Antonelli Wins Canadian GP as Russell Retires; Hamilton Passes Verstappen for P2

Kimi Antonelli claimed victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, securing his fourth consecutive win after Mercedes teammate George Russell retired from the lead with a power unit failure. Lewis Hamilton executed a late pass on Max Verstappen to finish second, capping a chaotic race that severely dented McLaren's championship hopes.

Why it matters:

Antonelli's triumph extends his Drivers' Championship lead to 43 points over Russell, establishing the young Italian as the clear title favorite. McLaren's disastrous afternoon of strategic errors and mechanical failures significantly shifted the title fight, while Red Bull secured their first podium of the 2026 season.

The details:

• Mercedes Duel: Russell and Antonelli delivered a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle in the opening stint, trading the lead multiple times and banging wheels at the final chicane on Lap 24.
• Costly Failure: Russell's race ended abruptly on Lap 30 when his power unit failed at Turn 9, forcing him to pull over and frustratedly hurl his headrest.
• McLaren Missteps: McLaren's race unraveled at the start by opting for intermediate tires on a drying track, forcing early pit stops for slicks and dropping both cars into the midfield.
• Piastri Penalty: Oscar Piastri's day worsened when he hit Alex Albon's Williams, earning a 10-second penalty and finishing 11th. Lando Norris retired on Lap 40 with a gearbox issue.
• Hamilton's Move: Verstappen struggled with tire warm-up on mediums, allowing Hamilton to close the gap and make a clinical pass around the outside of Turn 1 on Lap 62 to secure P2.
• Hadjar's Resilience: Isack Hadjar finished fifth despite collecting two penalties—a 10-second penalty for moving more than once and a stop-and-go for ignoring yellow flags.

What's next:

With Antonelli on a dominant run and McLaren searching for answers, the championship momentum has firmly swung toward Mercedes. Red Bull's first podium offers a glimmer of hope, but all eyes will be on how McLaren recovers in the upcoming rounds.