George Russell held off late pressure to win the F1 Canadian Grand Prix Sprint on Saturday, but the race was shaped by a flashpoint with teammate Kimi Antonelli. The two Mercedes drivers clashed while fighting for the lead, with Antonelli briefly forced off track before recovering to finish third.
The incident became one of the defining moments of the 24-lap race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It came just five laps into the Sprint, when Antonelli launched an aggressive move around the outside into Turn 1, to take the lead from Russell. The Brit held his line on the corner exit, pushing Antonelli wide and onto the grass.
The Italian lost momentum, allowing Lando Norris to slip through into second, effectively reshaping the front order. Antonelli addressed the battle after the race, making it clear he felt he had done enough to claim the corner.
“It was a tough battle to be fair. We were all there in terms of pace. It was not easy,” Antonelli said in parc ferme. “I tried to make my move but I need to review on that because I was well alongside and got pushed off. It is what it is. Then I made a mistake into Turn 8 because I took a big bump, locked up then I compromised my race from there but it was a good battle.”
George Russell, meanwhile, avoided engaging directly with the controversy. His focus remained on the overall race and the outcome.
“It was a cool race, very difficult to get a gap around here. It felt quite easy to follow and the slipstream felt quite powerful with the Overtake Mode,” Russell said. “It was a good battle with Kimi. I’m glad we are both standing here after the race.”
From that point, the sprint settled, but not without tension. George Russell controlled the pace at the front, managing Lando Norris behind him, while Kimi Antonelli dropped back briefly before stabilizing in third. Despite his early frustration, the Italian held position to secure a podium finish, completing a strong result for Mercedes in a high-pressure Sprint.
Toto Wolff steps in as Kimi Antonelli calls for penalty for George Russell
The immediate aftermath of the incident played out over team radio. Kimi Antonelli was vocal in his frustration, repeatedly questioning the legality of George Russell’s defense.
“That was very naughty,” he said, before adding, “That should be a penalty, I was alongside the mirror.”
Even as his race engineer tried to calm him, Antonelli continued:
“That was not fair, he pushed me off!”
At that point, Toto Wolff stepped in and said:
“Concentrate on the driving, please, and not on the radio moaning.”
The message had the intended effect, as Kimi Antonelli settled into his race and avoided further mistakes.
The result tightened the dynamic between the two drivers. Antonelli remains ahead in the standings, but George Russell’s Sprint win reduced the gap to 18 points and reinforced the growing intra-team rivalry. Both drivers will return to the track later on Saturday for qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Edited by Anurup Chakraborty
