George Russell won the sprint race at the Canadian Grand Prix, but the victory was overshadowed by a heated clash with his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. The pair battled for the lead, with Antonelli demanding a penalty for Russell after contact on lap six. Team principal Toto Wolff intervened, telling Antonelli to 'stop the radio moaning'.
The incident cost Mercedes a likely one-two finish. Antonelli ultimately finished third behind McLaren's Lando Norris, while Russell closed the championship gap to his teammate to 18 points. Antonelli, 19, was furious on the radio, insisting Russell had pushed him off the track.
Russell and Antonelli were comfortably leading the race when Antonelli attempted a move at turn one. The cars brushed, and Antonelli was forced off the track. He later made an error at the chicane, allowing Norris to pass. Antonelli admitted the mistake but said he was 'wound up'.
Wolff compared the tension to the Lewis Hamilton-Nico Rosberg rivalry of 2014. He insisted the matter would be discussed privately. Antonelli said he needed to review the incident, while Russell simply called it 'a good battle'.
The win was a strong start to the weekend for Russell, who had not won since the Chinese Grand Prix sprint. Antonelli had won the previous three races, building a championship lead. Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren, followed by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton for Ferrari, Max Verstappen for Red Bull, and Arvid Lindblad for Racing Bulls.
