F1 Today: Russell makes striking Antonelli statement, McLaren explains Norris DNF

George Russell made a striking admission about the Formula 1 drivers’ championship battle following his early retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix, with the Briton suggesting it is now Kimi Antonelli’s title to lose.

The 28-year-old appeared on course for his strongest weekend since the opening round in Australia, but his race unravelled on lap 31 when an engine reliability issue struck while he was leading. Russell’s Mercedes teammate Antonelli, who had been locked in battle with him throughout the race, wasted no time capitalising on the setback and went on to secure another commanding victory around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Antonelli’s win, his fourth in a row, extended his advantage at the top of the drivers’ standings, while Russell stays in second place, now trailing by 43 points. Asked about the growing gap to the Italian, Russell admitted Antonelli now appears firmly in control of the championship fight.

While Russell was left frustrated after losing a potential victory to a power unit failure in Canada, reigning world champion Lando Norris also endured a difficult afternoon after retiring from the race with a gearbox issue, something McLaren later confirmed to GPblog, among others.

Starting third and fourth on the grid, Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri looked set for a strong result at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. However, McLaren’s gamble to start the race on intermediate tyres quickly backfired as conditions improved faster than expected.

After an early switch to slick tyres, Norris was instructed to extend his stint on the medium compound. But on lap 17, the Briton was forced to pit again after grass became lodged in the radiators, causing overheating issues that required immediate attention.

Norris’ race eventually came to an end on lap 40 while running in eighth place, with the Briton parking his MCL40 at the side of the track near the Montreal hairpin because of the aforementioned gearbox issue.