Antonelli Dominates Canadian Grand Prix After Russell's Heartbreak, Hamilton Secures Second
Kimi Antonelli's victory in Montreal extends his championship lead by 43 points after Mercedes teammate George Russell's unfortunate retirement.
The story
The Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve delivered a dramatic race. Early on, McLaren's Lando Norris, on intermediate tires, briefly snatched the lead from the Mercedes front row, but their tire gamble quickly backfired. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli then engaged in a fierce wheel-to-wheel battle, swapping the lead multiple times in the opening laps. The intense intra-team duel came to an abrupt end on Lap 30 when Russell's car suffered a power unit issue, forcing him to retire from the lead and bringing out a Virtual Safety Car. Antonelli then managed his lead to secure his fourth consecutive victory. Further back, Lewis Hamilton in his Ferrari made a superb late overtake on Max Verstappen at Turn 1 on Lap 62 to snatch second place. Oscar Piastri’s race was hampered on Lap 13 when he locked up at the hairpin and collided with Alex Albon, forcing the Williams driver to retire and earning Piastri a 10-second penalty. Norris later retired with a suspected gearbox issue, capping a challenging day for McLaren.
On the podium
| Position | Driver | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 68 Laps |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +10.768s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +11.276s |
Key moments
Start. Lando Norris, on intermediate tires, surged into the lead from the front row.
Early Laps. Mercedes teammates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli battled intensely, repeatedly swapping the lead.
Lap 13. Oscar Piastri locked up at the hairpin and collided with Alex Albon, leading to Albon's retirement.
Lap 30. George Russell retired from the lead due to a power unit issue, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
Lap 62. Lewis Hamilton executed a decisive overtake on Max Verstappen at Turn 1 to claim second place.
Championship
| Pos | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 131 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 88 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 75 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 72 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 58 |
Next race
The Formula 1 circus now heads to Europe for the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, scheduled for June 5-7, 2026. The historic street circuit in Monte Carlo promises another weekend of tight battles and strategic challenges.
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