Heading into this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, Mercedes arrived in Montreal with momentum firmly on its side. Ultimately, it was Kimi Antonelli who emerged victorious at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, claiming his fourth consecutive win and further tightening his grip on the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.
The 19-year-old Italian had already looked strong throughout the weekend, despite teammate George Russell coming out on top in Sprint qualifying, Saturday's Sprint race, and Grand Prix qualifying. Their intense wheel-to-wheel battle in the Sprint hinted at growing tension inside Mercedes, which nearly spilt over on Sunday.
Rain earlier in the day left conditions tricky heading into the Grand Prix, with several teams gambling on tyre strategy as the lights went out. Mercedes kept things simple by starting both drivers on slick tyres while McLaren rolled the dice on intermediates, a decision that quickly backfired as the track dried faster than expected.
Russell initially controlled the race from pole position, but Antonelli stayed glued to the back of the sister Mercedes throughout the opening stint. The pair traded fastest laps and repeatedly pushed each other to the limit, comfortably pulling away from the chasing pack. For a while, it looked like the race would come down to a straight fight between the two Silver Arrows drivers as tensions rose and they banged wheels.
However, on Lap 30, Russell suddenly slowed with a power unit issue, forcing the Brit to retire from the lead of the race. Clearly furious, he threw his headrest from the car, resulting in a €5000 fine from the FIA.
Antonelli, meanwhile, raced into the distance, but there was plenty of entertainment to be found with a late battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that saw the latter secure Red Bull's first podium finish of the season.
McLaren endured a nightmare afternoon, as their early tyre gamble ruined both drivers’ races, and reliability issues later forced Lando Norris out altogether.
For Antonelli, though, Canada represented another major statement in what is rapidly becoming a remarkable debut title campaign. Four straight wins have transformed the teenager from an exciting future star into a clear championship favourite. Now, he enjoys a comfortable 43-point lead heading into the Monaco Grand Prix next month.
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:28:15.758
2. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +10.768s
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +11.276s
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +44.151s
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +52.820s
6. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – +58.304s
7. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +1:02.973
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1:05.115
9. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +1:08.442
10. Oliver Bearman (Haas) – +1:11.201
11. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +1:15.884
12. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – +1 Lap
13. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – +1 Lap
14. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – +1 Lap
15. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – +1 Lap
16. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – +1 Lap
17. Sergio Perez (Cadillac) – +2 Laps
18. Lando Norris (McLaren) - DNF
19. George Russell (Mercedes) - DNF
20. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - DNF
21. Alex Albon (Williams) - DNF