Formula 1 is a villain-making machine. And George Russell is the newest candidate to enter the category’s books as the great villain of the 2026 season, a role that Oscar Piastri didn’t even try to assume in 2025, since McLaren valued good relationships within the team.
Read more F1 today: Wolff pressures Russell and Antonelli after Canada
The point is that Toto Wolff could — and probably will — interfere in the relationship between the Brit and Kimi Antonelli after the Canadian GP, but not in the way he managed with Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. There, the cards were already marked: Bottas was the loyal sidekick. And, even if he tried to rebel, Hamilton’s level was still far above.
That is why comparisons between the current Mercedes duo and the 2016 one, with Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, make sense.
Antonelli is a young man who has finally found his place on the grid. Doubts about his performance for the rest of the season are valid — he still makes rookie mistakes. However, he already has four wins. All with competence and a bit of luck, as in Canada. But in none of them did the Italian show himself to be a complacent driver.
Quite the opposite. His still childlike traits and discreet appearance give the impression of someone who is leading Formula 1 by chance. But just observe a little more to understand that Antonelli knows how to play the game: in the post of his victory, a book by Ayrton Senna hidden in the photos. The same one he brought to the 2025 São Paulo GP and was seen reading in the cemetery where the three-time world champion rests.
Antonelli is also showing his claws with bolder radio messages and sharp comments in interviews. Right after the sprint in Montreal, which had a moment of clash where Russell pushed him off the track, Antonelli made a point of reiterating during the post-race interview: “they pushed me off.”
The boy is growing in front of the public. And he has every reason to toughen his tone. Four consecutive wins, an overwhelming start to the season that demands a fitting attitude. Keeping the foot on the accelerator after his main rival retired from the race is exactly what a future champion would do. And Antonelli did. With an iconic photo, in the arms of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and with the support of four-time champion Max Verstappen.
Russell did not have a bad Canadian GP. He followed the script and showed that he really masters the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with his eyes closed. No one can scare him when he is confident with the car and his driving. That was the scenario of the sprint.
After two extremely apathetic races, Russell came back with a vengeance and made it clear to Antonelli that he is willing to be a nuisance. In the sprint, the Brit showed one of his best sides: the one capable of facing everything and everyone, as he has done with Max Verstappen at other times. He won with authority.
In the main race, he was heading for another good victory. But every driver needs luck. Or, in Russell’s own words: “It seems the gods don’t want me in this fight.”
The Brit’s drama is not new to fans who have followed F1 for some time. In 2024, he gave an interview worthy of a crime documentary to criticize Max Verstappen: “Whenever something doesn’t go his way, he reacts with unnecessary anger and borders on violence.” The moment became a joke for Red Bull, which recalled the episode to “mock” Russell’s retirement in Canada.
And, although Russell’s phrase in Montreal has some relevance, it is important to go back to the 2026 pre-season tests. From the first moments of the W17 on track, it was already clear that it would be the dominant car. And, given Russell’s entire history — a driver developed by Mercedes to achieve great feats — he was the favorite for the title.
Part of the pressure surrounding Russell today was also built by himself. By having discreet performances in China, Japan, and Miami, the Brit helped create a scenario where any difficulty, such as a car failure, weighs much more in his championship fight.
Read more F1: Russell says «it seems the gods don’t want me in the fight» for the 2026 title
It is still the beginning. Formula 1 has many races ahead for Russell to make up for lost ground. Nothing is impossible. Antonelli can rise high and fall from the pedestal. Or stay there. Only time will tell.
But Russell has the opportunity to be the perfect villain in 2026 and enter F1 history. For that, there are two paths: become the defeated who fell shooting, pressuring Antonelli until the end and turning every race into a conflict; or become the villain who bounced back and took a title awaited by Italy for more than 70 years.
Whichever path is chosen, both he and Antonelli will not give up this title so easily. And Toto Wolff will have to find a way to deal with both. For the public, it is perfect as it is: with the team allowing the fight.
WHO CAME OUT WINNING
Lewis Hamilton was the big name of the Canadian GP. His satisfaction with second place on the podium, his best result with Ferrari, was contagious. A positive point also for his interaction with Antonelli, which excited and created a celebration atmosphere increasingly rare in the paddock.
The second highlight was Max Verstappen, who had a great battle with Hamilton in the final laps. The battle between the two brought back the 2021 atmosphere. For fans, it was a gift. The Dutchman secured third place, marking Red Bull’s first podium of the season.
The third and last highlight was Franco Colapinto. In an efficient weekend, the Alpine driver scored points in both races in Montreal and is now just five points behind Pierre Gasly.
OTHER VILLAINS OF THE CANADIAN GP
The Canadian GP not only brought the beginning of George Russell’s villain story but also exposed other hidden villains on the grid.
The first villain is McLaren. The risky choice to start on intermediate tires hurt the performance of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who are already not having a great start to the 2026 season. McLaren’s reading gave the impression of a team that believed it could be “smart” and outwit the rivals. The explanation from the boss, Andrea Stella, that there was no time for changes, was not very convincing.
To make matters worse, Norris, the current world champion, seems to be forgetting that he is the current champion. On Tuesday (26), the Brit changed his Instagram bio to the phrase: “You are a World Champion — Me to the mirror this morning,” a common joke when something is going wrong. After the social media reaction, he deleted it.
Another villain is Ferrari. Although the relationship with Hamilton is better, the harmony between the team and Charles Leclerc seems increasingly close to the limit. The car does not work properly and the Monegasque seems more a product of social media than a high-level driver — the same one who arrived at Ferrari in 2019 carrying the nickname “predestined.”
Finally, the bad luck that decided to appear for every driver. But maybe it will be a fun villain throughout the season.
Read more F1: Norris does not rule out pursuit of the Triple Crown: «I am a fan of racing»
