Russell Wins Sprint at Montréal After Mercedes Fight — Qualification F1
George Russell won qualification f1’s sprint race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on Saturday at noon, but the result came with a dispute inside Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli challenged him on lap 6 of the 23-lap race, and the move sent the teammate battle onto the radio.
Russell controlled the race from start to finish. Antonelli tried to pass on the sixth lap, but he was forced off the racing line and dropped back to second place after Russell did not leave enough room for the next corner.
Russell Holds the Lead
The lap 6 move was the race’s turning point. Antonelli went after Russell, lost track position, and then had to reset after a few seconds when he tried again and went straight on at the next corner. That mistake opened the door for Lando Norris to pass him.
Russell later called it a “belle bataille” and added, “Chapeau à Kimi d’avoir essayé.” He also said, “De mon côté, on sait tous que de dépasser vers l’extérieur comporte des risques et lorsque ça arrive, c’est spectaculaire, mais ça se produit rarement. Je voulais fermer l’angle.”
Mercedes Radio Breakdown
Antonelli’s immediate reaction was sharper. He said Russell “should be penalized,” while Peter Bonnington answered, “Retrouvons notre contrôle, Kimi,” then told him, “Concentre-toi sur Norris. Concentre-toi sur ton pilotage.” Antonelli shot back, “Je m’en fous, il m’a poussé.”
The exchange escalated again when Toto Wolff stepped in: “Kimi, peux-tu te concentrer sur le pilotage et pas sur le chialage dans la radio ?” After the sprint, Wolff added, “Kimi, on parle de ça à l’interne, pas à la radio.” The dispute was not reviewed by the race stewards.
Montreal’s Familiar Teammate Edge
Russell and Antonelli later said the sequence should be reviewed before any stronger judgment. Antonelli agreed Russell had to defend, saying, “Je suis d’accord qu’il devait défendre sa position,” and called it “C’est une dure bataille.” He also said, “On a tous les deux essayé de ne pas se crasher, mais en fin de compte, c’était plaisant.”
It was the first time this season that one of the two Mercedes drivers publicly showed emotion against his teammate. The scene recalled last season in Montréal, when Lando Norris tried to pass Oscar Piastri and the two McLarens made contact, a moment that quickly forced an internal reset.
