Kimi Antonelli strengthened his Formula 1 championship lead with a dramatic victory at the Canadian Grand Prix after Mercedes team mate George Russell retired from the lead in Montreal. According to BBC Sport, Russell appeared to suffer a power unit problem on lap 30, ending what had been a tense and fast moving battle between the two Mercedes drivers.
Antonelli’s win marked his fourth straight victory and moved him 43 points clear at the top of the drivers’ standings. The result was a major setback for Russell, who had been fighting directly with Antonelli for control of the race before his car suddenly stopped. Until that point, the two Mercedes drivers had delivered one of the most exciting intra team contests of the season.
The race began with immediate drama as Russell made a slow start from pole position. Antonelli briefly moved ahead, but McLaren’s Lando Norris surged past both Mercedes cars to take the early lead after starting on intermediate tyres. That gamble quickly faded, however, as the dry track forced McLaren to pit almost immediately, sending both Norris and Oscar Piastri into recovery mode.
Once the McLarens dropped back, the spotlight returned to the Mercedes fight. Russell and Antonelli traded the lead several times, with both drivers making mistakes under pressure. Antonelli accused Russell of pushing him off track, while Mercedes eventually warned both drivers to keep the racing clean or risk being ordered to hold position.
Russell’s retirement changed the entire shape of the race. With Antonelli clear in front, the battle for second became the main attraction as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen renewed one of Formula 1’s most famous rivalries. Verstappen initially passed Hamilton, but the Ferrari driver fought back in the closing laps and moved ahead with a bold outside pass into the first corner.
Hamilton held on to finish second, recording his best Grand Prix result with Ferrari. Verstappen completed the podium in third, giving Red Bull its first podium finish of the season. Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari after a quieter race, while Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, and Oliver Bearman completed the top ten.
It was a difficult afternoon for McLaren, whose tyre strategy fell apart almost immediately. Norris briefly led the race but was forced into an early stop, later suffering further delays before retiring with a suspected gearbox issue. Piastri also endured a frustrating race after receiving a 10 second penalty for a collision with Williams driver Alex Albon.
The Canadian Grand Prix leaves Antonelli in firm control of the championship battle, while Russell will be left wondering how quickly his title hopes can recover from such a costly retirement. Formula 1 now returns to Europe, with the next race scheduled for Monaco from June 5 to June 7.
