Canadian Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli takes fourth consecutive win as Russell retires
24th May 2026Mercedes Kimi Antonelli has claimed his fourth consecutive race victory in Formula 1, at the Canadian Grand Prix, after George Russell retired from the race due to mechanical problems.
Feature image credit: Pirelli
Antonelli has extended his F1 record after the young Italian superstar achieved his fourth race win on the bounce, following his maiden victory, at the Canadian track, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. However, it was not all straightforward for the Mercedes star.
Russell lined up on pole position after a dominant weekend, but the two Mercedes quickly lost out to the intermediate-wearing McLaren of Lando Norris – a strategy call which did not come to fruition for the Woking-based team.
As the McLarens scrapped their starting tyres for slick, dry-running alternatives, it left Russell and Antonelli to fight it out at the front of the pack.
The two had some close calls, more notably at turn 13, as the two nearly rubbed wheels, forcing Mercedes to warn their drivers on their wheel-to-wheel behaviours. It meant both Russell and Antonelli leap-frogged each other through the first half of the race.
‘Now it’s all good’ says Antonelli after Canadian GP sprint fight with Russell
That was until lap 30. As Russell, leading the race, approached turn eight, the Briton suffered a power unit failure and the King’s Lynn driver lost power in his W17.
The Briton cut the corner by going off onto the grass verge before immediately stopping out on track – retiring in the process.
Antonelli, from that point, cruised to his fourth consecutive victory with minimal challenge from the rest of the pack, including Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Hamilton had been showing strong pace all weekend, but the seven-time world champion had spent most of the race in fourth place on the overall leaderboards.
Leclerc unable to explain pace deficit to Hamilton in Montreal
That was until Russell’s retirement pushed him into the final podium slot.
In the dying laps of the Canadian GP, the Ferrari driver was chasing down P2, held by Verstappen. On lap 57, the multiple world champions were locked into a battle that ensued until the end of the race.
Hamilton was able to slip past on Lap 62, after overtaking the Dutchman heading into turn two. Despite a seemingly superior pace, the Ferrari was not able to shake the following Red Bull, and Verstappen kept the pressure on until the chequered flag fell.
Across the Canadian GP, there were five retirements from the race and a single non-starter.
“It came from nowhere” – Russell reacts to dramatic Canadian pole
Racing Bull’s Arvid Lindblad was the sole non-starter of the race after his car failed to select a gear on the grid, after the formation lap, prompting a second rotation of the Canadian track, of three in total.
Williams’ Alexander Albon was the first retirement after McLaren’s Oscar Piastri collided with the #23 car at the hairpin, on lap 11. The Australian received a 10-second time penalty for the collision, after the Williams was forced to pull off the track with sidepod damage.
Sergio Perez, Cadillac, was the final retiree from the race after the Mexican driver suffered suspension failure on lap 39. It was shown that the Cadillac driver had dragged his car back to the pit lane to retire from the race.
Who finished where at the Canadian Grand Prix?
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
- Franco Colapinto, Alpine
- Lima Lawson, Racing Bulls
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- Carlos Sainz, Williams
- Oliver Bearman, Haas
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Nico Hulkenberg, Audi
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
- Esteban Ocon, Haas
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
- Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac
Retirements:
- Sergio Perez, Cadillac – suspension damage
- Lando Norris, McLaren – Gearbox
- George Russell, Mercedes – Battery/PU
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin – Seat issues
- Alexander Albon, Williams – Collision with Piastri
Read more Formula 1 here:
- ‘Now it’s all good’ says Antonelli after Canadian GP sprint fight with Russell
- Leclerc unable to explain pace deficit to Hamilton in Montreal
- Hamilton says Ferrari finally allows him to “feel like myself”
- “It came from nowhere” – Russell reacts to dramatic Canadian pole
- Sainz says Williams “underdelivered” after Canadian qualifying setback
- George Russell takes Canadian Grand Prix pole with Mercedes front row
- Russell takes Canada GP sprint victory as Antonelli disagrees
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
