Formula ReportFormula Report
F1 Canadian GP: George Russell wins sprint after Kimi Antonelli clash
Back to Home
motorsport.com

F1 Canadian GP: George Russell wins sprint after Kimi Antonelli clash

Russell kept his cool and prevailed in the Montreal sprint race, as Antonelli desperately tried – and failed – to snatch the win away

A calm and collected George Russell triumphed in the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix sprint race, as Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli endured two trips across the grass in the battle for victory.

Mercedes, which locked out the front row ahead of the McLarens, Ferraris and Red Bulls, maintained its advantage at the start as polesitter Russell led Antonelli, despite the Silver Arrows having previously suffered from sluggish getaways in 2026.

The only change among frontrunners was Lewis Hamilton going around the outside of Oscar Piastri in Turn 2 for fourth, as Lando Norris stayed third and Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar still made up the top eight.

Antonelli started pressuring Russell on lap five, and attacked on the next tour around the outside in Turn 1, but he was given no room by Russell and cut through the grass.

Antonelli wasn’t giving up and launched another attempt at Turn 8 but braked perhaps too late and bounced across the grass, losing second place to Norris. “That was very naughty,” the Italian complained of Russell, though the footage did not seem to corroborate his claim.

Briefly challenged by Hamilton, Antonelli pulled away and eventually closed the gap to Norris, who himself was pressuring leader Russell. The sophomore attacked the McLaren on the last lap, around the outside in Turn 1, but couldn’t make the move stick, so the top three remained unchanged.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

Hamilton had to withheld pressure from Piastri and eventually collapsed to sixth on the last lap, behind the Australian and Ferrari team-mate Leclerc. Verstappen finished seventh.

Hadjar ended up three laps down after two pitstops, meaning Racing BullsArvid Lindblad collected the last available point after completing the race on hard tyres.

Further back, Lance Stroll finished highest of all five cars which started from the pitlane, having encountered a front suspension issue shortly before the start. Valtteri Bottas, Oliver Bearman, Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly were in the same starting situation but were outraced by the Aston Martin.

F1 Canadian GP - Sprint Result

All Stats
Cla Driver #   Laps Time Interval km/h Pits Points Retirement Chassis Engine
1 United Kingdom G. Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes MGP W17 23

-

      25   Mercedes Mercedes
2 United Kingdom L. Norris McLaren 1 McLaren MCL40 23

+1.272

1.272

1.272     18   McLaren Mercedes
3 Italy A. Antonelli Mercedes 12 Mercedes MGP W17 23

+1.843

1.843

0.571     15   Mercedes Mercedes
4 Australia O. Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren MCL40 23

+9.797

9.797

7.954     12   McLaren Mercedes
5 Monaco C. Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari SF-26 23

+9.929

9.929

0.132     10   Ferrari Ferrari
6 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Ferrari 44 Ferrari SF-26 23

+10.545

10.545

0.616     8   Ferrari Ferrari
7 Netherlands M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing 3 Red Bull Racing RB22 23

+15.935

15.935

5.390     6   Red Bull Red Bull
8 United Kingdom A. Lindblad Racing Bulls 41 Racing Bulls VCARB03 23

+29.710

29.710

13.775     4   RB Red Bull
9 Argentina F. Colapinto Alpine 43 Alpine A526 23

+31.621

31.621

1.911     2   Alpine Mercedes
10 Spain C. Sainz Williams 55 Williams FW48 23

+36.793

36.793

5.172     1   Williams Mercedes
11 New Zealand L. Lawson Racing Bulls 30 Racing Bulls VCARB03 23

+1'01.344

1'01.344

24.551         RB Red Bull
12 Brazil G. Bortoleto Audi 5 Audi R26 23

+1'01.814

1'01.814

0.470         Audi Audi
13 France E. Ocon Haas F1 Team 31 Haas VF-26 23

+1'04.209

1'04.209

2.395         Haas Ferrari
14 Mexico S. Perez Cadillac F1 Team 11 Cadillac 23

+1'10.402

1'10.402

6.193         Cadillac Ferrari
15 Germany N. Hulkenberg Audi 27 Audi R26 23

+1'12.158

1'12.158

1.756         Audi Audi
16 Canada L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing 18 Aston Martin AMR26 22

1 lap

          Aston Martin Honda
17 Finland V. Bottas Cadillac F1 Team 77 Cadillac 22

1 lap

          Cadillac Ferrari
18 United Kingdom O. Bearman Haas F1 Team 87 Haas VF-26 22

1 lap

    1     Haas Ferrari
19 Thailand A. Albon Williams 23 Williams FW48 22

1 lap

    1     Williams Mercedes
20 France P. Gasly Alpine 10 Alpine A526 22

1 lap

    1     Alpine Mercedes
21 France I. Hadjar Red Bull Racing 6 Red Bull Racing RB22 20

3 laps

    2     Red Bull Red Bull
dnf Spain F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing 14 Aston Martin AMR26 15     2   Retirement Aston Martin Honda
View full results

Photos from Canadian GP - Saturday

George Russell, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Carmen Montero Mundt, Lily Muni

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Allan McNish

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Canadian GP - Saturday, in photos

Formula 1

32

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Originally published by motorsport.com

Read Original Article