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Summary
George Russell takes Canadian GP pole ahead of Max Verstappen
Both Russell and Verstappen set identical lap times of 1:12.000
Russell on pole because he set lap time first
McLarens of Norris and Piastri start third and fourth, Hamilton seventh
Both Ferraris out in Q2 and Perez out in Q2
RB retain Yuki Tsunoda for 2025
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Lorraine McKenna
Russell edges out Verstappen to take Canada polepublished at 22:58 8 June
22:58 8 June
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesGeorge Russell took Mercedes’ first pole position of the season ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Russell and Verstappen set identical lap times of one minute 12 seconds dead but because the Briton banked his first he will start the race from first place.
Lewis Hamilton could manage only seventh in the second Mercedes as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the second row for McLaren.
Ferrari failed to get either car into the top 10, Charles Leclerc 11th after winning last time out in Monaco, with team-mate Carlos Sainz 12th.
Back on Sunday at 18:00 BSTpublished at 22:57 8 June
22:57 8 June
Image source, Getty ImagesCan George Russell keep Max Verstappen quiet and take a race victory from pole position tomorrow? The 26-year-old delivered Mercedes' last F1 win at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2022.
I think it's time for us all to go to bed, eh? So we're refreshed for tomorrow's festivities.
Thanks for joining us, folks. Come back on Sunday for build-up to the Canadian Grand Prix from 18:00 BST.
Night, night.
Chequered Flag podcast: Canada previewpublished at 22:55 8 June
22:55 8 June
Before we wrap up tonight, have a listen to the Chequered Flag podcast as Rosanna Tennant, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, and F1 journalist Chris Medland preview the Canadian GP. They discuss Sergio Perez’s new deal at Red Bull, plus the announcement that Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine at the end of the season.
The team will back later on tonight with a review of today's qualifying session.
'The grip just disappeared' - Hamiltonpublished at 22:53 8 June
22:53 8 June
Lewis Hamilton, who finished down in P7 in qualifying, told Sky Sports afterwards: "The car had been feeling good all weekend, firstly congratulations to George he's done a great job, it's really great for the team because everyone has worked so hard on the upgrades back at the factory so this is a huge boost for everyone.
"The car was feeling great all weekend but as soon as I got to qualifying that kind of vanished for me.
“The grip just disappeared from me, so FP3 I had plenty of pace in me and then get to qualifying and the tyres don't work, and [nothing] changed on the car."
Postpublished at 22:50 8 June
22:50 8 June
Lewis Hamilton looks downcast as he stops for a chat in the media pen with Sky Sports. If you cast your minds back to the Monaco Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion did a bit of foreshadowing about how he feels his qualifying sessions will go for the rest of the season.
Hamilton said two weeks ago: “I don’t anticipate being ahead of George in qualifying particularly this year, but we’ve just got to keep pushing, and the races are strong."
Asked why he feels this way, Hamilton replied: "We’ll see."
'We were nowhere this weekend' - Leclercpublished at 22:47 8 June
22:47 8 June
Image source, ReutersCharles Leclerc, who qualified in 11th, said: "We will review everything. I am obviously not happy to be out at Q2 and we will look into it. I think the biggest issue was that we were so slow every time it was dry conditions. We were nowhere this weekend and we have to look into it."
"Since FP3, we’ve been nowhere.
"The car feels bad. There is no grip at all. The tyres never feel ready, this is the biggest problem."
Postpublished at 22:43 8 June
22:43 8 June
Carlos Sainz tells Sky Sports the biggest issue Ferrari are facing this weekend is that they are "so slow". The Spaniard adds: "The car just feels bad. There’s no grip at all."
Ricciardo to start P5published at 22:40 8 June
22:40 8 June
Image source, Getty ImagesThe spotlight has been on his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda after RB announced just before qualifying started that the Japanese driver would be staying with the team in 2025, but Daniel Ricciardo will be ecstatic with his Q3 performance which sees him line up in P5 for tomorrow's race.
The Australian will have two-time world champion Fernando Alonso for company on the third row.
'We want to reinvent ourselves' - Wolffpublished at 22:37 8 June
22:37 8 June
Toto Wolff also spoke about who the potential Mercedes second seat signing could be, he told Sky Sports: "Carlos [Sainz] deserves a top seat, he's done a fantastic job, but for us we've embarked on a route now.
"We want to reinvent ourselves a little bit going forward and [Andrea] Kimi Antonelli definitely plays a part in that. We haven't taken a decision yet for next year but we didn't want to have Carlos wait as well because he needs to take decisions for himself and that's fair, but he's doing a super job."
'We are definitely heading towards a more performing car' - Wolffpublished at 22:34 8 June
22:34 8 June
A delighted Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, told Sky Sports: "First of all we can't talk about tomorrow yet and that pole position was amazing and his [Russell's] lap was great. Like we've said we are going in the right direction and we've brought lots of little bits over the last few races and we are definitely heading towards a more performing car."
On why Lewis Hamilton finished in seventh compared with pole-sitter Russell, he said: "It's all track, Lewis was actually having the upper hand and both cars were comfortably beating everyone and then at the end it got so tight and for Lewis the time didn't show up so we can't comprehend at the moment why it wasn't a little bit more in our favour."
'I’m excited to see what we can do' - Norrispublished at 22:30 8 June
22:30 8 June
Image source, Getty ImagesMcLaren's LandoNorris, who starts P3: “I’m super happy, firstof all congrats to Mr Russell, he’s been quick all weekend so congrats to himand Mercedes. I’m happy with third, when it’s so close you always think could Ihave jumped in the car for that little bit more but third is a good job by usand I’m excited for tomorrow.
“Montrealis one of the best places to come to every year, I love it, it’s why we are allsmiling. It’s tricky a lot of the time you think you are going to crash forhalf of it but when you put a nice lap in and you end up in the top three it’salways a nice feeling.”
On the race tomorrow: “I’m excitedto see what we can do, the car has been great all season, especially the lastthree, four races, we’ve been on a good role. Two very fast drivers ahead andplenty of fast drivers behind so we will put on a good show tomorrow.”
'The whole weekend has been tricky for us' - Verstappenpublished at 22:27 8 June
22:27 8 June
Image source, Getty ImagesMax Verstappen, who qualified second, speaking on his performance: "I mean overall I think we had a good qualifying. The whole weekend has been tricky for us, but to be P2 going into qualifying, I would have definitely taken that, it was that close at the end, which makes it really exciting for tomorrow."
On how it compared to Monaco: "I felt good in Monaco, but it was not our track. This weekend again, we didn't have a great build up to today, but I think it will be an interesting race with the tyres tomorrow. The weather as well has been in and out, but hopefully it will be exciting."
On his plan for tomorrow: "I will think about it, but I'm not too stressed."
'I’ve missed this feeling' - Russellpublished at 22:23 8 June
22:23 8 June
Image source, Getty ImagesMercedes GeorgeRussell, who last started on pole position in 2022: “Itfeels so good, so much hard work back at the factory has gone into this. Wesaid it in Monaco but we hope this is the start of something for our season andI think it is. I’ve missed this feeling.
“It’s awesome here every time we come toMontreal. It’s such good energy from all the fans and I’m excited for tomorrow.First step down but we’ve now got our eyes on tomorrow and that win."
On ifhe can keep Max Verstappen behind him tomorrow: “Why not, of course let’s gofor it. The car has been feeling amazing since we’ve brought the upgrades toMonaco, we’ve been in that fight now so we are going for it tomorrow.”
Postpublished at 22:21 8 June
22:21 8 June
"One swallow doesn't make a summer," Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff tells Sky Sports. The Austrian is happy, though, with George's pole today.
Shall we see what the top three drivers had to say?
Postpublished at 22:17 8 June
22:17 8 June
While George Russell celebrates his pole in Canada, the mood is a lot more sombre over at Ferrari, who saw both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz booted out in Q2.
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 22:13 8 June
22:13 8 June
"I've missed this feeling," says George Russell after qualifying host Jolyon Palmer tells the Mercedes man he is a polesitter once again.
Postpublished at 22:10 8 June
22:10 8 June
Lando Norris in third was only 0.021 seconds away from George Russell's pole position time.
And the restpublished at 22:09 8 June
22:09 8 June
11. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
12. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
13. Logan Sargeant (Williams)
14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
15. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
16. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
17. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
18. Esteban Ocon (Alpine, five-place grid penalty)
19. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
20. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
Postpublished at 22:07 8 June
22:07 8 June
"Amazing, amazing amazing!" says George Russell on the team radio after grabbing Montreal pole. The Briton is loving the adulation from the crowd, but he followed up his chirpy message to his pit wall up with: "Right, we've got a race to win now."
Top 10published at 22:05 8 June
22:05 8 June
1, George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:12.000
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
5. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
9. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
10. Alex Albon (Williams)
