Russell grabs pole for Mercedes 1-2 at Canadian GP

MONTREAL: George Russell powered to pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix with a spectacular last-gasp flying lap on Saturday ahead of his championship-leading Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli.

The 28-year-old Briton, who had won the sprint race from pole position earlier, produced a stunning lap to beat the precocious Italian teenager by 0.068 seconds.

World champion Lando Norris was third for McLaren ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri with Ferrari’s seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton taking fifth ahead of the Red Bulls of four-time champion Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.

Charles Leclerc was eighth in the second Ferrari ahead of Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto of Alpine.

It was a third consecutive Canadian pole for Russell and he did nothing to hide his satisfaction in regaining the initiative after Antonelli had reeled off three consecutive poles and wins at the previous events.

“It always feels great to pull a lap out of nowhere like that,” said Russell, who had a chat with Antonelli after the pair clashed in the earlier sprint race.

“We made some changes based on the forecast for tomorrow, which may have hurt us a little bit. It took the car out of sync a little and Kimi was more competitive than I was, but I managed to re-dial my driving.”

Antonelli said: “It was very difficult with tyres and putting them in the right window. There was a bit more on the table for me, but George did a great lap, but now we have our eyes on tomorrow.”

Frantic pace

Alex Albon, who missed much of Friday after colliding with a marmot, was first out in Q1 ahead of Lawson on a cool, grey day at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Piastri set an early time before Norris took control ahead by 0.008 seconds until Verstappen went top – to be supplanted by Russell and then Antonelli. It was frantic and competitive stuff.

With rain forecast for Sunday, the session had been given ‘rain hazard’ status that allowed teams to gamble on using a wet set-up, a factor that may have influenced some risk-takers in the pitlane.

Antonelli, fuelled by his anger after claiming he was “pushed off” by Russell in the sprint race, topped Q1 ahead of Norris as Esteban Ocon of Haas, Williams’ Albon, both Aston Martins and both Cadillacs were eliminated.

Q2 began with the two Alpines leading the McLarens out and most cars using shiny new softs, requiring two laps to build up temperature.

Norris was soon on top with Hamilton in close attendance before Antonelli took command in 1:13.076.

“I feel like we did a good job,” said Norris.

“It’s a difficult track to put everything together perfectly. It’s clear that these guys are just that little bit quicker.”

Verstappen, frustrated by the conditions, grumbled aloud: “I can’t get the tyres in the window. It’s like driving on ice.

Out, this time, went the two Audis, Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman of Haas, as Hadjar topped Q2 ahead of Hamilton, Norris, Antonelli and Russell with the top five separated by only 0.104 seconds.

Hadjar’s lap in 1:12.975 confirmed that he is coping with the pressure of being Red Bull’s number two while Verstappen, four-tenths slower, battled in seventh en route to Q3.

After the first runs, Antonelli and Russell were fifth and 10th and needing extra pace, but it did not happen for Russell on his first run, leaving him to rise to the challenge when Antonelli clocked 1:12.646 -– which he did with a final flyer in 1:12.578.

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