George Russell delivered a composed performance to win the Canadian Grand Prix sprint race, holding off teammate Kimi Antonelli despite late-race contact between the Mercedes pair. Russell led from pole position while Antonelli recovered from grass excursions to claim third place behind Lando Norris.

The Mercedes teammates battled wheel-to-wheel in the closing stages, with Antonelli forcing his way past on the final lap before Russell reclaimed the position. Antonelli criticized Russell's defensive driving as overly aggressive, calling the move "very naughty" after being squeezed onto the runoff areas twice.

Lewis Hamilton slipped from fourth to sixth in the closing laps, finishing behind Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen crossed the line seventh for Red Bull, while Isack Hadjar completed just 20 of 63 laps after multiple pit stops. The result gives Russell crucial points in the championship fight heading into Sunday's main race.