Russell grabs pole for Mercedes 1-2 at Canadian GP

The two McLarens of British reigning world champion Lando Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri will start from the second row on Sunday.

Pre-season title favourite Russell had earlier delivered a consummate lights-to-flag drive to win the sprint race and trim his angry Italian team-mate Antonelli’s championship lead.

It was the first sprint race held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and was a memorable one, with the scrap between Russell and Antonelli requiring an intervention from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, telling the precocious Italian to cool off and stop talking on the team radio.

The incident came on lap six when Antonelli, 19, tried a move around the outside of Turn One, but Russell defended stoutly, forcing the Italian to run off with a muscular defence of his leading position.

“That was very naughty,” said Antonelli, who accused Russell of pushing him off. “That should be a penalty. I was alongside the mirror.”

His experienced race engineer Peter Bonnington told him to calm down and concentrate, but Antonelli was still fuming after the race.

“If we race like that, it is good to know,” said the teenager before Wolff told him: “Kimi, we don’t talk about this on the radio –- we do it internally.”

“l need to review on that because I was quite well alongside him at turn one,” said Antonelli. “But it was a good battle.”

Russell, 28, who won last year’s Canadian Grand Prix, re-established his seniority in the team with his drive and result.