Russell Remains Cursed; Antonelli Makes F1 History With Fourth Straight Win In Canada

Last Updated:May 25, 2026, 07:46 IST

Kimi Antonelli claimed a fourth straight Formula 1 win in Canada, extending his title lead after a dramatic race featuring McLaren misery and Russell’s retirement.

Kimi Antonelli continues to rewrite F1 history one race at a time.

The 19-year-old Mercedes driver stormed to his fourth consecutive victory at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his championship lead to 43 points and continuing a remarkable start to his rookie season.

In doing so, Antonelli became the first driver in F1 history to secure his first four career wins in succession.

And this one may have been his most impressive yet.

Antonelli vs Russell

The teenage Italian survived a fierce early-race battle with teammate George Russell before Russell retired midway through the race with a power-unit failure — his first DNF in 38 races.

Antonelli eventually crossed the line 10.768 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with Max Verstappen completing the podium for Red Bull.

Hamilton’s second-place finish marked the 204th podium of his career and his 10th in Montreal, where he famously claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory back in 2007. The seven-time world champion was seen embracing Antonelli after the race — a symbolic moment, considering the Italian replaced him at Mercedes this season.

Behind the leading trio, Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto and Liam Lawson.

McLaren’s Nightmare Weekend

While Mercedes celebrated, it was another miserable outing for McLaren.

A risky tyre gamble backfired immediately in cold and damp conditions, with both McLarens starting on intermediates while rivals opted for slick tyres.

Things only got worse from there. Oscar Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty after colliding with Alex Albon and eventually finished outside the points in 11th.

Meanwhile, reigning world champion Lando Norris retired on lap 40 with a gearbox failure after briefly leading the race early on.

At the front, though, the day belonged entirely to Antonelli.

Despite several intense wheel-to-wheel battles with Russell — including multiple overtaking attempts and even light contact — the teenager showed composure beyond his years to secure his fourth win on the trot and continue his march towards a F1 championship.

(with AFP inputs)

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