Antonelli surges to F1 Canadian GP win after teammate Russell retires in lead

It is too early to be decisive yet but without doubt George Russell was left cursing his damnable luck as his world championship ambitions took a body blow in Montreal. The British driver was left angry and disconsolate as his Mercedes ground to halt on track at the Canadian Grand Prix and his teammate and title rival Kimi Antonelli powered to a record-breaking victory. Russell must be wondering what he has to do to catch a break in what increasingly looks like a two-way title fight with his Ita

He had claimed victory in the sprint race, then pole and then had an absolutely gripping, toe-to-toe fight with the 19-year-old for the opening 29 laps on the Île Notre-Dame. The pair had circulated within half a second of one another, trading the lead repeatedly in what was an exemplary piece of racing. Russell had to pull some superb, resolved, defensive driving and Antonelli was as always an irrepressible force, a joy to behold. To and fro they darted against one another, neither perfect, both drivers suffered lock-ups and minor errors but neither could take a decisive advantage. It was glorious stuff with nothing to choose between them. The prospect of it heading to the flag as such was mouthwatering, only for Russell’s world to fall apart in a scant few seconds. Out of nowhere he suddenly slowed and pulled off on lap 30 with an engine failure. An understandably angry Russell hurled his headrest from the car and walked away from it in disgust. He was left behind the fence, staring at the marshals pushing his stricken ride away and shaking his head in disbelief and frustration as Antonelli scampered off into an unchallenged lead he held to the flag. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli takes the chequered flag. Russell had fought hard and a win or a second would have been well deserved, instead the weekend where had hoped to close on his teammate’s championship lead was left shattered. Eighteen points behind before the race, Russell is now a full 43 back and when interviewed afterwards he admitted he could make no sense of this cruel fate in Montreal.

Key points

• He had claimed victory in the sprint race, then pole and then had an absolutely gripping, toe-to-toe fight with the 19-year-old for the opening 29 laps on the Île Notre-Dame.
• The pair had circulated within half a second of one another, trading the lead repeatedly in what was an exemplary piece of racing.
• Russell had to pull some superb, resolved, defensive driving and Antonelli was as always an irrepressible force, a joy to behold.
• To and fro they darted against one another, neither perfect, both drivers suffered lock-ups and minor errors but neither could take a decisive advantage.
• It was glorious stuff with nothing to choose between them.