Story perspectives

Antonelli Tops FP1; Mercedes Locks Front Row After Red Flags

5/23/2026

Summary

Antonelli Fastest Lap

Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) set the fastest lap in FP1, delivering a Mercedes 1-2 after three red-flag stoppages, one caused by Alex Albon (Williams)’s crash into a groundhog that ended his Sprint Qualifying participation.
The session was extended twice, adding 19 minutes to replace time.
George Russell finished second, 0.142 s ahead of Antonelli, with Lewis Hamilton third.
Russell’s 1:13.966 pole and Antonelli’s second gave Mercedes a front-row lockout in Sprint Qualifying.

Summary

Mercedes Upgrade

Mercedes introduced an aerodynamic upgrade for the W17 in Montreal, featuring a revised front wing, endplate and larger inlet and exit ducts.
The upgrade targets improved airflow and cooling to remedy the team’s weak race starts.
McLaren added a new front wing as the second half of its upgrade to boost launch performance.
Lando Norris qualified third, 0.315 seconds off pole, and said the wing helped his start.

History

Historical Context

After Honda quit in 2008, Ross Brawn bought the team, creating Brawn GP, which won both titles in 2009 with a Mercedes engine. Mercedes assumed full ownership in 2010, and in 2014 its turbo-hybrid V6 helped Mercedes-AMG Petronas claim its first Constructors’ Championship, Lewis Hamilton scoring a rookie-record 384 points. The 2024 Montreal W17 upgrade extends that performance drive.

1 of 3

Antonelli Fastest Lap

Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) set the fastest lap in FP1, delivering a Mercedes 1-2 after three red-flag stoppages, one caused by Alex Albon (Williams)’s crash into a groundhog that ended his Sprint Qualifying participation.
The session was extended twice, adding 19 minutes to replace time.
George Russell finished second, 0.142 s ahead of Antonelli, with Lewis Hamilton third.
Russell’s 1:13.966 pole and Antonelli’s second gave Mercedes a front-row lockout in Sprint Qualifying.

1 / 3