His Point of View: The Canadian Grand Prix

The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix began with the kind of weather that makes Formula 1 drivers question their life choices.

Imagine a 12°C rainy day in Montréal. Most people would choose a blanket, a coffee, and a view from indoors. Instead, 22 drivers climbed into open-wheel cars capable of reaching over 300 km/h and spent the afternoon guessing which patch of standing water might send them into a wall.

As the grid formed, all eyes were on the front rows. A teenager, a Barbie-inspired Mercedes lineup, and the reigning World Champion contenders were preparing for a race where traction mattered more than outright speed.

Even before the race properly began, things felt strange. A problem with the starting procedure led to extra formation laps, creating confusion throughout the field. Yet one team remained committed to its gamble.

McLaren.

While the rest of the frontrunners played it relatively safe, McLaren rolled the dice with intermediate tyres. Perhaps the sight of 360,000 spectators sitting in rain ponchos convinced them it would pay off. Perhaps not.

Either way, they doubled down.

And then doubled down again.

When the race finally got underway, Lando Norris launched aggressively, briefly making the strategy look inspired. The excitement did not last. Oscar Piastri was forced into the pits almost immediately, and Norris soon followed. The gamble had failed.

Meanwhile, Mercedes looked composed.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli spent the opening laps swapping positions and trading fastest sectors, with Russell initially reclaiming the lead before Antonelli fought back. The battle between the teammates became the defining story of the race.

Behind them, Max Verstappen began carving through the field. Team radio messages suggested he was among the quickest drivers on track, and before long he was fighting with Lewis Hamilton in scenes that felt strangely familiar.

Ten years after some of his greatest Canadian victories, Hamilton once again found himself in the mix.

By lap 18, the order told the story of two very different afternoons.

Mercedes occupied the top two positions.

McLaren sat near the back.

As pit stops cycled through, Antonelli reclaimed the lead and looked increasingly comfortable despite pressure from every direction. Russell continued to challenge him, but a later issue ended his race and removed one half of what had become a fascinating intra-team fight.

That left Antonelli alone at the front.

The teenager handled it brilliantly.

Behind him, Verstappen and Hamilton provided the race’s final act. The pair traded positions and pressure throughout the closing stages, while Ferrari once again found itself managing frustrated radio conversations from Charles Leclerc. At one point, Leclerc appeared completely done with strategy discussions, questioning instructions as another Virtual Safety Car interrupted the flow of the race.

As the laps counted down, Hamilton’s pace returned.

The seven-time World Champion fought his way back into contention and delivered what was arguably his strongest performance of the season so far.

But the day belonged to Antonelli.

Driving the Mercedes once occupied by Hamilton, the young Italian secured yet another victory and continued a remarkable run of form. What began as a race about weather, tyre choices, and uncertainty ended with the same conclusion Formula 1 has become increasingly familiar with in 2026:

If Kimi Antonelli is in the fight, he is probably going to win it.