The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve delivered another chaotic chapter in Formula 1 history on Sunday as the Canadian Grand Prix produced drama from lights out to chequered flag, with crashes, retirements, team-mate tensions and a breakthrough victory for Mercedes’ teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli.
Coming into race day, the tension was already sky high after Saturday’s sprint race erupted into controversy. George Russell had narrowly beaten Mercedes teammate Antonelli in a fierce wheel-to-wheel battle that saw both drivers run off track during an aggressive scrap for the lead.
Antonelli was visibly furious over team radio after the clash, while Russell insisted the battle had simply been hard racing.
That flashpoint proved to be only the beginning. Mercedes locked out the front row for Sunday’s Grand Prix, with Russell on pole ahead of Antonelli, while McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lurked close behind.
The expectation was for another tense intra-team fight, and Montreal certainly delivered.
The opening laps were frantic as Russell and Antonelli immediately resumed their battle from Saturday. The two Mercedes drivers traded fastest laps and repeatedly pushed each other to the limit through the opening sector. Antonelli looked quicker in the early stages, but Russell defended aggressively to maintain track position.
Behind them, the field quickly began to unravel. Montreal’s notorious walls claimed several victims across the afternoon, while mechanical problems also played a major role in what became one of the highest-attrition races of the season.
By the halfway stage, multiple drivers had already retired, including Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso, while others struggled with damage after separate incidents.
In total, six drivers failed to finish the race.
McLaren also endured disappointment after Norris was forced to retire with a mechanical issue despite looking capable of challenging for a podium finish.
Norris had already impressed during Saturday’s sprint race where he finished second behind George Russell, but his Grand Prix ended early as another victim of Montreal’s brutal attrition rate.
The biggest turning point arrived on lap 30. After leading much of the race and appearing locked in a genuine fight for victory, Russell suddenly slowed with a power unit failure. The Brit’s Mercedes lost power exiting a corner before grinding to a halt at the side of the circuit, immediately triggering a virtual safety car. Russell’s frustration was clear for all to see as he struck the steering wheel and angrily threw equipment from the cockpit after climbing out of the car.
It was a devastating moment for Russell, who had looked capable of completing a perfect weekend after taking sprint victory and pole position.
Instead, Antonelli inherited the lead, and never looked back.
The 19-year-old Italian controlled the remainder of the race impressively despite constant pressure from the chasing Ferraris and Red Bulls. Lewis Hamilton briefly looked capable of challenging for the win after strong pace on the hard tyres, but Antonelli managed the gap calmly to secure a landmark Canadian Grand Prix victory.
Hamilton eventually finished second after a late overtake on Max Verstappen, who completed the podium in third. Charles Leclerc came home fourth after another consistent drive for Ferrari, while McLaren’s hopes faded after strategy issues and tyre degradation late in the race.
The result marked another huge statement from Antonelli, who continues to establish himself as the breakout star of the 2026 season. Already leading the championship before arriving in Canada, the teenager extended his advantage further after Russell’s retirement.
Yet despite Antonelli’s brilliance, much of the post-race conversation centred on Mercedes themselves.
After Saturday’s sprint clash and Sunday’s relentless wheel-to-wheel racing, the relationship between Russell and Antonelli now appears increasingly strained. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff faces the difficult challenge of managing two ultra-competitive drivers both fighting for the championship, a situation many fans compared to previous intra-team rivalries that spiralled out of control.
The sprint race had already hinted at tensions boiling beneath the surface. Antonelli ran across the grass twice while trying to attack Russell for the lead, and both drivers accused the other of leaving insufficient room during their battle.
Elsewhere in the paddock, McLaren were left frustrated after showing promising pace throughout the weekend but failing to capitalise, while Red Bull continued to struggle to match Mercedes over a full race distance despite Verstappen salvaging another podium finish.
The unpredictable weather, repeated safety interruptions and constant incidents made the Canadian Grand Prix one of the most entertaining races of the year so far. Montreal has long held a reputation for producing chaos, and this year’s edition more than lived up to expectations.
