George Russell wins F1 Canadian GP sprint as Mercedes fight has first flashpoint
George Russell wins the Canadian Grand Prix sprint after clashing with Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
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.
Antonelli was forced to take to the grass after trying to go around the outside of Russell at Turn 1 on the sixth lap after the pair made light contact.
2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix: Full sprint results
The skirmish continued at the Turn 8/9 chicane, with Antonelli once again taking to the grass after locking up as he unsuccessfully attempted to pass Russell with a dive down the inside.
Antonelli lost momentum as he recovered onto the track and lost a position to McLaren’s Lando Norris, before complaining on several occasions that Russell had not played fair in his defence.
“That was very naughty,” the Italian teenager bemoaned, before adding “that should be a penalty, I was alongside the mirror.”
Antonelli’s repeated radio complaints led to an intervention from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who told his driver to “concentrate on the driving, not the radio moaning”.
Antonelli could not find a way back past Norris and was left a frustrated third as he saw his early championship advantage reduced to 18 points.
Antonelli continued his protests after the chequered flag, with Wolff stepping in once more to tell the youngster the matter would be handled “internally”.
Oscar Piastri lost out to Lewis Hamilton at the start but claimed fourth place back on the last lap, with the seven-time world champion also falling behind Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc after running fourth for most of the 23-lap race.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished seventh as F1 rookie Arvid Lindblad claimed the final point on offer in eighth for Racing Bulls.
The top-10 was rounded out by Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson.
Fernando Alonso was the only driver who failed to finish.
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