Russell Holds Off Norris to Win Thrilling Canadian GP… read more 👇 details in the comments section
delivered a commanding performance to win the sprint race at the , but the Mercedes driver faced relentless pressure throughout the race from teammate and McLaren star .
The 23-lap sprint at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve produced intense wheel-to-wheel action, especially between the two Mercedes cars. Russell initially controlled the race from the front, but Antonelli quickly began challenging for the lead. Tension between the teammates became obvious on Lap 6 when the young Italian driver attacked Russell into Turn 1. Russell defended aggressively, forcing Antonelli wide and onto the grass as they exited Turn 2.
Antonelli refused to back down and launched another challenge shortly afterward. Once again, the Mercedes pair came dangerously close to colliding, with Antonelli bouncing across the grass for a second time while attempting to overtake. The fierce internal battle allowed Norris to close the gap rapidly in his McLaren.
Norris soon capitalized on the situation and joined the fight for victory. While Russell and Antonelli pushed their tyres to the limit defending against each other, the McLaren driver steadily reduced the distance and began applying pressure to the race leader. For much of the sprint, Norris sat directly behind Russell, searching for an opportunity to snatch the win.
Behind the leading trio, another fascinating contest unfolded between the two Ferraris and McLaren’s . initially held fourth place ahead of Piastri, while followed closely behind in sixth.
As the race entered its closing stages, Antonelli made another desperate attempt to pass Norris for second position but once again ran off track. The mistake cost him valuable momentum and ensured Norris secured second place behind Russell.
The final laps also brought major drama in the battle for fourth. Hamilton appeared set to finish as the leading Ferrari driver, but both Piastri and Leclerc surged forward late in the race. Piastri overtook Hamilton to claim fourth, while Leclerc also slipped past his teammate moments later, leaving Hamilton down in sixth place by the chequered flag.
Russell eventually crossed the line first to secure sprint victory for Mercedes, finishing 1.272 seconds ahead of Norris. Antonelli completed the podium in third after an aggressive but entertaining drive.
Further back, endured another difficult outing for Red Bull, finishing seventh and unable to challenge the leading group. Racing Bulls youngster impressed by taking eighth place and scoring the final sprint point.
One of the standout performances came from , who initially finished 11th for Cadillac — the American team’s strongest sprint result so far. Although Perez later received a 10-second penalty that dropped him to 14th, the performance still marked a promising step forward for the new team.
Elsewhere, Audi drivers and finished 12th and 15th respectively, while Aston Martin endured a disappointing session. failed to finish the race after retiring, and teammate also struggled near the back of the field.
The sprint race provided fans with nonstop action, fierce teammate rivalries, and several dramatic overtakes, setting up what promises to be an exciting Canadian Grand Prix main race.