Queensberry Rules were suspended and the world title fight was suddenly bare knuckle. And it was George Russell, who came out on top, the cleverer and more experienced puncher landing a blow on young Kimi Antonelli’s schnoz.
It was only the sprint race in Canada and more points await in Sunday’s grand prix proper, not this dash to sate fans in North America, but Russell did everything he needed to, and nothing wrong, to win ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and the frazzled, red-nosed Antonelli.
Not that you would believe Russell was whiter than white if you heard the onboard radio steam emanating from Antonelli, the brilliant 19-year-old Italian, who is quick but prone to excitability.
This tendency showed itself in technicolour on lap six. Russell, who started from pole with a visibly brisk start, had held off Antonelli’s marauding attack at the chicane moments before the two Mercedes men banged wheels at Turn One.
Antonelli tried manfully to pass on the outside. Russell withstood the attack. There was contact. Antonelli then tried to thread himself through on the inside of Turn 2. But he locked up and ran on to the grass.
Russell, nimble of reaction, darted inside Antonelli’s car as it returned to the asphalt to retain the lead. The Briton was away and rightly so. He had defended well. The onus was on Antonelli to make his move stick or retreat, or, indeed, be prepared to suffer the consequences.
George Russell edged Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli to win the sprint race in Canada
There was a respectful handshake between the two Mercedes drivers after they left their cars
The duo collided at one point and Antonelli left the track as they battled for the lead early on
Plenty of Antonelli ire ensued. ‘That was very naughty,’ raged the injured party, who then lost second place to Norris when he ran wide at Turn 8 of the same eventful lap. ‘That should be a penalty,’ Antonelli added. ‘He pushed me off.’
This yowling earned a rebuke from the headmaster’s study. ‘Concentrate on driving, not on the radio moaning,’ ordered team principal Toto Wolff. More of these tellings off were to follow.
Just after Russell crossed the line to move within 18 points of Antonelli – who had won the last three of the season’s four races – was airing further complaints.
He was rattled and ragged, as a late detour off track as he tried to pass Norris underlined, but Wolff was not in the mood to indulge his precocious teenager. ‘This is not the time to talk about this,’ he said. ‘We do this internally, not on the radio.’
‘I tried to make my move,’ reasoned Antonelli afterwards. The jousting pair’s body language was warm as an ice cube at the end. ‘I would need to review it. I was alongside and I got pushed off.
‘This is not what I understood we agreed we would race. We need clarity and then it will be fine. The main thing is that you don’t crash into your team-mate.’
Russell was hardly perturbed. He is not going to show Kimi any mercy, or cry for him. He cannot afford to.
Of the pivotal incident, Russell said: ‘Kudos to Kimi for trying to make the pass on the outside, but you do not pass there at Turn 1. I defended my position and the stewards and race director did not feel it needed investigating, so that tells you a lot.’
Toto Wolff told the Italian prodigy to ‘concentrate on the driving, not on the radio moaning’
Russell’s sprint victory was huge given his Italian teammate has dominated so far this season
Turning to his three-race non-winning streak, Russell added: ‘I was never concerned. There has been a big break since Miami – a bogey circuit for me – and people have had a chance to say what they want. But I am happy with how it is all going for me.’
Meanwhile, Alain Prost was injured when balaclava-wearing intruders robbed him at his house in Switzerland.
It is understood that the four-time world champion, 71, injured his head in the burglary in Nyon on the banks of Lake Geneva last Tuesday.
The public prosecutors’ office confirmed: ‘The perpetrators entered the residence while the occupants were present, threatened them, and forced one family member to open a safe before fleeing with stolen goods.’
