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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayOscar Piastri has suffered a disastrous day in Canada, as Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli made it four consecutive Formula 1 grand prix victories.
The Victorian had an outside chance of victory at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix on Monday morning, AEST, starting his McLaren fourth on the grid.
In cold and damp conditions, with many fearing rain could fall in Montreal, McLaren made the bold decision to start both Piastri and teammate Lando Norris on intermediate tyres when the track was still dry.
Piastri was sceptical of the decision, especially when an extra formation lap was called after Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad stalled on the grid.
"It feels like the rain has stopped. I think it is time for slicks — shall we box?" Piastri said over the radio.
When a second extra formation lap was called as Lindblad's car was still being wheeled off the circuit, Piastri again called for the team to cut their losses and pit.
"These inters are a mistake now."
Despite the fear, and the drizzle before the race start, the rain just never came and McLaren was left to rue its mistake.
Despite being on the wrong tyres, Norris was able to launch off the line and snatch the lead away from pole sitter George Russell.
Piastri dropped from fourth to fifth and pitted for dry tyres at the end of the first lap. Norris, who valiantly held the lead for a second lap, then had no choice but to pit.
Oscar Piastri coming in for one of his three pits stops during the Canadian Grand Prix. (Getty Images: Peter Fox)
Trying to fight back through the field, Piastri went for a move on Haas driver Oliver Bearman. But the Australian could not slow his car down quickly enough and he clattered into the side of Williams driver Alex Albon, who was ahead of both he and Bearman.
Piastri pitted for a new front wing and was then handed a 10-second penalty, ending any chance of scoring points.
Piastri would make a pair of late overtakes to finish 11th, and out of the points.
Meanwhile, Norris was recovering nicely and was back in the top 10 before his car came to a stop on lap 40 of 68.
Antonelli wins after teammate Russell retires from the lead
Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli won a fourth consecutive grand prix, after his teammate suffered a power unit failure while leading the race.
After being jumped by McLaren's Lando Norris at the start, before Norris pitted at the end of the second lap following a failed tyre gamble, Antonelli and Russell engaged in a hard-fought, thrilling 30-lap battle for the lead.
Russell, who won the previous day's sprint race, was leading on lap 30 when his Mercedes came to a halt on the road with a suspected power unit failure.
It was a bitter end for the Briton, who is now 43 points behind Antonelli after five rounds.
"Just everything turned off all of a sudden. Engine stopped, no electronics. A bit lost for words," Russell told Sky Sports as the grand prix was still ongoing.
"I'm proud of my weekend. Pole in the sprint, won the sprint, pole [for the grand prix], leading when I stopped.
"Nothing more I could have done this weekend. I'm pretty damn frustrated with what happened."
With his main rival out, Antonelli drove without pressure to become the first driver to take his first four F1 grand prix victories consecutively.
"It was a really fun battle with George. We were on the limit and it was not easy today with the wind," Antonelli said of his battle with Russell.
"One lap he locked up, and I went in front, and then I locked up, and he went ahead.
"It was a shame for him to have the failure, as we would have had a close battle, but we will take it."
With Russell's retirement and McLaren's strategy failure, Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen were able to snatch podium finishes.
Verstappen took second place when Russell retired, and held that position for 32 of the remaining 38 laps.
But Hamilton chipped away at what had been a six-second deficit and, after several attempts in previous laps, made the decisive move into the first turn of lap 62.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth, not able to keep pace with Hamilton and Verstappen ahead.
Despite being handed a 10-second penalty, and a stop-go penalty, Red Bull's Isack Hadjar placed a season-best fifth.
That result is the first time in 46 grand prix that a Red Bull driver other than Verstappen has finished in the top five.
Franco Colapinto (Alpine) claimed sixth place.
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) withstood a late challenge from Pierre Gasly (Alpine) in the battle for seventh and eighth.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz came home ninth, while Oliver Bearman (Haas) claimed the final point-scoring position.
Follow all the action of the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix on the live blog below.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 8:34am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 8:34am
That is all for the live blog this morning
This brings an end to the live coverage of the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.
Kimi Antonelli has made it four grand prix wins in a row.
Meanwhile, George Russell suffered a mechanical failure, and McLaren suffered a strategy failure.
The next race is the big one — Monaco.
ABC Sport will have a live blog of the famous race on Sunday, June 7.
We hope you join us then.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 8:25am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 8:25am
The point scorers in Canada
(F1)Mon 25 May 2026 at 8:14am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 8:14am
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff speaks to Sky Sports
It is a bittersweet feeling in Mercedes.
On one hand, they are celebrating another win for Kimi Antonelli.
On the other, they are rueing a mechanical failure that led to George Russell retiring from the lead of the race.
Antonelli and Russell had been battling hard on track, with neither driver wanting to give an inch.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has just spoken to Sky Sports on the feeling within the team, and the battle he watched between his two drivers.
As a team, you have situations that are bittersweet. You are super happy for one driver and gutted for the other. We half enjoyed watching them, how they fought it out and we wish we would have had a one and a two.
Every time we thought to say we had had enough for the moment, because we were losing time to Verstappen, the next two laps were fast again and we were like OK. But it can go wrong, you can lock up and take two cars out.
It is a luxury problem. I hope we will go like this for much of the season, but you cannot discount the others, and if we were closer with the others, we would have to jump in and say you can't lose any more time.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:59am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:59am
The Italian national anthem plays
For 20 years we only ever heard the Italian anthem after a Ferrari win.
Now, we are getting used to hearing Il Canto degli Italiani. It has been played at the end of four consecutive weekends for Mercedes teen Kimi Antonelli.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:52am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:52am
Max Verstappen happy to be back near the front
Red Bull's Max Verstappen was third today.
He was in second until the final few laps, before being overtaken by Lewis Hamilton.
Here are the thoughts of Verstappen.
I had some cool battles out there.
Racing back up the front is always better.
Cool battle with Lewis, we kept pushing right to the line.
To be on the podium is extremely positive, so happy with that.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:51am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:51am
Lewis Hamilton on finishing second and battling near the front
Here are the thoughts of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who finished second.
It is an amazing feeling to be back up here and I actually got to have a race with Max which was good. Ah man I love this track, I can't wait to come back.
It is encouraging, Mercedes brought a big upgrade, we have some more bits coming but considering it is a straight line speed circuit, it gives me encouragement for the races ahead.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:49am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:49am
Kimi Antonelli speaks after winning the Canadian Grand Prix
Here are the thoughts of Kimi Antonelli after he won in Montreal.
It was a really fun battle with George, we were on the limit and it was not easy today with the wind. One lap he locked up and I went in front, and then I locked up and he went ahead.
It was a shame for him to have the failure as we would have had a close battle, but we will take it. A big thank you to the team.
When I was on my own I had to manage the tyres, as I had some graining but we had the good pace so now looking forward to the next one.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:44am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:44am
Oscar Piastri finishes 11th
Oscar Piastri started fourth, but McLaren gambled with intermediate tyres.
On the three formation laps (two of them were extras) Piastri called for them to be changed to slicks.
At the end of the first lap, McLaren pitted Piastri for slicks.
Piastri then crashed into Alex Albon which led to another pit stop, and a 10-second time penalty.
Piastri would finish 11th.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:38am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:38am
Lewis Hamilton holds onto second, Max Verstappen third
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:38am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:38am
Kimi Antonelli wins the Canadian Grand Prix
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:38am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:38am
67/68: Oscar Piastri up to 11th
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:36am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:36am
67/68: Hamilton and Verstappen are going to fight to the finish
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:35am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:35am
64/68: Oscar Piastri up to 12th
Oscar Piastri has made a nice move on Gabriel Bortoleto to claim 12th place.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:33am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:33am
64/68: Who else is on track for points?
Franco Colapinto (Alpine) is currently sixth — that would be a great result.
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) is seventh, Pierre Gasly (Alpine) is eighth. Gasly is catching Lawson.
Ninth and 10th belong to Carlos Sainz (Williams) and Oliver Bearman (Haas).
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:32am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:32am
PENALTY: Isack Hadjar — Stop and go
Isack Hadjar has come into the pits, stopped and then is back on track.
He was given a stop-go penalty for not slowing down under double-waived yellow flags.
Hadjar is still fifth.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:31am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:31am
62/68: Hamilton up to second
Brilliant from Lewis Hamilton.
He knew he could not make the move on Max Verstappen on the last corner of the lap, so he chose to attack at the first corner.
He got a lovely run out of the final chicane, caught up to Verstappen on the start-finish straight, and then made a great overtake on the outside.
Great driving from both.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:27am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:27am
58/68: Hamilton is close but needs more power
The best place to overtake is at the end of the long back straight.
That is where Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton seems to be at a disadvantage. The Ferrari does not have the pace to fly past the Red Bull.
"I need more power, mate," Hamilton tells his team.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:25am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:25am
57/68: Max Verstappen defending from Lewis Hamilton
The battle for second is getting exciting.
Lewis Hamilton is on the rear wing of Max Verstappen.
Hamilton, in the Ferrari, is clearly faster.
But Verstappen, in the Red Bull, is putting is car in all of the right spots to defend.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:20am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:20am
53/68: Virtual Safety Car — Hadjar and Piastri pit
We have another VSC.
Marshalls may need to be on track to clear debris.
This has given Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri the chance to pit and serve their penalties.
Hadjar is fifth, and Piastri drops to 13th.
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:18am
Mon 25 May 2026 at 7:18am
52/68: Oscar Piastri is 11th with a 10-second penalty
Oscar Piastri is sitting 11th.
He is 4.5 seconds behind Oliver Bearman in 10th, and is 11 seconds ahead of Nico Hulkenberg.


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