Russell wins Canadian GP sprint after infuriating teammate Antonelli in fight for lead

[p]McLaren's reigning world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a], winner of the previous sprint in Miami, took second after 23 laps of ‌Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a]'s second sprint victory of the season, after his first in China last March, cut [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a]'s lead to ‌18 points.[/p][p]However, the 19-year-old Italian was fuming after the Mercedes pair almost made contact on ‌lap six, and he went off track twice in battling for the lead.[/p][p][b]"That was very naughty,"[/b] the teenager ‌said after Russell shut the door on an early passing attempt around the outside ‌at turn two, with Norris seizing his chance to take second on the same lap after another off-track excursion.[/p][p][b]"It was certainly nice to be in that position," [/b]said Norris, now fourth in the standings, after finishing 1.272 seconds behind ‌Russell.[/p][p][b]"Obviously (I am) only in that position because they (the Mercedes drivers) battled.[/b][/p][p][b]"I ⁠think if they didn't battle, I was 10 ‌seconds behind. They were so much faster than us."[/b][/p][embed guid="ce40526e-cfde-4fc2-a44d-9b9c2d1b66ad" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2058239284180586792" social-type="twitter" /][p]Antonelli continued to complain over ​the radio, saying Russell should be given a penalty because he had been alongside the Briton's mirror, with the team trying to get him to focus on the racing.[/p][p][b]"I ​don't care. He pushed me off," [/b]he told race engineer Peter 'Bono' Bonnington after one attempt to calm him down.[/p][p]Team boss Toto Wolff then made a rare radio intervention, telling Antonelli to [b]"concentrate on the ⁠driving, please, not on the radio ​moaning."[/b][/p][p]Wolff spoke again in the closing stages, telling his driver it was the fourth time and to discuss matters privately later, as commentators recalled battles of old between Mercedes teammates [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] and Nico Rosberg.[/p][p][b]"It was great cinema,"[/b] the Austrian told Sky Sports News after the chequered flag, and with no ‌investigation pending. "Tough fighting, not only between our two but also with Lando.[/p][p][b]"It's emotion, and he is a young driver. George would probably have done the same, so we will see how we handle it."[/b][/p][embed guid="62ecb8f2-f7d0-44fa-8b89-a6fd2b893ec0" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2058227382977208752" social-type="twitter" /][p]Russell had been fastest off the mark at the start, with Antonelli close behind, with only 17 cars lining up and five in the pitlane, including Canadian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stroll-lance/I3p9zz4s/"]Lance Stroll[/a], whose Aston Martin was wheeled off the grid with a front suspension problem.[/p][p]McLaren's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] finished fourth with the Ferraris of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a] and seven-times champion Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively.[/p][p]Hamilton, back at the track where he took his first F1 win with McLaren as a rookie in 2007, ‌passed Piastri at the start for fourth place but lost out right at the end with Leclerc ​also getting ahead at the last corner.[/p][p]Four-time world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a] was seventh for Red ‌Bull, with Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad taking the final point in eighth.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/colapinto-franco/GzFqySBA/"]Franco Colapinto[/a] was just outside the points in ninth for Alpine, with Carlos Sainz 10th for Williams.[/p][p]Qualifying for Sunday's main Canadian Grand Prix followed later, with Antonelli chasing his fourth win in a row.[/p][p][b]"From my side, there are never ill intentions towards anything,"[/b] said Russell, as he tried to refocus ⁠on the next battle. [/p][p][b]"But on the same note, ⁠I'm not just going to wave ‌somebody by. And we're both fighting for our championship."[/b][/p]