For the first time in the season, Mercedes took pole position and did so thanks to a great lap from George Russell in the first moments of a fiery Q3, to say the least. Max Verstappen will start next to the Briton, setting the exact same time. Disastrous qualifying for Ferrari, both out of Q3, in eleventh and twelfth position, after the last attempt in Q2 on used tyres. This is the second exclusion in Q1 in a row for Sergio Perez, who will start from P16. McLaren showed good speed, taking the second row with both drivers. Worth noting is the excellent qualification of Ricciardo who will start from fifth position tomorrow.
Q1
The ninth qualifying of the season takes place at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal. There is certainly an air of great anticipation since the free practices did not provide a clear enough picture to allow a complete picture of the forces on the field to be outlined. The risk of rain communicated by the race direction is 80%, with the first part of the session expected to be dry. The track temperature is 31 degrees, 5 degrees less than in FP3.
Guanyu Zhou was the first to take to the track. The provisional best time is that of George Russell in 1:14.012, ahead of Magnussen and Sainz. All drivers stay out and continually improve their times. In fact, Lando Norris takes first place with a time of 1:13.541. However, the Englishman’s lap was immediately beaten by Max Verstappen by about a tenth. Five minutes from the end of Q1, the best time is still that of Russell in 1:13.242 ahead of the reigning world champion and his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
With three minutes to go, all the drivers decide to take to the track with new tyres, with the exception of the two Mercedes. Most improved their times, with Max Verstappen setting the best performance of 1:12.360 ahead of Tsunoda and Hamilton. There is already the first twist of the day: Sergio Perez was excluded from Q2, qualifying in the sixteenth position.
Eliminated together with the Mexican: Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg and Gunayu Zhou.
Q2
The rain, as expected, hit the circuit, especially Turn 7, as communicated to Lando Norris, with the latter, however, stopping in about three minutes. The provisional best time was that of George Russell in 1:12.323, ahead of Piastri and Hamilton. Max Verstappen is ‘only’ tenth with 5 minutes to go. At this moment the teams decide to go out with new tyres, with the exception of McLaren and Ferrari.
After Sergio Perez, another double twist: both Ferrari drivers are excluded from Q3, with Leclerc eleventh and Sainz twelfth, both on used tyres. Together with them Logan Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen and Pierre Gasly. In the first position is George Russell, ahead of Hamilton and Norris.
Q3
The first to set a time was Oscar Piastri in 1:12.713, but he was beaten a few moments later by Max Verstappen in 1:12.358. After an extra warm-up lap, George Russell stopped the clock in 1:12.000 with an advantage of 0.28s over his teammate Hamilton. George Russell took pole position with the time he set on his first attempt, putting himself ahead of Max Verstappen, who set the same time as him but after him.
Norris and Piastri occupy the second row, followed by an amazing Ricciardo, who will start alongside Fernando Alonso in the third row. Only seventh was Lewis Hamilton, who did not improve on his last attempt. Tsunoda, Stroll and Albon close the top ten
