Russell & Antonelli 'both lucky not to crash' in Canada sprint battle

Kimi Antonelli says he and Mercedes team-mate George Russell "were both lucky not to crash" in an incident during the sprint race at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Italian said he was "very annoyed" by an incident at Turn One on lap six, in which he tried to overtake Russell around the outside and ended up off the track.

"I was quite well alongside and there was definitely contact so I need to recheck that," said Antonelli.

Russell said: "It was tense, it was close, but from my side it was just close, hard racing. I don't think I did anything wrong.

"There was nothing untoward with the driving and it wasn't even investigated. So that says enough."

Antonelli complained about Russell's driving over the team radio but was told by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff to stop "moaning".

Wolff added later: "It was great cinema. Tough fighting, not only between our two but also with Lando [Norris]. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

"You can see how quickly it goes, you create a gap with two cars and then you start to fight a bit and you can lose a race. If that goes longer and unlucky for us and it is the grand prix, then Norris may well win.

"I really enjoy these moments because it allows us to learn and say: 'OK, what are we doing with this situation, how are we handling that in the future?' Because you don't want to lose a race, you don't want to crash into each other and sometimes it needs a little moment to remind ourselves what our objectives are.

"This is not particularly against one or the other. There is a framework we want to establish and I'd rather have it in a sprint race, where it is not about a lot of points, than the main race."

Antonelli drew a contrast between a pre-race conversation about the rules they had to abide by while racing with each other and what happened on track.

"We do meetings before races and that's what we say in the room," he said. "So probably I understood the significance of that meeting a bit differently.

"I think definitely I need to probably ask again. But the main thing for the team is that there's no contact, that we don't crash into each other, which today at the end was very close.

"Also, as a driver, you don't want to crash into your own team-mate. We all want the best for, first of all, each other, but also for the team. So for sure we will clarify and then everything is going to be fine."

Russell said he felt Antonelli's move was ambitious, adding: "You never get overtaken around the outside of that corner and so I knew it was kind of pretty safe, but kudos to Kimi for giving it a go and respect that.

"As kids in karting, we know overtaking on the outside, there's a certain element of risk that comes with that, and there are amazing overtakes when they come off but the chances are quite slim."

Antonelli responded: "If you're well alongside, you can overtake pretty much anywhere. I mean, obviously there are corners that are more difficult but I don't think there's never been an overtake running outside in Turn One."

The F1 driving standards guidelines say that, to be given room on the exit of a corner, a driver trying to overtake around the outside has to: have its front axle ahead of the front axle of the other car at the apex; be driven in a controlled manner from entry to apex and to exit; and to be able to make the corner within track limits.

The two had a second incident at Turn Eight on the same lap, where Antonelli tried to overtake on the inside but overshot the corner and lost second place to McLaren's Lando Norris.

Antonelli accepted he was at fault for that, saying: "I was definitely too optimistic. I also took a massive bump and I almost spun in a straight line so also that induced the lock-up."

Russell said: "I was quite nervous to defend too tightly into Turn Eight because I knew that there was a chance of locking up if I went there and that was about it, really.

"So, glad that we are both sat here now. It could have been something different but it wasn't and that's how racing should be."