Wolff on Mercedes drivers' Canadian sprint fight
Toto Wolff said the contact and hard racing between Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Canadian Grand Prix sprint was “great cinema”, but a reminder the team needs to avoid losing races by letting fights escalate. Wolff said: "It was great cinema! Tough fighting, not only between our two but also with Lando [Norris]. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. If you fight a bit, you can lose a race. You don't want to lose a race, you don't want to crash into each other and sometimes it needs a little moment to remind us of our objectives. There is a framework we want to establish and I would rather have it in a Sprint race."
What Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff made of Russell-Antonelli contact
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Bearman on added workload from 2026 power unit management
Oliver Bearman says the 2026 Formula 1 regulations have brought an added workload, with extra meetings needed each weekend to understand how to deploy and harvest electrical energy over a lap. Bearman said: "It’s a lot more stuff to go over. And, for example, now we have a dedicated half-hour, 45-minute PU meeting [every weekend], which we would never even think of having last year because it was so straightforward. So it’s definitely another thing to think about. But now we’re on round five, so we’re getting there – we’re getting up to speed step by step."
Oliver Bearman points out another shortcoming of F1's new rules: More meetings
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Lindblad on scoring a point in the Canadian GP Sprint
Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad said he was “very happy” to score a point by finishing eighth in the Canadian Grand Prix Sprint in Montreal. Lindblad said: "Yeah, obviously very happy. I think that was the most achievable coming into the race today. I think we knew that maybe if I could grab a spot on lap one, it was about hanging on. That didn't happen and unfortunately Isack had the problem, but I think there was no more available so I'm very happy to take a point."
Lindblad ‘very happy to take a point' in Canada Sprint
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How Toto Wolff and Mercedes want to avoid a repeat of 2016 with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell
Inside the first icy moment of F1's 2026 title fight
Verstappen on Red Bull changes after Canadian GP sprint struggles
Max Verstappen admitted Red Bull’s changes before qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix “can’t make it worse” after finishing seventh in the sprint, having been unable to alter the car between sprint qualifying and the 23-lap race under parc ferme rules. Verstappen said: "I didn't learn a lot to be honest. We knew the problems that we had already after Sprint Qualifying, and then you can't touch the car so you just want to basically get the Sprint over with and then try to make some changes for Qualifying. I hope we can make it a little bit better. I mean, we can't make it worse so it can only be better to be honest."
Verstappen accepts ‘we can't make it worse’ after Sprint P7
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Mercedes collide! Was 'cinematic' Russell, Antonelli clash fair?
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George Russell and Kimi Antonelli give their two sides of the story after their Sprint skirmish ⚔️👀👇
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Russell on talking to Antonelli after Canadian sprint clash
George Russell says he will talk to Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli after their clash while fighting for the lead in the sprint at the Canadian Grand Prix, with Antonelli calling Russell’s move “naughty” and asking for a penalty. Russell said: "It's always been discussed in the years gone by; you race each other hard but fair, and from my side, there's never ill intentions towards anything. But on the same note, I'm not just going to wave somebody by, and we're both fighting for our championship, but it's always the team first, and we'll both talk about it after, for sure. But for me, I've got the peace of mind that it wasn't investigated, and if the FIA think it was fine, then that's enough."
George Russell confirms Kimi Antonelli talks after Mercedes tensions flare
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Leclerc on strong Ferrari Sprint pace in Montreal
Charles Leclerc said Ferrari’s Sprint race pace was “very strong” and has left him optimistic for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix after finishing fifth in Montreal and struggling with brake confidence earlier in the weekend. Leclerc said: "Yesterday was a very difficult day on my side. I've had some things that were a bit out of place on the brakes in general, and on a track like this where all the braking points are quite bumpy, brake confidence had cost me quite a bit. However, in the race I felt like my race pace was very strong, so with this I'm optimistic for tomorrow even though it might rain."
Leclerc optimistic in Canada after ‘very strong' Sprint pace
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What F1's driving guidelines say about Russell and Antonelli's Canada sprint clash
Bearman superlicence points drop to eight
Oliver Bearman’s FIA superlicence tally dropped from 10 penalty points to eight ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix Sprint after the two points he received on 23 May 2025 for overtaking Carlos Sainz under red flags in Monaco practice expired 12 months on. That eases the Haas driver’s race-ban risk, although he still has the highest total in the field; his next points to expire are the four he received for his red-flag pitlane crash at the 2025 British Grand Prix, which are due to come off on 5 July.
F1 race ban threat eased for Oliver Bearman
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PETA urges stronger wildlife deterrents
PETA has urged Canadian Grand Prix organisers to introduce stronger wildlife deterrents after Alex Albon crashed out of Friday’s sole practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve while taking evasive action to avoid a marmot, damage that also kept the Williams driver out of sprint qualifying. In a statement provided to Motorsport.com, PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk praised Albon and called for action: “Alex Albon’s decision to swerve to try to miss hitting a marmot on the track makes him a winner,” and added, “PETA hopes this incident will prompt organisers to implement stronger deterrent measures to protect the animals who call these areas home and the drivers themselves.”
PETA urges Canadian GP action after Alex Albon's marmot crash
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Stewards check Russell-Antonelli clashes
The FIA stewards briefly checked the two George Russell/Kimi Antonelli incidents on lap six of Saturday’s Canadian Grand Prix sprint race, but decided they did not need to be officially noted or investigated after an initial look left them satisfied the rules had been followed. Antonelli still felt Turn 1 merited a review, saying: “I was quite well alongside and there was definitely contact, so I need to recheck that,” while Russell defended his move by saying: “There was only one direction I was going and I was going to close the line, because that’s my right to do so.”
Why F1 stewards felt Antonelli-Russell clash didn't need closer look
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Stewards explain why they penalised Hulkenberg but not Hamilton for similar incidents
No further action for Hamilton
The FIA stewards took no further action against Lewis Hamilton after investigating him following the Canada Sprint at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix for allegedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage in his late fight with Oscar Piastri. In their verdict, the stewards said Hamilton was ahead of Piastri at Turn 13 and rejoined still in front after cutting the final chicane, but ruled that "Car 81 was not in an overtaking position on Car 44" and that Hamilton "was not deemed by the stewards to be 'defending' its position hence was not deemed to gain a lasting advantage, consistent with the Driving Standards Guidelines." They also explained why Nico Hulkenberg was penalised earlier in the Sprint for a similar offence against Liam Lawson, making clear the two cases were treated differently because of the rival car’s position at the moment the track limits breach happened.
FIA reaches Lewis Hamilton verdict as Hulkenberg penalty disparity explained
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Norris on taking Sprint second after Mercedes battle
Lando Norris said McLaren were able to “pick up the pieces” to take second place in the Sprint in Canada after watching Mercedes team-mates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli fight over the lead at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Norris said: "It was a good race. It was good just to watch them [the Mercedes pair] go at it for a little while but of course we were there to pick up the pieces when things happened, and they were quick. Kimi caught me back up pretty quickly and then I was pretty worried from behind but also I wanted to try and attack George ahead."
Norris pleased to ‘pick up the pieces' in Canada Sprint
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Lando Norris 'picks up pieces' as tense Mercedes scrap opens door
Wolff on Mercedes framework for Russell and Antonelli fighting
Toto Wolff says Mercedes needs a clear framework for George Russell and Kimi Antonelli’s on-track fighting and does not want it to turn into “Star Wars” headlines, after the pair came together during the Canadian Sprint. Wolff said: "I really enjoy these moments because it allows us to learn and to say, 'Okay, what are we doing with this situation? How are we handling that in the future?'... And we don't want to start with race five and have headlines like Star Wars or this is escalating because it's not."
Toto Wolff makes 'Star Wars' vow after Kimi Antonelli George Russell on-track 'cinema'
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Wolff on Antonelli's radio complaints during Canada sprint
Toto Wolff said Mercedes cannot expect Kimi Antonelli to be aggressive in the car but calm outside it, after the Italian repeatedly complained over the radio about George Russell’s defending during the Formula 1 sprint in Canada. Toto Wolff said: "You can't expect to have a lion in the car and a puppy outside of it."
"You can't expect to have a lion in the car and a puppy outside of it" – Mercedes boss defends Kimi Antonelli fury
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Winners and losers from F1's 2026 Canada sprint race
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Antonelli on Russell sprint race incident in Canada
Kimi Antonelli says he and Mercedes team-mate George Russell were "both lucky not to crash" after an incident in the sprint race at the Canadian Grand Prix, when Antonelli tried to overtake Russell around the outside at Turn One on lap six and ended up off the track. Antonelli said: "George and I were both lucky not to crash. I was very annoyed by it. I was quite well alongside and there was definitely contact so I need to recheck that."
Russell & Antonelli 'both lucky not to crash' in Canada sprint battle
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Norris on Russell and Antonelli racing each other hard
Lando Norris says Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are doing “what they need to do” by racing each other hard, after their battle for the lead in the Montreal sprint helped Norris take second when Antonelli ran wide and over the grass. Norris said: "It's just what you get, I think, when you have two good drivers fighting for a championship with a good team, that's what you expect. Each individual has to fight for their own career... at the minute they're fighting more than anyone for the World Championship. So, yeah, that's what they need to do."
'What they need to do' - Lando Norris weighs in on Mercedes battle he took advantage of
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Antonelli on wanting clarity over racing Russell
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli said he wants “clarity” from the team on how he and George Russell are expected to race each other after their wheel-to-wheel fight in the Sprint in Montreal. Antonelli said: "For sure. I think, we probably just need a bit of clarity. And then once it's clear, then it's all going to be fine, I think. Definitely I need to probably ask again. The main thing for the team is that there's no contact, that we don't crash into each other, which today at the end was very close."
Antonelli wants ‘clarity' from Mercedes after Sprint duel with Russell
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