George Russell secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix after edging out Formula 1 points leader Max Verstappen in a thrilling qualifying session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Both drivers clocked identical laps of 1 minute 12.000 seconds, but Russell claimed the top spot by setting the time first, marking the second time a tiebreaker was needed in F1 qualifying since the introduction of three-decimal timing.
Russell expressed confidence in his Mercedes, stating, 'The car has been feeling amazing. We're going for it tomorrow.' This pole position marks Russell's second career pole, and he highlighted the hard work put in by the team, emphasizing the recent improvements in performance.
Verstappen, who won the pole last year, acknowledged the increased competition this season, noting, 'When you look at the whole grid, there are quite a few surprises. It's good for Formula 1.' McLaren's Lando Norris secured the third spot on the grid with a time of 1:12.02.
However, it was a disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari, as both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failed to reach the third qualifying session for the first time since 2021. Leclerc, the winner in Monaco two weeks ago, expressed surprise at the team's lack of pace, stating, 'We are just not fast enough.'
Seven-time Canadian GP winner Lewis Hamilton qualified in seventh place for Mercedes, while local driver Lance Stroll secured ninth place for Aston Martin. Stroll described the final qualifying session as challenging, mentioning that he struggled to find a good feeling in the car.
The qualifying session took place under mixed weather conditions, with a brief spell of rain before the session. Russell described the changing track conditions as 'really, really difficult to find that sweet spot' due to the fluctuating weather throughout the weekend.
The stage is set for an exciting race on Sunday, with Russell aiming to hold off Verstappen and secure a strong result for Mercedes in the Canadian Grand Prix.
Source: AP Formula 1
