Track action is officially over for today. Let’s review the key moments from qualifying for the Canadian GP: Russell takes an extraordinary pole while Ferrari wastes an opportunity.
George Russell claimed a stunning pole position in Canadian qualifying ahead of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc, squandered a great chance. Lando Norris, meanwhile, could do no better than seventh place.
Canadian GP Qualifying Summary
Q1
The first driver to hit the track was Carlos Sainz Jr, followed by his teammate Alex Albon. Track temperature had increased compared to yesterday. Andrea Kimi Antonelli opted for yellow tyres for his first timed lap, while George Russell chose red tyres. Colapinto, Gasly, and Alonso also used medium tyres. The first laps from Ferrari on red tyres weren’t enough to guarantee advancement. Only on his third flying lap did Leclerc manage to get close to Oscar Piastri, temporarily taking second place.
With eight minutes remaining, Max Verstappen set his first time and went to the top of the board (1:12.273), ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton. Fernando Alonso, on medium tyres, appeared very competitive. Just minutes before the end of Q1, the engine cover of Albon’s Williams exploded, causing a red flag.
When the session resumed: Hamilton and Norris went out on a new tyre set and posted the third and first fastest provisional times respectively. Eliminated: Bortoleto, Sainz, Stroll, Lawson, and Gasly.
Q2
Verstappen started Q2 of Canadian GP qualifying on yellow tyres and improved by four tenths compared to Q1. Both Ferraris were fitted with used tyres, including a 14-lap-old set on Leclerc’s car. On his first attempt, the Monegasque driver set the fourth-fastest time, with Hamilton in fifth. On a fresh set of red tyres, Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of Q2 (1:11.626) with five minutes to go. Many drivers switched to yellow tyres late in the session, and with this choice Russell clocked the best time (1:11.570), ahead of Lando Norris. Eliminated: Tsunoda, Colapinto, Hülkenberg, Bearman, and Ocon.
Q3
Green light: the two Ferraris opened Q3 of the Canadian GP. Hamilton immediately lifted off, while Leclerc set the first provisional time. Oscar Piastri completed his first flying lap in 1:11.273, which was quickly bettered by Max Verstappen with a 1:11.248. Norris, on his second attempt after an earlier mistake, couldn’t do better than fifth. Andrea Kimi Antonelli also delivered a strong lap, placing fourth in the early minutes of Q3. The final minute was intense: George Russell took an extraordinary pole position on yellow tyres, ahead of Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, Charles Leclerc eighth, and Norris seventh.
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