Russell escapes disaster in Canadian GP FP1 with last-second save

George Russell came within inches of wrecking his Mercedes W17 during the closing moments of FP1 at the Canadian Grand Prix, sliding wide at Turn 1 and skidding toward the barriers before somehow avoiding contact. The near-miss could have severely compromised Sprint Qualifying, which begins just hours later, but the Briton managed to escape without damage.

Why it matters:

Russell has historically performed well in Montréal, including a victory last year, but he enters 2026 chasing momentum after what he called a "tough" Miami weekend. FP1 already showed a gap to teammate Kimi Antonelli, who topped the session with a 1:13.402. Russell trailed by four-tenths at one stage before closing to just 0.142s by the flag, securing second place. A crash would have added unnecessary workload for mechanics and disrupted his buildup to Sprint Qualifying.

The details:

• The snap occurred at the exit of Turn 1, with Russell losing control and sliding toward the wall at speed. He corrected just in time to avoid heavy impact.
• Antonelli leads the championship and looked comfortable in FP1, suggesting Mercedes has strong pace around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
• Russell admitted Miami exposed weaknesses but also provided valuable lessons: “It was a very tough weekend for me, but a huge amount was learned. I feel great coming into this weekend.”
• The 2026 regulations have shifted focus toward energy management and tyre behavior, but Russell believes teams have neglected core racing fundamentals—a trend he hopes to address in Montréal.

What's next:

Sprint Qualifying takes place later today, offering Russell a chance to reset after a mixed FP1. If Mercedes can maintain its pace and Russell avoids further scares, he could challenge for the front row. The team will also analyze the near-miss to ensure no underlying setup issues triggered the slide. A clean run in qualifying is essential to build confidence and keep the championship pressure on Antonelli.