Kimi Antonelli strengthened his grip on the Formula 1 championship after winning a dramatic Canadian Grand Prix for Mercedes, while team-mate George Russell retired from the lead with a power-unit issue.
The race in Montreal quickly turned into an intense duel between the two Mercedes drivers, who exchanged positions multiple times in a fierce battle at the front. Russell started from pole position but lost the lead after a slow getaway, allowing Antonelli and McLaren’s Lando Norris to surge ahead early on.
Their rivalry escalated throughout the opening stages, with several aggressive wheel-to-wheel moments forcing both drivers off track at different points. Antonelli repeatedly accused Russell of pushing him wide, while Mercedes eventually warned both drivers to calm things down or face team orders.
The turning point came on lap 30 when Russell suddenly slowed with an apparent power-unit failure, ending his race and handing Antonelli control of the Grand Prix. The Italian youngster went on to secure his fourth consecutive victory, extending his championship lead to 43 points.
Behind him, Lewis Hamilton delivered his strongest Formula 1 result since joining Ferrari, overtaking Max Verstappen in the closing laps to finish second. Verstappen settled for third and claimed his first podium finish of the season. Charles Leclerc followed in fourth for Ferrari.
McLaren endured a disastrous afternoon after gambling on intermediate tyres despite dry conditions. Both Norris and Oscar Piastri were forced into early pit stops, destroying their strategy. Norris later retired with a suspected gearbox problem, while Piastri received a 10-second penalty following contact with Alex Albon.
Further down the order, Isack Hadjar finished fifth despite serving a late stop-and-go penalty, ahead of Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman, who completed the top 10.
Formula 1 now heads back to Europe for the Monaco Grand Prix in early June after back-to-back races in North America.