#F1 #CanadianGP #Qualifying: @GeorgeRussell63 pips @MercedesAMGF1 team-mate #Antonelli to pole.

Russell Canadian GP Pole – George Russell pipped team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli to take pole position in a thrilling Canadian GP qualifying in another Mercedes front-row lock-out as the two McLarens of reigning world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri followed in third and fourth respectively.

This was Russell’s ninth-career pole position as the momentum is starting to swing towards the Briton with Mercedes’ upgrades looking strong.

In Q3, the initial flyers saw after a few warmup laps – four-time world champion Max Verstappen lead the pack out and the Red Bull driver registered the benchmark of a 1:13.473, as team-mate Isack Hadjar slotted into second with a 1:13.990.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri jumped to P1 with a 1:13.003, then was ousted by team-mate Norris’s 1:12.729 to take provisional pole as Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton took second to be 0.139 off the reigning world champion.

Russell abandoned his flyer after suffering a rear snap at the end of sector one and went straight to the pits as Antonelli moved to fourth with his 1:13.088 effort to jump Charles Leclerc who set a 1:13.149.

The final hot-laps saw Russell emerge first and the Sprint winner post a 1:12.993 to go third overall as Verstappen remained down in seventh and 0.744 adrift of Norris’s benchmark.

Championship leader Antonelli was next and the Mercedes driver with a purple sector one hit top spot on a 1:12.646 to go 0.083 clear of Norris as Leclerc slotted into fourth and 0.330 off Antonelli.

Hamilton held third briefly as Piastri slotted into third with a 1:12.868 as Russell pipped team-mate Antonelli to pole by 0.068 seconds with a 1:12.578 to lockout another Mercedes front-row.

The two McLaren’s locked out the second row again with Norris ahead of team-mate Piastri as Hamilton who was equalled the most victories in Montreal with Michael Schumacher was fifth for Ferrari.

Verstappen placed sixth for Red Bull and in-front of team-mate Hadjar who was seventh and the other Ferrari of Leclerc who placed eighth.

Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto completed the top ten.

In the middle segment, which was topped by Hadjar, Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg missed out on a Q3 appearance by a slim 0.029 seconds meaning the German will start the Canadian GP 11^th.

RB’s Liam Lawson was 12^th and ahead of the second Audi R26 entry of Gabriel Bortoleto who placed 13^th in the order and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly who could only improve to 14^th on his last hot-lap.

Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Haas’s Oliver Bearman were the slowest of the Q2 eliminatees in 15^th and 16^th respectively.

In the opening qualifying stage, which was topped by Antonelli, a late improvement from Bortoleto eliminated Haas’s Esteban Ocon by 0.070 seconds meaning the Frenchman will be 17^th on the grid.

Williams’ Alexander Albon ended up a low-18^th and ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso who took 19^th and Cadillac’s Sergio Perez who placed 20^th in the classification.

Home favourite Lance Stroll was 21^st in the other AMR26 entry as Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas suffered a lock-up on his flying lap into turn one, could not improve and brought up the rear.

Multiple incidents involving Colapinto and Alonso are all currently under investigation by the stewards, along with Stroll being released in an unsafe manner and Gasly being impeded by Hamilton.

You can see the Formula 1 Lenovo Canadian Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 LENOVO GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2026 – QUALIFYING

2026 Canadian GP Qualifying – The Top Three

2026 Canadian GP Pole Position – George Russell, #63, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17 – 1:12.578:

“It is always challenging to come back from the Sprint as the car feels very different. That last lap came from nowhere, such a great feeling when it was such a challenging session. That was epic.”

2^nd Place – Andrea Kimi Antonelli, #12, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17 – 1:12.646:

“It’s always a bit hard to commit from Lap 1, it has been difficult with tyres to put them in the right window. I was pretty happy, there is always a little left on the table – but George did a great lap.”

3^rd Place – Lando Norris, #1, McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team-Mercedes, MCL40 – 1:12.729:

“I feel we did a good job out there honestly. It is a difficult track to put everything together perfectly. It is nice to be closer than yesterday.”

#F1: @GeorgeRussell63 fends off @LandoNorris, #Antonelli to capture #CanadianGP Sprint victory.