The points gap between Russell and Kimi, plus the mechanical failure 
George Russell retired on lap 31. The Canadian Grand Prix was the fifth round of the season. Mercedes’ technical report logged a power unit failure. Russell had been running in first when the mechanical gremlin struck. Kimi Antonelli took the win in Canada. It was his fourth straight victory, too, a run that has turned the Italian into the man to beat. The gap at the top of the standings now stands at 43 points.
The 19-year-old tightens his grip on the championship lead. On this weekend alone, the scoreboard reads 25-0. The points swing reflects a string of technical headaches. Data analysis shows the two cars have not been carrying the same share of failures. Russell has also been hit by a series of recent operational problems. The safety car at the Japanese Grand Prix wrecked his strategy. An engine issue ended his qualifying session in China.
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Weather and tyre management
The official calendar features 22 races. Mercedes say the underlying strength of their chassis still stacks up well under the new rules. The British driver says he is changing his approach. From here on, he wants wins, and nothing else. The weather played its part at Montreal from the start. Rain sensors were picking up light showers.
McLaren opted for intermediate tyres. Mercedes backed the slicks. The telemetry backed that call once the track started to warm up. The low grip led to plenty of lock-ups. Braking into the hairpin demanded repeated corrections. Heat in the rubber creates plenty of friction, and tyre management now means staying on top of the operating window every single lap.
Photo by Mert Alper Dervis / Anadolu via AFP
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