Kimi Antonelli continued his fast start to the 2026 Formula 1 season with victory at the Canadian Grand Prix in May. The No. 12 Mercedes secured its fourth win of the campaign after George Russell suffered a power unit failure, removing Antonelli’s biggest competition.
The result gives Antonelli four wins from the opening five races and a 43-point lead over Russell in the championship standings. As 2025 showed, a hot start does not guarantee the title, but the Mercedes driver holds the early advantage.
Lewis Hamilton was runner-up for Ferrari as he continues to search for a first victory with the team. Max Verstappen completed the podium for Red Bull.
For now, Antonelli’s momentum carries on, though Monaco in a few weeks could be an opportunity for a non-Mercedes driver to stand atop the podium.
Canadian Grand Prix results (May 2026): - No. 12 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - No. 44 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - No. 3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - No. 16 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - No. 6 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) - No. 43 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) - No. 30 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) - No. 10 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - No. 55 Carlos Sainz (Williams) - No. 87 Oliver Bearman (Haas) - No. 81 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - No. 27 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - No. 5 Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) - No. 31 Esteban Ocon (Haas) - No. 18 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - No. 77 Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) - No. 11 Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - No. 1 Lando Norris (McLaren) - No. 63 George Russell (Mercedes) - No. 14 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - No. 23 Alexander Albon (Williams) - No. 41 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
What to watch next: All eyes turn to Monaco in the coming weeks to see whether Antonelli can maintain his early-season form, how Russell rebounds from his setback, and which contenders can disrupt Mercedes’ run.
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*Originally published on [News Formula One](https://newsformula.one/article/antonelli-wins-2026-canada-gp-as-russell-retires-results). Visit for full coverage.*
