Leclerc 4th, Hadjar 5th (despite a penalty), Colapinto 6th, Lawson 7th, Gasly 8th, Sainz 9th, Bearman 10th. Norris retirement. Ocon 14th. And Russell, who started from pole and led for so long: retirement on lap 30 with engine failure.

The start procedure was chaotic. No fewer than three formation laps were needed before the field was finally released, with Arvid Lindblad stranded on the grid with a transmission failure. Then the race began under a constant threat of rain, with some teams including McLaren even opting for intermediates at the start, a gamble that backfired within the opening kilometres.

The first half of the race was entirely dominated by the internal duel at Mercedes. Russell, the polesitter, established himself at the front and managed the gap to Antonelli with ice-cold regularity. The Briton appeared to be on course for a perfect weekend: sprint on Saturday, pole on Saturday evening, win on Sunday. But Formula 1 does not respect pre-written scripts.

Lap 30: the failure that changes everything

On lap 30, George Russell gradually lost power and was then forced to park his Mercedes in the gravel. Engine failure. Race over, weekend over, a momentum that was building perfectly, over. The retirement is all the more cruel because it comes exactly when Russell was clearly dominating the race and activating his 2027 renewal clause kilometre by kilometre. In a fraction of a second, the engine erased weeks of work.

Antonelli, who was following at a comfortable distance, took over the lead without forcing anything. From lap 30, the race became pure gap management for the young prodigy from Bologna, who takes his fourth consecutive win of the season.

Behind the Mercedes duel, Lewis Hamilton delivered one of his best races since joining Ferrari. The performance was not flawless: an error along the way, a slightly slow pit stop. But the seven-time world champion displayed a combativeness that had sometimes been missing this season.

In the final five laps, Hamilton found the resource to pass Verstappen at turn one and take second place. This podium is precious for Ferrari, which also places Leclerc fourth and consolidates its position as the second-strongest constructor force behind Mercedes.

Max Verstappen needed this result. After a nightmare start to the season with just 26 points from 4 races, the four-time world champion returns to the podium in Montreal, a braking circuit that suits him perfectly. His third place, even though it was snatched from him at the very last by Hamilton, still sends a strong signal.

The exit clause in his Red Bull contract is tied to his position in the top two of the championship at mid-season. With this 3rd place and the points accumulated, Verstappen climbs slightly but remains far from the positions that would keep a title challenge alive. Montreal gives him a podium, but not yet the confirmation that Red Bull has definitively resolved its 2026 problems.

In a previous article we explained how George Russell has a performance clause in his Mercedes contract: if he reaches a certain level in the 2026 championship, he is automatically renewed for 2027. Before Canada, Russell was 2nd with a 20-point gap to Antonelli. He seemed well on track to activate that clause.

After Canada, the gap is now 43 points. Russell remains 2nd in the championship, but the distance to his team-mate has more than doubled in a single race. The Briton has lost points he may never recover, and above all he has watched Antonelli build a lead that is beginning to look like a world champion's advantage.

• The clause under threat: Russell's automatic 2027 renewal depends on his championship position. At 43 points down, the situation is becoming seriously complicated.
• Monaco is next: The next Grand Prix is Monaco on June 7th, a circuit where overtaking is extremely difficult. A poor result for Russell could widen the gap further still.
• Verstappen and his window: Verstappen's exit clause activates if he is outside the top two at the mid-season break. With 41 points he is 6th. The window remains open for him.
• Toto Wolff and his cards: After the race, Wolff refused to comment on Russell's future. A silence that says a great deal about the behind-the-scenes conversations happening right now.