MUST-SEE: Russell clatters the wall and falls down the order in Canada

George Russell was running a promising P4 in the early stages of the Canadian Grand Prix – until it all went horribly wrong at the Turn 8-9 chicane on Lap 12.

The Mercedes driver was following behind leader Max Verstappen, team mate Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso when he took too much kerb into the Turn 8 right-hander at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

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That put him off line as he jinked left to take Turn 9, the rear end of Russell’s W14 hitting the wall with a hard bang and puncturing his right-rear.

Russell was able to limp back to the pits, where Mercedes effected repairs as the seconds ticked by before sending him out again – Safety Car driver Bernd Maylander fittingly leading the pack around in the interim as Formula 1 celebrated 50 years of the Safety Car.

Asked how the car was on his return to the track, meanwhile, Russell – now down in P19 – replied: “It’s a bit bent – but I think it’s okay!”

However, after initially moving back through the order, Russell's day did come to a premature end as he was told to retire the car on lap 55 of the race.

Watch Russell’s big hit in the video up top.