Antonelli Wins Dramatic Canadian Grand Prix After Russell Retires

Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his fourth consecutive victory after winning a chaotic and action-packed Canadian Grand Prix for Mercedes.

The Italian driver also extended his championship lead after team-mate George Russell retired from the race while leading due to a power unit failure.

Intense Mercedes Battle Ends in Drama

The opening stages of the race featured a fierce fight between Antonelli and Russell, with the two Mercedes drivers repeatedly swapping positions and running wheel-to-wheel around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The battle ended dramatically on Lap 30, when Russell suddenly slowed down and stopped on track with a technical issue, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.

After the restart, Antonelli controlled the race comfortably and eventually crossed the line 10.7 seconds ahead of the field.

Hamilton Finishes Second for Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton finished second for Ferrari after overtaking Max Verstappen in the closing laps.

Verstappen secured his first podium finish of the season in third place.

Difficult Day for McLaren

It turned into a disastrous race for McLaren after both drivers started on intermediate tyres in drying conditions.

Lando Norris later retired with a gearbox issue, while Oscar Piastri finished outside the points after receiving a penalty for causing a collision with Alexander Albon.

Race Overview

The race featured changing weather, mixed tyre strategies, multiple Virtual Safety Cars and several dramatic battles across the grid. Mercedes drivers Antonelli and Russell fought intensely for the lead before Russell retired with a technical issue, while McLaren endured a nightmare race with strategy errors, penalties and reliability problems.

Ferrari capitalised on the chaos, Verstappen secured his first podium of the season, and several midfield teams scored valuable points in one of the most entertaining races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

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Final Take

The Canadian Grand Prix delivered one of the most dramatic races of the season so far. Antonelli once again proved why he is emerging as Formula 1’s biggest new star, while Mercedes showed it now has the pace to consistently fight at the front.

However, Russell’s retirement also highlighted how costly reliability issues can become in an increasingly tight championship battle.