2026 Canadian Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli secured a record-breaking fourth consecutive victory, becoming the first driver to win his first four races in succession. The race was defined by a high-stakes internal Mercedes battle between Antonelli and George Russell, which ended abruptly when Russell suffered a power unit failure while leading.

The start was twice aborted and delayed by additional formation laps after Arvid Lindblad stalled his Racing Bulls on the grid. During the race, three Virtual Safety Car periods were utilized: one for the removal of George Russell’s stranded Mercedes, a second for debris at Turn 10, and a late-race intervention that allowed Isack Hadjar to serve a penalty.

The pre-race was marked by high tension due to a double aborted start caused by Arvid Lindblad stalling at the ninth grid box. Strategy chaos ensued on the grid as McLaren gambled on starting both cars on intermediate tires on a drying track, a decision that initially saw Lando Norris snatch the lead into Turn 1 before both drivers plummeted down the order.

Despite the dry racing line, a mix of intermediate and slick compounds saw use early on due to moist track conditions. Several teams, including McLaren, Audi, and Williams, started on intermediates, while the front-running Mercedes opted for soft slicks to navigate the damp surfaces.

Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull all featured on the podium, represented by Antonelli, Hamilton, and Verstappen. Beyond the top three, Alpines driven by Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly secured points, alongside entries from Racing Bulls, Williams, and Haas.

Mechanical failures accounted for several high-profile retirements, including leader George Russell (power unit), Lando Norris (gearbox), and Sergio Perez (suspension). Other DNFs included Alex Albon following a collision with Oscar Piastri, and Arvid Lindblad following his initial grid issues.

Kimi Antonelli enjoyed a comfortable 10.768-second margin over second-placed Lewis Hamilton at the finish line. Max Verstappen completed the podium, finishing just 0.5 seconds behind Hamilton after a late-race duel for the runner-up spot.

Teams were split between starting on intermediates and slicks, with McLaren’s bold but ultimately failed intermediate strategy forcing very early pit stops. The race leaders later transitioned to mediums during the Virtual Safety Car period triggered by Russell’s retirement, while others attempted to manage different slick compounds to the finish.

Frequent position changes occurred within the top 10, highlighted by a fierce, multi-lap lead swap between Russell and Antonelli that included a glancing blow at the final chicane. Late in the race, Lewis Hamilton executed a clinical move around the outside of Max Verstappen at Turn 1 to reclaim second place, while Charles Leclerc battled Isack Hadjar for fourth.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve lived up to its reputation for overtaking, with a total of 72 passes recorded. The variety in tire strategies and the recovery drives of the McLaren and Williams cars throughout the field contributed significantly to the high volume of maneuvers.

While rain was recorded in the build-up and created a slightly damp track for the start, no significant rainfall occurred during the race itself. The moist conditions were enough to influence start-tire choices but the track dried rapidly once the Grand Prix was underway.