Kimi Antonelli Extends F1 Lead With Fourth Consecutive Win In Canada

Kimi Antonelli extends the Formula One Drivers Championship lead with victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton finishes second for Ferrari and Max Verstappen claims third for Red Bull. Antonelli now sits 43 points clear of Mercedes team-mate George Russell, whose retirement from the lead battle on lap 31 shapes the race outcome.

Hamilton delivers a strongest result so far with Ferrari, passing long-time rival Verstappen late on a circuit dominated by long straights. Red Bull still secures a first podium finish of 2026 through Verstappen, who resists pressure in the closing laps, as Mercedes converts pole and race-winning pace with Antonelli at the front.

Antonelli becomes the first Formula One driver to win the opening four races of a career in a continuous streak. The Canadian Grand Prix success also makes Antonelli only the second Italian with four victories in a row, following Alberto Ascari, who strung together seven wins from the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix to the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix.

The Canadian Grand Prix also underlines Mercedes strength in 2026, even though Russell drops out with a technical problem while fighting Antonelli. That failure on lap 31 ends a close internal duel at the front of the field and leaves Mercedes with mixed feelings, despite Antonelli increasing control of the championship picture.

Antonelli explains how the race evolves once Russell stops and how tyre behaviour defines the closing stages. Mercedes manages graining on the front-left tyre while maintaining rhythm as track conditions change and wind gusts affect confidence on turn-in. Antonelli also assesses growing threats from Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren across the 2026 campaign.

"It was a really fun battle, to be fair, with George," Antonelli said. "We were pretty much on the limit. It was not easy, with the wind very gusty. It was a shame for him to have a failure because it would have been a very cool battle, but we will take it. Another win. I am very happy and massive thanks to the team. When I was on my own, I was trying to really manage the tyres because I started to have some graining appear on the front-left tyre. It was just a weird feeling, the tyre was not really biting, but in the end we had the good pace when the temperature was coming in, and now looking forward to the next one. Keep doing what I am doing. We are going to keep raising the bar, as George was extremely quick this weekend. We were really neck and neck. I just need to keep levelling it up. Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren are definitely coming back, so we are going to keep pushing. The next one is Monaco, which could be a tricky one, but we will try to be ready for anything. And I will do my best."

Canadian Grand Prix podium reactions from Hamilton and Verstappen

Hamilton reflects on progress at Ferrari since the move from Mercedes and how upgrades change performance. The Canadian Grand Prix podium gives confidence heading into more demanding tracks, as Ferrari tests a Miami-based development package. Hamilton still stresses the need for further gains to match Mercedes over an entire season.

"It's been really tough over the past year, and a bit so, to finally find our sweet spot and have a good weekend, it's an amazing feeling to be back up here, especially with these guys being so quick, and I actually got to have a race with Max, which is great," Hamilton said. "I think it's definitely encouraging, given that this weekend, Mercedes brought a big upgrade, a lot of people brought them here, we brought our big one in Miami, and the team are working really hard back at the factory, so hopefully we've got some things on the way. Considering this is a really straight circuit, and we just managed to hold on and get this result, it definitely gives me high hopes for what's ahead, but we've got to keep pushing and keep trying to extract more."

Verstappen outlines how Red Bull approaches a difficult weekend yet still collects third place at the Canadian Grand Prix. The result marks Red Bull’s first podium of 2026 and offers a reference point for future upgrades. Verstappen highlights close racing with Hamilton and maintains focus on improving execution across variable weekends.

"I had some cool battles out there, racing back up front is always better, right? For us to have our first podium, of course, is really positive. Very happy with that. Cool battle with Lewis as well at the end. We kept pushing until the line, and in a weekend when it's not that easy to get things right, for us to be on the podium here is extremely positive. Naturally,very happy with that."

The Canadian Grand Prix leaves Antonelli firmly in control of the 2026 Formula One standings, supported by consistent Mercedes pace and strategic tyre management. Hamilton and Verstappen both see reasons for optimism, yet Antonelli’s streak and Mercedes development rate set the standard as the field moves towards the tight streets of Monaco.