George Russell snatched his second Formula 1 pole position in a thrilling qualifying session for the Canadian Grand Prix, tying with Max Verstappen for the fastest lap time.
Russell’s best lap came early in the Q3 session, clocking in at 1 minute and 12.000 seconds. Verstappen matched this time in the final moments, but because Russell set his lap first, he claimed pole position. ‘It feels so good, so much hard work gone on back at the factory. We said in Monaco we hoped this was the start of the season,’ Russell remarked. ‘It’s awesome when we come to Montreal. First bit done, but now we’ve got to fight for that win.’
Lando Norris secured third place, just 0.021 seconds behind the top two, while Daniel Ricciardo, looking to prove his worth, placed fifth. Fernando Alonso followed in sixth. Lewis Hamilton, after an unremarkable final run, ended up seventh, starting alongside Yuki Tsunoda on Sunday. Lance Stroll and Alex Albon rounded out the top ten.
Ferrari faced a tough session with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz being eliminated in Q2. Sainz struggled with grip, and Leclerc aborted his final lap after failing to improve. Logan Sargeant narrowly missed making it to Q2, finishing 13th and earning praise from Williams’ team principal James Vowles.
Kevin Magnussen and Pierre Gasly also didn’t make it past Q2. Sergio Perez had a disappointing outing as well, getting knocked out in Q1 for the second race in a row, despite a last-minute attempt to improve his standing.
The session saw other notable eliminations, including Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Zhou Guanyu, who all failed to make it past the initial stage of qualifying.
With Russell on pole and Verstappen right beside him, the Canadian Grand Prix promises an exciting race. Both drivers are in prime form, and the competition throughout the grid is fierce, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown.
Source: Motorsport
