17:35
Antonelli is still angry, saying that it's nice to know this is how the Mercedes team-mates race. Wolff gets on the radio again and tells him to stop, and that this is dealt with internally.
Start of the Canadian GP sprint race
LIVE
F1 Canada LIVE: Russell wins sprint race as tensions rise at Mercedes
Live coverage of Saturday at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Russell wins after a tense battle with Antonelli
- Antonelli subdued by Wolff in heated radio exchange
- Qualifying to follow at 9pm BST
The racing action gets underway at the Canadian Grand Prix with the sprint race.
George Russell will start from pole position, leading a Mercedes one-two, after a major upgrade package appeared to have increased the Silver Arrow's advantage at the front of the pack.
Behind, McLaren and Ferrari have been locked in battle, with Lewis Hamilton leading the way through to SQ3, when he dropped behind Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Alex Albon was the major casualty of practice, with the left-hand side of his Williams destroyed after he struck a groundhog and pitched into the concrete wall on the exit of Turn 7. Liam Lawson too suffered early technical problems, and neither took part in sprint qualifying, so start at the back.
Driver futures have been a topic of discussion already, with Haas forced to bat away suggestions that Esteban Ocon was headed for the exit door, and Max Verstappen's future - both in F1 and the Red Bull team - has been a topic of continued speculation.
2026 Canadian Grand Prix Friday schedule
Sprint race: 5:00pm BST - 6:00pm BST
Qualifying: 9pm BST - 10pm BST
23 May 2026
19:02
What Mercedes boss Wolff made of Russell-Antonelli contact
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has given his take on the contact that occurred between George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Canadian Grand Prix sprint.
The title battle between Russell and Antonelli heated up as the Mercedes duo twice came to blows in a fight for the lead during the first ever sprint race to be held at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Antonelli was forced onto the grass at Turn 1, and again at the Turn 8/9 chicane as he failed in his attempts to overtake Russell for the lead in the early laps of Saturday’s shortened race.
You can read the full story and Wolff's take here 👇
WHAT MERCEDES BOSS WOLFF MADE OF RUSSELL-ANTONELLI CONTACT
Antonelli and Russell came to blows twice
18:46
Kimi Antonelli hits out at George Russell after being “pushed off” in F1 Canadian GP sprint clash
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has criticised Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate George Russell after their clash in the Canadian Grand Prix sprint race.
On two occasions, Antonelli was forced onto the grass as he attempted to overtake Russell for the lead as they twice came to blows during a battle for the lead.
Full story here⬇️
Antonelli and Russell twice clashed in the Canada sprint
18:44
Kimi Antonelli vs George Russell - How the Mercedes drama unfolded over team radio
Kimi Antonelli's radio anger in a heated battle with team-mate George Russell caused Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to intervene twice during the Canadian Grand Prix sprint race. Here is how the drama unfolded.
In less than a lap, Antonelli ventured onto the grass on three occasions. First, on the run to the final chicane on lap four, he was drawing alongside Russell, when the gap appeared to disappear in the braking zone. Kicking up dirt, this set the tone for what would follow at Turn 1 on lap five.
Full story here⬇️
Kimi Antonelli vs George Russell - How the Mercedes drama unfolded over team radio
Russell and Antonelli in a frosty Canadian GP media session
© XPB Images
18:23
Russell wins Canada sprint after fraught Antonelli battle
George Russell claimed victory in the Canadian Grand Prix sprint race after a fierce battle with Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
For the first time this season, the Mercedes pair made contact as Russell and Antonelli duelled for the lead during the early stages of the first-ever sprint race to be held in Montreal.
You can read our full sprint report here ⬇️
RUSSELL WINS CANADA SPRINT AS MERCEDES FIGHT HAS FIRST FLASHPOINT
Antonelli takes to the grass after his skirmish with Russell
17:33
Russell takes the flag, and answers some of his critics. A win for the Brit, from Norris and Antonelli.
Piastri is fourth, just, from Leclerc and Hamilton.
Hamilton, Verstappen, and Lindblad complete the points positions.
17:32
Piastri has passed Hamilton, somehow, and Leclerc is also ahead of his Ferrari team-mate!
17:31
Onto the final lap, and Antonelli is ducking and diving on Norris. He overshoots Turn 1, gives the place back, and that is his challenge over.
17:29
A kiss with the Wall of Champions for Hamilton, but he survives the moment. His Ferrari won't take many more moments like that, however.
17:27
Back to Montreal, and we have three laps to go. The top three are split by nothing.
17:26
The entertainment spread to Wembley, as Hull score in the 95th minute, to book a place in the Premier League!
17:25
Yellow flags briefly showed, and my heart skipped a beat. But they quickly disappeared with no explanation. With five laps remaining, Russell leads by half a second.
17:22
Norris drops a second back on Russell, and Antonelli is now all over the McLaren driver's gearbox.
17:21
Throughout everything, Verstappen is in seventh, in a no man's land - three seconds behind P6, and 10s clear of P8.
17:20
For those interested, a very dull Championship play-off final remains at 0-0 with a minute of normal time remaining.
17:19
Setting the fastest lap of the race, Antonelli is slowly closing in on the top two. Can someone pass the popcorn, please? We've run out already!
17:18
Norris is closing and closing on Russell. Will he take the chance and dive if the opportunity presents itself?
17:16
Russell is struggling with front grip due to his tyres still being too cold. Antonelli looks to have a similar problem, with Hamilton now hunting him down as all the grip appears to have disappeared from Mercedes!
17:14
On lap nine, Norris is now chasing down Russell and is sticking within the one-second window. More of this, please!
17:14
No further action against Stroll for that start infringement, as Hadjar is backed into the garage.
17:13
"Kimi, concentrate on the driving please, not on the radio moaning," instructs Wolff. The team boss is having none of it whatsoever.
17:12
Antonelli is appealing for Russell to get a penalty. He reports he was alongside the mirror, which would fit the criteria.
Bono is warning Antonelli to calm down, but he's having none of it.
17:11
Calm down guys! Russell puts Antonelli on the grass on the run to the final chicane, before the two collide again at Turn 1.
Antonelli goes off at Turn 8 as Russell again appears to force him off. Piastri drops behind Norris into third.
17:10
"Engine problem. Oh s***," reports Hadjar. Sprint over for the Frenchman.
17:09
This Mercedes upgrade has catapulted them into a different postcode to the rest. On lap 5, the pair are over three seconds clear of the rest. This is proper dominance.