Elbows start coming out at Mercedes

There is a long way to go in the 2026 Formula 1 season, but when we reflect on how the world championship ebbed and flowed when all is said and done in Abu Dhabi in December, Saturday at the Canadian Grand Prix could prove to be a pivotal moment.

Starting lap 6 of the Sprint, Kimi Antonelli — who had been stuck to George Russell’s gearbox for a number of laps — decided it was his time to strike. Russell had seen a move coming on the run to Turn 1 and moved to the inside to defend, with Antonelli taking the outside line and being shown to the run-off area by his teammate.

The Italian was not impressed, at first calling it “very naughty” on team radio before he continued with stronger complaints in the following laps. Eventually, team principal Toto Wolff felt the need to take to the airwaves and tell his driver to focus on the rest of the race, with a follow-up messaged needed after the checkered flag, too.

It was one of the first times this year the two Mercedes drivers have actually had to go wheel-to-wheel, with the previous races often seeing them separated at the start or through pit stops, and one enjoying a relatively comfortable margin over the other.

On this occasion, it seemed there was a disconnect between what each of them had been expecting.

“I think if you’re well alongside then you can overtake pretty much anywhere,” Antonelli said after the Sprint, responding to Russell saying it was a risk for the 19-year-old to try the outside line. “Obviously there are corners that are more difficult, but I don’t think there’s never been an overtake around the outside of Turn 1.

“I agree that obviously he was defending his position, so just it was hard racing. Of course we were both lucky not to crash, but at the end of the day it was still a very fun race.

“We do meetings before races, and that’s what we say in the room. Then of course we race to win, and we try to do our best to defend our position. So, probably I understood the significance of that meeting a bit differently.

“But I obviously need to re-check it. Emotions were very high in the moment, and obviously I was very annoyed. I just need to re-check, and for sure we're going to talk about it and we're going to clarify on that.”

Russell had gone on to secure victory and seen Lando Norris put a McLaren between himself and the championship leader, and felt his defense was justified given the lack of interest from the stewards in the incident.

“From my side, I didn't think I did anything wrong, and it wasn't investigated so I guess the race directors and stewards thought the same, but I need to check it,” Russell said. “And it is clear that between team-mates we race hard and fair and no contact, and that's always the objective.

“I wasn't racing Kimi any harder than I would have raced Lando in the same position. We're both here fighting to win and you always in the past, even last year when we battled, I always gave Kimi a bit more room compared to anyone else. So I need to review it, and there was nothing untoward with the driving. And as I said, it wasn't even investigated, so I think that says enough.”

A somewhat frosty handshake in parc ferme had hinted at Antonelli’s unhappiness after climbing out of the cars post-Sprint, although he could also have been disappointed to finish behind a McLaren having started on the front row alongside Russell. The pair were separated by 0.068s in Sprint qualifying, and the exact same margin came to pass on Saturday afternoon — Russell again on pole — to set up a potential repeat on Sunday.

Talks were held between the two Mercedes drivers after the Sprint, and both say the situation has been clarified, with Russell backing up Toto Wolff’s suggestion that the pair will race each other as they would any other rival.

“We had a good discussion, and we know what we need to do and how we’re going to race each other,” Russell said. “And nothing’s going to change because we’ve always had that respect for one another.

“We’re not going to wave anybody by, doesn’t matter if he’s a competitor or a teammate. Of course, we know the number one rule is never to crash with your teammate. That isn’t what happened this morning, and we finished first and third and that’s what we’ll continue to try and do.

“If I was in his position and he was in my position, I probably would have reacted the same,” he added. “Because if something doesn’t pay off in the moment and you feel like you’ve been hard done by, you think the other guy is in the wrong. And that’s just natural. We’re racers, we’re fighters and we wear our heart on our sleeve. It’s just part of racing.

“As we always say as F1 drivers, you put a microphone on the 22 footballers on the field and they get a bad tackle or whatever, they’re not going to say, ‘Thank you very much.’ So, we’re just in this tough position that everything we think and feel is broadcast to the world. We don’t regret anything we say.

“Of course, maybe you wish you said something different, but we’re here to fight. And as Sebastian Vettel says, we’re not in kindergarten.”

While Russell admitted it was obvious the teammates needed to speak after the Sprint incident, he downplayed the tone of the conversation.

“When the helmet’s on, that’s one thing. Out the car, we’re both professionals and it was no real big deal afterwards. Of course, there’s always emotions in the cockpit. Nothing is personal when it’s on track. And for us now, it’s history and we just look forward.”

The one problem with history is that it provides context and a backdrop to what comes next. Perhaps, like the McLaren drivers here last year, a flashpoint strengthens the relationship because of how the fallout is handled. Or perhaps it bubbles under the surface and adds a layer of tension that can quickly boil over if another incident follows in the near future.

Given the all-Mercedes front row on Sunday, we might not have to wait long to find out.