Formula One Race in Montreal: Russell Claims Pole Position, Outpacing Verstappen and Piastri
The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session proved to be a thrilling display of speed and strategy, with Mercedes' George Russell securing his second consecutive pole position at the Montreal circuit.
The session began with McLaren's Oscar Piastri setting the fastest time in Q1 with a lap of 1:12.332, but it was Russell who stole the show in Q3, posting a blistering lap of 1:10.899 to take the top spot. This time was just 0.160 seconds faster than Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who finished second on the grid.
Verstappen had initially moved to the top spot in Q1 with a lap of 1:11.059, but Russell's pace was unmatched in the final session. The Dutch driver's performance was still impressive, however, as he edged out Piastri who qualified third, and Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli who took fourth.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth, while Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin finished sixth. Lando Norris ended up seventh in the second McLaren, with Charles Leclerc eighth for Ferrari. Isack Hadjar qualified ninth, but will start from eighth due to a three-place grid penalty. Alex Albon rounded out the top ten for Williams.
Yuki Tsunoda had a disappointing session, failing to make it out of Q2 and starting from last place due to a combination of a Q2 exit and a 10-place grid penalty for a rules infringement during practice.
The session was briefly halted due to debris from Alex Albon's disintegrated engine cover, but resumed without further incident. Russell's pole position sets up an exciting race weekend, with Verstappen and Russell expected to battle it out for the win. The Canadian Grand Prix is set to take place on Sunday.
Sports fans are in for a treat as the Canadian Grand Prix race weekend promises an exhilarating battle, with Mercedes' George Russell securing pole position and Red Bull's Max Verstappen qualifying second. Despite starting from the third position, McLaren's Oscar Piastri gave Russell a run for his money in the qualifying session, with both drivers posting impressive laps.
