Russell retires from lead of F1's Canadian GP

George Russell retired while leading Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix as his Mercedes ground to a halt on track with a suspected power unit issue.

Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli were in the middle of an elbows-out fight for victory in Montreal, swapping the lead on multiple occasions and coming scarlily close to contact.

So close was their battle that Mercedes had to issue a plea to its drivers over the team radio: "So, we've got to tidy up this racing. We need to keep it clean. So if we can't keep it tidy then we'll have to stop you racing. Message to both cars."

But before that message could be properly digested, the fight was inadvertently called off by Russell’s Mercedes hitting instant trouble at the Turn 8/9 chicane on lap 30 of 68.

Russell slowed on the entry and had to pull off to the side of the circuit with a suspected power unit issue, allowing Antonelli into the lead.

Should Antonelli convert that lead into a fourth consecutive grand prix victory, Russell will fall 43 points behind him in the drivers’ championship.

He was also noted by the stewards for throwing his headrest out of the car when he came to a halt.