George Russell Claims Pole Position at Canadian Grand Prix
George Russell secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix with a blistering lap of 1:10.899, narrowly surpassing Max Verstappen in a dramatic qualifying session. This marked a significant turnaround for the Mercedes driver, who expressed the exhilaration of his performance, describing it as "one of the most exhilarating laps" of his racing career.
Having topped the timesheets in Friday’s FP2, Russell faced increased competition during FP3, trailing Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. In the decisive Q3 session, he initially ran on soft tires but switched to medium compounds, allowing him to improve significantly—his final laptime was six-tenths quicker than his previous attempt.
“I just saw every corner I was going one-tenth quicker, one-tenth quicker,” Russell stated after his qualifying run. “Crossing the line, seeing we were P1, was a real surprise. But I was so, so chuffed with it.”
Starting alongside him will be reigning champion Max Verstappen, who qualified second despite earlier struggles with braking performance. The Red Bull driver managed to find a competitive setup in the final session, expressing satisfaction with his car’s balance. “Overall, I’m very happy with qualifying,” Verstappen said. “I think the car was again working quite well… it’s fine.”
When asked about the potential for aggression into the first corner, Russell dismissed any notion of restraint, asserting, “I’ve got a few more points in my licence to play with, so let’s see.”
The upcoming race promises to be a compelling contest, with both drivers eager to capitalize on their strong qualifying positions. As Russell aims for his first race win and Verstappen seeks to maintain his championship momentum, the Canadian Grand Prix is set to deliver intense on-track action.
