Russell clashes with Mercedes teammate Antonelli in Canadian GP sprint win

MONTREAL (AP) — George Russell clashed early with Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli in the Canadian Grand Prix sprint race Saturday, sending the teen star into the grass in an entertaining victory from the pole.

Russell — who later took the pole for his Grand Prix title defense Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve — fended off a pair of attacks from Antonelli on the sixth of 23 laps as the drivers made contact in Turn 1, forcing the 19-year-old Italian into the grass.

“That was very naughty,” a furious Antonelli said in one of several complaints as emotions boiled over on the team radio.

Antonelli — the winner of the last three Grand Prix races — accused Russell of pushing him off before demanding a penalty.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Antonelli to “concentrate on the driving, please, not on the radio moaning.”

“I need to recheck. Emotions were very high in the moment, and obviously I was very annoyed,” Antonelli said in an ensuing press conference, moments after a frosty finish-line handshake with Russell.

“We just need a bit of clarity and then once it’s clear, then it’s all going to be fine. The main thing for the team is that there’s no contact, that we don’t pressure each other, which today at the end was very close.”

From Russell’s point of view, he’d done nothing wrong, chalking up the fireworks simply to hard racing.

“I wasn’t investigated, so I guess the race directors and stewards thought the same,” said the 28-year-old English driver, sitting next to Antonelli. “As kids in karting, we know that overtaking on the outside, there’s a certain element of risk that comes with that. They’re amazing overtakes when they come off, but the chances are quite slim.

“There was only one direction I was going and I was going close the line because that’s my right to do so. Respect to him for giving it a go. Emotions are always high for all of us in the cockpit, but I’m sure we’ll both talk about it after.”

Antonelli rolled off course again on a second attempt a few corners later, losing his place to McLaren’s Lando Norris in the process.

Norris, the reigning F1 world champion, challenged Russell the rest of the race and held on to second as Antonelli veered off track a third time in an overtake attempt on the last lap.

Antonelli finished third, as Russell cut his championship lead to 18 points. Russell also won a sprint race in China this season.

“It is clear that between teammates we race hard and fair and no contact, and that’s always the objective,” Russell said. “I wasn’t racing Kimi any harder than I would have raced Lando in the same position. We’re both here fighting to win, and as always in the past, even last year when we battled, I always gave Kimi a bit more room compared to anyone else. It wasn’t even investigated, so I think that says enough.”

F1 introduced sprints in 2021. The shortened races cover roughly 60 miles (100 kilometers), about one-third the distance of a Grand Prix, for a maximum of eight points. A Grand Prix victory is worth 25 points.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri placed fourth, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

In qualifying for the Grand Prix race, Russell charged to the pole position for the third consecutive year in Canada, with Antonelli taking the second spot on the grid.

Russell, had a lap of 1 minute, 12.578 seconds on his final lap to edge Antonelli by 0.068 seconds — the exact gap between the two drivers in sprint qualifying. Norris was third,

AP Formula 1: https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one

Mercedes' George Russell, of Britain, drives during the sprint race at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix auto race in Montreal, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press via AP)

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, waves after winning the sprint race at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix auto race in Montreal, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, followed by McLaren driver Lando Norris, right, of Britain and Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, of Italy, navigates a turn during the sprint race at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix auto race in Montreal, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press via AP)

First place finisher Mercedes driver George Russell, right, of Britain, poses with from left, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, of Italy, who placed third, and McLaren driver Lando Norris, of Britain, who finished in second place, following the sprint race at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix auto race in Montreal, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, waves after winning the sprint race at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix auto race in Montreal, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

A damaged chemical storage tank that authorities fear is at risk of exploding or rupturing in Southern California is gradually getting warmer despite efforts to reduce its internal temperature, a fire chief said Saturday.

No injuries were reported after the pressurized tank overheated Thursday and began venting vapors at a company site in Garden Grove, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Evacuation orders were issued for 40,000 people, and several shelters remained open Saturday, including at three high schools. Officials have no timeline on when residents can return to their homes.

Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey said Friday evening that efforts to cool the tank appeared to be working. But on Saturday he backtracked, saying a reading conducted by drones Friday showed the temperature on the outside of the tank, not the inside.

Cooling the tank is important because the liquid chemical's flashpoint is 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. If the chemical heats up, it can release a vapor that is harmful to people’s health. It can cause respiratory issues, itching and burning eyes, nausea and headaches, said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the Orange County health officer.

Covey said emergency crews were able to see the troubled tank’s temperature gauge in person late Friday.

“Unfortunately I do have to report that the temperature was 90 degrees," Covey said Saturday. “Yesterday morning it was 77 degrees when we backed down. It's been averaging about a degree an hour increasing.”

The concern is that the tank could fail and crack, releasing the liquid chemical onto the ground, or it could explode from pressure buildup, Covey said. If the contents spill, containment barriers have been set up to prevent the chemical from getting into storm drains or reaching creeks or the nearby ocean, he said.

Purdue University engineering professor Andrew Whelton, who gets called into emergencies and disasters where public safety and health is at risk, said the “best-case scenario is that the tank springs a leak and spills the chemicals on the ground and people are warned about what to do to protect themselves.”

The damaged tank is located at GKN Aerospace, which makes parts for commercial and military aircraft. The tank holds between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons (22,700 and 26,500 liters) of methyl methacrylate, used to make plastic parts.

“Letting this thing just fail and blow up is simply unacceptable to us,” Covey said.

He said the valves on the tank are broken or “gummed up” and prevented crews from removing the chemical or relieving the pressure on the tank.

In a statement, GKN Aerospace said it was focused on working to ensure the safety of the community, its employees and responding agencies.

Initially, residents in Garden Grove were ordered to leave. Evacuation orders were expanded Friday to some residents of five other Orange County cities — Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster. Some residents with pets said they planned to sleep in their cars.

Marco Solano, a 32-year-old resident, spent Friday night at his parents’ home. He said he was frustrated by the situation and was monitoring the news to see if he could go back to his home.

“I don’t think that they should have dangerous chemicals in a neighborhood area, especially that dangerous that they have to evacuate people,” Solano said. “But again, it's not up to me. I don’t make the laws. I don’t make the rules. We just have to do what is best I guess.”

Solano, who has multiple jobs, said he wasn’t feeling well Saturday, believing the stress of the chemical leak was exacerbating his anemia and ulcerative colitis.

“Right now I’m extremely tired. I have no energy. I’m super weak,” he said. “This has been affecting me quite a bit.”

He said he went to his apartment after work Friday to grab belongings and saw other residents who had not evacuated, and he was worried for them.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency in Orange County. The declaration will make state resources available to local agencies and allow the use of state-owned properties and fairgrounds as shelter for residents if necessary.

Garden Grove is about 38 miles (61 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles and next to Anaheim, home to Disneyland’s two theme parks, which were not under evacuation orders as the Memorial Day weekend got underway. Park officials said they are monitoring the chemical incident and supporting park employees impacted by the evacuations.

Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, and Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this story.

Evacuees from an aerospace chemical plant tank leak move to another shelter after the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center closed for the night in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Evacuees from an aerospace chemical plant tank leak move to another shelter after the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center closed for the night in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

An aerial view of evacuated streets as water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey speaks during a news conference at the Los Alamitos racetrack in Cypress, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026, about hazmat situation in Garden Grove, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP)

Angie Mallon, an evacuee from an aerospace chemical plant tank leak, exits the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center with her pet pigeon in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Firefighters work at the scene of a chemical tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Evacuees from an aerospace chemical plant tank leak move to another shelter after the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center closed for the night in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)