due to a power unit failure. He was visibly furious as he threw the headrest out of the car, knowing it could be a pivotal moment in the title race.
“All of a sudden, everything went out. I got to the corner and the engine stopped, there were no electronics, the brakes didn’t work properly. I can’t tell you right now, honestly,” Russell said. Sky Sports F1.
“For my part, I don’t think there was anything more I could have done this weekend. I will leave satisfied. Of course, I am quite disappointed with what has happened. What more can I do?”
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Toto Wolff said he ‘half-enjoyed’ watching the Mercedes drivers engage in a bittersweet race in which one won and the other retired.
Because Russell’s stoppage resulted in a Virtual Safety Car, most drivers used the opportunity to make their only pit stops of the race.
Antonelli continued to dominate the grand prix, but Verstappen and Hamilton worked hard for second place. Hamilton slowly built up a seven-second deficit to Verstappen, but the lack of power from the Ferrari engine made it look too difficult to overtake his rival.
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Lewis Hamilton moved into second place at the Canadian Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by the outside.
Hamilton made a decisive move around the outside into Turn 1 with six laps to go, holding off Verstappen, who crossed the line just half a second behind.
“I had a good race day and a really solid weekend. I felt great and the team did an amazing job,” said Hamilton. Sky Sports F1.
“I’m really thankful and happy that we were able to fight up there and have a good fight with Max.”
Next up is the start of Formula 1’s European summer. The Monaco Grand Prix is the first of six races to be held in eight weeks. Watch live on Sky Sports F1 from 5-7 June. Stream Sky Sports NOW – No Commitment, Cancel Anytime
