Mercedes wins the Sprint race with George Russell, a result in line with expectations, but which proved less obvious than it could have been. The internal duel with Antonelli, as exciting as it was, almost nullified the superiority of the W17s, also due to strategic choices and driving approach. Benefiting from this is Lando Norris’s McLaren, while Ferrari is forced to give way from mid-race onwards.
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Mercedes, too many mistakes
The Canadian Sprint opens with great news for Mercedes, able to defend the top positions, reaping the benefits of work done on software and clutch to improve starts. However, the Brackley team strings together a series of errors that seriously risk wasting what was built on Friday. First of all, the championship leaders are the only ones to start with a set of used tires already with six laps on them, then struggling in the second half of the race, not without other reckless actions.
Above all stands out the internal derby between Russell and Antonelli, definitely thrilling and which could represent a turning point in the relationship between the two Mercedes juniors. The Italian driver shows an aggressiveness and boldness that are definitely positive, but will still need to be measured to avoid excessive risks. The fight between Kimi and George starts in the very first laps, when the two begin to push each other and lap up to 7-8 tenths faster than their pursuers, asking too much of the tires, which indeed then pay the price at the end.
The disaster, however, Mercedes narrowly avoids with the contact between Russell and Antonelli at turn 1, where the Englishman refuses to give space to his teammate, and later at turn 8, where the Italian tries to slip inside. Fortunately, both manage to continue, but by then the advantage over Norris’s McLaren is squandered and the repeated lock-ups certainly did not help the Silver Arrows’ tires. At that point Russell can no longer shake off the world champion, still managing to gift Mercedes a victory that could have been much more comfortable.
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McLaren holds firm, Ferrari does not
Benefiting from the perfect storm at Mercedes is McLaren, which brings home a 2nd and 4th place well beyond expectations. For the Woking team it now becomes essential to take advantage of the parc fermé reopening, having to correct a starting setup far from optimal. Ferrari, on the other hand, is forced to surrender. Hamilton and Leclerc initially keep pace with the leaders, only to then pay for tire degradation, evidently overworked in traction to defend and attack on the straight in an attempt to compensate for the engine deficit. It does not go better for Red Bull, never in contention with Verstappen, increasingly slower than the leading group from the first laps.
Surprisingly closing the points zone is Arvid Lindblad’s Racing Bulls, who on debut on a decidedly tricky track manages to extract the maximum from the Faenza team’s updates. Also excellent is Cadillac’s performance, 11th finish with Perez before receiving a 10-second penalty. The Mexican ran the Sprint on soft tires, definitely convincing and which could therefore come back into play also in the Grand Prix. All this barring weather tricks, as Sunday could offer the first wet race of the new technical cycle.
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