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Antonelli Wins Canadian GP as Russell Retires, Extends Championship Lead

Autosport F1 News •
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Kimi Antonelli secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, capitalizing on teammate George Russell's dramatic mechanical failure. Russell led the race before his Mercedes suffered a power unit failure on lap 30, forcing him to retire while in contention for his first win since Australia. The Italian driver cruised to victory in the closing stages, extending his championship advantage over Russell to 43 points.

McLaren endured a disastrous afternoon at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with both cars eliminated from contention. Lando Norris retired with suspected gearbox failure on lap 40, while Oscar Piastri collided with Alex Albon and finished outside the points. The team's decision to start on intermediate tires backfired spectacularly on a track that never developed the expected rain.

Max Verstappen claimed second place for Red Bull, finishing 11 seconds behind Antonelli. Lewis Hamilton passed Verstappen late in the race to secure third for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc and Isack Hadjar completed the top five, though Hadjar received multiple penalties for weaving and ignoring yellow flags. Franco Colapinto scored a career-best sixth for Alpine.

Six cars retired from the race, including Fernando Alonso with a seat problem and Sergio Perez after a frightening suspension failure. The championship battle shifts to Monaco, where Antonelli's commanding 43-point lead puts him in prime position for the title fight.