George Russell lost a promising shot at the Canadian Grand Prix win when his power unit failed on lap 30, handing the moment to teammate Kimi Antonelli. Before the retirement, Russell and Antonelli delivered a gripping battle that had the crowd on its feet, swapping positions multiple times after Russell passed at the final chicane on lap five.

Russell didn't mince words when praising the new regulations. He compared the racing to the Hamilton-Rosberg battle in Bahrain 2014 and credited the new power units for enabling the close fights seen in Melbourne, China, and Canada. He flatly questioned why anyone would want to change the rules that produced such racing.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called the race good entertainment but said the regulations need a scalpel approach rather than overhauls. Talks between the FIA, teams, and engine manufacturers over the weekend focused on shifting the internal combustion to electrical output ratio for next season. With Verstappen reigniting quit threats over 2027 rule doubts, Russell's stance puts Mercedes in a rare public position defending the current framework.