Formula 1 Canadian GP 2026: Antonelli triumphs in Montréal, Hamilton puts Ferrari back on the podium

Mercedes dominates Canada amid twists and internal tension

The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix gives Formula 1 a new confirmation: Andrea Kimi Antonelli is now the benchmark in the World Championship. At the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montréal, the Mercedes driver takes his fourth consecutive victory of the season at the end of an intense race, made complicated by changing weather conditions, aggressive strategies and continuous shifts in the balance.

Mercedes confirms itself as the most competitive car in the championship, but the Canadian weekend also highlights a growing internal rivalry between Antonelli and George Russell. If the Brackley team dominates on the technical side, the fight for the world title could soon turn into a direct battle between the two team-mates.

Behind the Silver Arrows, Ferrari finally returns to the fore thanks to Lewis Hamilton's second place, while Max Verstappen limits the damage with an important podium for a Red Bull still far from the best version seen in recent seasons.

Canadian GP 2026: the race changes after Russell's retirement

Antonelli perfect in race management

The start had confirmed the balance seen in qualifying. George Russell, starting from pole position, kept the lead by defending immediately from Antonelli and Norris in the opening corners. Mercedes' pace immediately appeared superior to the opposition, especially in managing the intermediate tyres on a track still damp in some sectors.

The decisive phase of the Grand Prix comes in the second half of the race. Russell, up to that point the leader, suddenly slows down with a technical problem with the power unit and is forced to retire. The Virtual Safety Car completely changes the strategic balance and opens the way for Antonelli.

The young Italian reacts with impressive composure, controlling the restart and always keeping a margin over the pursuers. No mistakes, constant pace and perfect tyre management allow the Mercedes driver to consolidate the World Championship lead.

Ferrari gets back on the podium with Hamilton

Signs of growth for the team in Montréal

Canada also brings optimism back to Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton takes second place at the end of one of the team's best races of the season in the Maranello team, showing competitive pace especially in the long run.

The Briton was the star of a spectacular duel with Max Verstappen, overtaken with an aggressive braking move that lit up the Canadian crowd. Ferrari continues to struggle in qualifying compared with Mercedes, but the race pace seen in Montréal represents an important step forward.

More complicated, however, was Charles Leclerc's Sunday. The Monegasque never managed to find the right balance of the SF-26 and finished far from the fight for the podium, complaining of grip problems and difficulties in tyre management.

Red Bull still struggling: Verstappen salvages the result

The RB22 remains far from Mercedes' level

Max Verstappen's third place allows Red Bull to limit the damage in the standings, but Montréal confirms the technical difficulties of the world champion team. The RB22 appeared unstable especially in slow corners and less effective in energy management compared with the Mercedes.

Verstappen tried to stay attached to the leaders in the first part of the race, but the pace set by Russell and Antonelli proved unreachable. In the closing stages, the Dutchman preferred to consolidate the podium without taking unnecessary risks.

The feeling emerging in the paddock is clear: Red Bull no longer has the technical advantage that characterised recent seasons and will have to react quickly to stay in the World Championship fight.

Official driver statements after the 2026 Canadian GP

Antonelli: “I managed every moment without taking risks”

In the post-race interview Andrea Kimi Antonelli analysed his performance with clarity, underlining the importance of race management after his team-mate's retirement.

The winner's words

“It was a very intense race. At the beginning I had to stay close to George without using the tyres too much. After his retirement I just tried to control the pace and not make mistakes. The car today was fantastic.”

The Mercedes driver then also spoke about the title fight:

“We are in a very positive moment, but the season is still long. Every weekend something changes and we have to keep working.”

Hamilton: “Ferrari is growing”

Lewis Hamilton was pleased with the second place he took in Montréal, highlighting Ferrari's improvements in race pace.

Hamilton gives Ferrari a boost

“We made great progress during the weekend. In the race the car was much more competitive than in qualifying and we finally managed to fight at the front.”

The Briton then commented on the duel with Verstappen:

“It's always tough with Max, but today we had the right pace. This podium gives confidence to the whole team.”

Verstappen: “Mercedes faster than us”

Max Verstappen admitted Red Bull's technical difficulties, confirming the team's difficult moment.

The world champion's analysis

“We didn't have the Mercedes pace this weekend. We tried to maximise the result, but they were faster both in qualifying trim and in the race.”

The Dutchman then added:

“We need to quickly understand where we are losing time, because at the moment the gap is clear.”

Russell: “We could have won”

Great disappointment in George Russell's words after retiring while leading the race.

The Mercedes driver's frustration

“It was really frustrating. We had the car to win and control of the race. I suddenly lost power and from that moment there was nothing to do.”

Russell nevertheless acknowledged the team's work:

“The speed was there and that is the positive aspect of the weekend. Now we just have to avoid other problems.”

Final standings for the 2026 Canadian GP

Official finishing order

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) Oscar Piastri (McLaren) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) Carlos Sainz (Williams) Sergio Perez (Red Bull) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship will now resume with an increasingly strong certainty: Mercedes and Antonelli are today the combination to beat.