Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix saw Kimi Antonelli extend his lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell to 43 points as the young Italian won his fourth race in a row to continue his electric start to the 2026 campaign. At the other end of the grid, a poor performance in Montreal looks to have pushed one driver closer to the Formula One exit door.

Antonelli and Russell engaged in a thrilling battle for the lead over the first 29 laps of the race, with the pair trading the lead on multiple occasions. They may be teammates, but it was clear to see how badly both men wanted to win.

Just as Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff was considering stepping in and telling them to stop racing one another so intensely, disaster struck for Russell on lap 30.

The Brit was forced out of the race by a power unit failure, resulting in his first DNF in 38 races. Russell couldn’t hide his frustration as soon as he realised his day was over. The 28-year-old was fuming and responded by launching his headrest on to the track. The outburst would later see him cited by the stewards for his behaviour.

F1 Driver on the Verge of Losing His Seat After Canadian Grand Prix Showing

As bad of a race as Russell had, one F1 driver is now reportedly ‘at serious risk’ of losing his seat after another disappointing showing on track. His team has even seemingly selected his replacement.

Having been brought back on to the grid after spending the 2025 season as the reserve driver for Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas is under huge pressure at Cadillac after just six races of their debut season.

The American team had always expected to struggle during their first campaign, but Bottas’ lack of impact has prompted considerable concern. The 36-year-old has yet to score a single point this season, nor has he managed to escape Q1.

Of the 16 drivers who managed to finish the race in Montreal, Bottas was the last to do so. Per a report from Roberto Chinchero of Sky Italy, there is now a real chance that the team will cut ties with the struggling driver before the end of the current campaign.

Bottas’ Cadillac teammate Sergio Perez has barely fared much better than his colleague, although the Mexican has shown more speed at times.

So questionable is Bottas’ future with the team that bosses have already identified his replacement in the shape of reserve driver Colton Herta. Cadillac are said to be high on the potential of the American, with Chincero noting that the 26-year-old’s “stock is rising” internally.

Although Bottas signed a multi-year deal with the team, there is believed to be a clause within his contract that allows Cadillac to cut ties with the Finnish driver.

The team are not expected to make any change to their line-up immediately, but another underwhelming showing at the Monaco Grand Prix in two weeks’ time could end Bottas’ F1 comeback after only a handful of races.

Arsenal are Premier League champions, but that fact won’t stop Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta from pushing forward with plans to strengthen the team even further.

The Gunners will have their eyes on even more silverware, with plans to win the league title again, while the Champions League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup are also in their sights.

That means putting together an important summer to reinforce the squad, with a focus on not only bringing players in, but keeping the core that has delivered so much in recent seasons.

As a result, focus turns to the possible contract extensions, with work already underway to give a new deal to one key star in the Arsenal setup.

Arsenal Progress In Jurrien Timber Contract Talks

With plenty of the Arsenal squad still young and impressing at the highest level, it will be a challenge for those at the top to keep them together and competing for years to come.

With that in mind, Football London reports that talks are progressing well between the Gunners and Jurrien Timber over a fresh contract, with the defender described as “close” to agreeing the terms of a new deal.

The 24-year-old has impressed since joining from Ajax back in 2023 for a bargain £34 million fee, even with the first year of his stay in North London being wiped out due to an ACL injury early in his career with the club.

Timber’s current contract runs until 2028, and with Arsenal keen to keep the right-back and avoid an awkward final-year standoff, talks have been moving along in the right direction.

Timber has played 94 times for Arsenal so far, picking up six goals and 11 assists, providing a healthy balance of defensive prowess and attacking ability.

The Dutchman’s absence in the latter half of the current campaign has been a blow, outlining just how important he is when available, leading to the new deal.

How Good Is Jurrien Timber?

Timber’s importance to Arsenal cannot be understated, as he continues to provide defensive reassurance for a team built on being solid at the back.

He has also built up an impressive partnership with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard on the right, creating a triangle of threats that the opposition find hard to stop.

If it’s unclear just how good Timber is, then his teammates have laid it out. William Saliba was asked earlier this season whether Timber is the best right-back in the world by CBS Sports, to which he said: “Yeah, by a mile! For me, by a mile…

“He is so, so good. One against one, it is impossible to beat him, and offensively, he is so good. I hope he will keep going like this, and he is a top, top player. He is one or two, for sure!”

Securing the future of such a player for the foreseeable is such a boost for Arsenal, before the hierarchy even consider new options to freshen up the squad.

A versatile right-back could be on the cards if Ben White leaves, though Cristhian Mosquera has filled in there when required this season.

Beyond that, the left wing and midfield continues to be an area of consideration for the Gunners, as the champions look to move from strength to strength.

Mikel Arteta finally got his hands on the Premier League trophy after three successive second-placed finishes. Arsenal won the 2025-26 title by seven points, ending a 22-year wait to take the trophy back to north London.

Despite being up against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City machine, the Gunners led the way for almost the entire season and were able to celebrate with their travelling support after a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. Martin Odegaard became the club’s first captain to lift the iconic silverware since Patrick Vieira at the end of the ‘Invincibles’ campaign.

That 2003-04 Arsenal team is among the best in the division’s history and there will now be an argument made by some that the current Gunners squad are qualified to be in that conversation. However, Arteta snubbed both when naming the ‘best in Premier League history’.

Mikel Arteta Overlooks Arsenal as Premier League’s Greatest Side

As mentioned, Arsenal have suffered heartbreak in the last three Premier League seasons. First, they had back-to-back second-place finishes behind Man City in 2022-23 and 2023-24, then they were runners-up to Arne Slot’s Liverpool in 2024-25.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the trophy lift at Selhurst Park, Arteta explained how hard it was to get over the line with talented teams pushing them all the way. He said: “We had to raise our level because you have opposition who are constantly asking that question of you.”

He went one step further when discussing the team chasing them this term. The Spaniard labelled Man City as the best team in the division’s history, and Guardiola as world football’s top manager, saying:

That would put the Citizens ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson’s iconic Manchester United teams and Jurgen Klopp’s relentless Liverpool side. However, the period of dominance the men in sky blue have enjoyed under Guardiola is hard to argue with.

Arteta had first-hand experience of the juggernaut built at the Etihad over Guardiola’s 10-year spell as he worked as the Catalan-born tactician’s assistant manager. The first team to win the Premier League four times in a row and achieve 100 points in a single term are undeniably up there.

Arteta Doubted His Ability to Win the League With Arsenal

Despite getting his team over the line, the 44-year-old has admitted he did have moments where he didn’t know if he was the right man to bring the title home. He was very honest as he claimed he now feels relief at finally getting it done.

He said: “There are doubts… I think doubts and an understanding that maybe, OK, I’ve been able to take them all the way here but maybe somebody else has to come and do the final job. But thank God. I feel a lot of joy and honestly a little bit of relief.

“I can control certain things but there are many things that are out of your hands, and that’s why you need the best people around you. Sometimes when you doubt yourself, to have people as well next to you to say, no, we’re going to do it and we’re going to do it with you.”