Practice Sessions Highlights: Norris Leads Final Practice in Canada; Leclerc Recovers from Setback
In an electrifying qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, George Russell of Mercedes secured the pole position for the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix with a stunning lap time of 1:10.899 in the final moments of Q3. This marks his first pole of the year, narrowly beating Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who qualified second with a time of 1:11.059.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri secured third place for McLaren, completing the front three on the grid. The top 10 qualifying order is as follows:
1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:10.899 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:11.059 3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 1:11.120 4. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 7. Lando Norris (McLaren) 8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) 10. Alex Albon (Williams)
Notable penalties affected the grid: Yuki Tsunoda, after a Q2 exit, started from last place owing to a 10-place grid drop for passing under red flags. Similarly, Isack Hadjar received a three-place grid penalty for impeding another car.
The session was marked by intense competition, particularly between Russell and Verstappen, culminating in Russell's late lap that clinched pole. Charles Leclerc established a comfortable lead with a lap of 1:12.843, but was unable to hold onto it. Fernando Alonso complained that his Aston Martin was "undriveable" and finished sixth.
The session was red-flagged due to an incident involving Oscar Piastri, leaving him with P8 after the session. Yuki Tsunoda spent much of the session in the Red Bull garage working on his front brakes, and was placed under investigation for a potential infringement under the early red flag.
In the practice session, George Russell finished in third place, while Lando Norris topped the session with a lap of 1:11.799. Max Verstappen joined the session and rose to eighth place with a lap of 1:13.442. The final top 10 in practice included Carlos Sainz, Alexander Albon, Isack Hadjar, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, Lance Stroll, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Franco Colapinto, and Nico Hülkenberg.
Charles Leclerc posted a strong lap of 1:11.877, finishing just 0.078s off Norris who held on to P1. Gabriel Bortoleto and Gabriel Bortoleto finished 22nd and 20th respectively. The final practice session was topped by Lando Norris for the 2025 Formula 1 Canadian Prix.
The 2025 Canadian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting race with the strong Mercedes presence on the front row and Piastri leading McLaren in third. The race is set to take place on Sunday, with Russell and Verstappen aiming to battle it out for the top spot.
Sports enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, as the front row of the grid will feature a fierce competition between George Russell of Mercedes and Max Verstappen of Red Bull. Championship leader Oscar Piastri will start from third place for McLaren.
