International media see Russell title hopes dented after Canadian GP heartbreak

The Brit arrived in Montreal with a huge opportunity to close the gap in the championship on one of his strongest tracks - a circuit where he had already won last year and claimed victory in Saturday’s Sprint, before adding yet another pole position in qualifying.

The battle between the two Mercedes drivers exploded into life for almost half of the race, with Russell and Antonelli trading blows in a relentless fight at the front before everything changed on lap 30. The Brit was suddenly forced to abandon his hopes of victory after being betrayed by a technical issue on his Mercedes W17, clearing the way for Antonelli to cruise towards yet another dominant win and extend his championship lead to 43 points.

La Gazzetta dello Sport naturally focused on the home hero, writing that any doubts over whether Antonelli’s recent form was sustainable has now been completely erased after his victory at the Canadian Grand Prix. According to the Italian newspaper, a fourth consecutive win following his triumphs in China, Japan and the United States has firmly established the Mercedes driver as the leading favourite for the 2026 world championship, especially if the Brackley-based team can maintain its current level of competitiveness despite the reliability issues suffered by Russell in Montreal.

“Anyone who thought it was merely a flash in the pan or a short-lived surge of form will have to think again after his triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix. A fourth consecutive victory following his wins in China, Japan and the United States has now firmly established Kimi Antonelli as the leading favourite for the 2026 drivers’ title, especially if Mercedes can continue to deliver the level of performance currently shown on track, despite the reliability problems suffered by Russell in Montreal.”

The publication also underlined how Russell is still expected to remain fully in contention after his wins in Australia and the Canadian Sprint Race, with Mercedes reportedly prepared to allow both drivers to continue racing each other freely throughout the remainder of the season as long as the battles remain fair and respectful.

The Spanish newspaper, meanwhile, highlighted how Antonelli may still make occasional unexpected mistakes, but stressed that his boldness, confidence and fearless approach are beginning to psychologically overwhelm Russell. The outlet also described the young Italian as indefatigable despite still being just 19 years old, adding that after Sunday’s result he can now be considered far more than simply an outsider in the title fight, with Mercedes expected to soon hold internal discussions with Toto Wolff regarding the balance between its two drivers.

The Telegraph focused heavily on Russell’s visible frustration after his retirement, pointing to the Mercedes driver’s furious reaction inside the cockpit as a clear reflection of how painful the result had been. The British newspaper also underlined the growing significance of Antonelli’s achievement, noting that the Italian has now become the first driver in Formula 1 history to win each of his opening four races consecutively while extending his championship advantage to 43 points after just five rounds. According to the outlet, Antonelli is beginning to look increasingly assured and comfortable in the role of title favourite.