Home F1 Canadian GP: Russell takes pole from Verstappen by 0.000s

Canadian GP: Russell takes pole from Verstappen by 0.000s

08/06/2024

George Russell and Max Verstappen set identical times but the Brit took F1 Canadian GP pole, with Lando Norris ending P3.

Q1:

It was cloudy to start the first part in F1 Canadian GP qualifying in Montreal. With track evolution in prime position, it left many under threat until the chequered flag and the first to be knocked out was Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (1m13.326s) by 0.037s.

Almost everyone has to get out the second time and it was only in the dying stages that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went quickest with a 1m12.360s lap ahead of Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in the Top 3.

Both the Japanese and the Brit were investigated for impeding McLaren’s Oscar Piastri but were cleared eventually. There was traffic all-through the circuit which included some grass moments for Hamilton, George Russell and Carlos Sainz.

Joining Perez in the knockout list were Stake F1 Team’s Valtteri Bottas (1m13.366s) 17th from Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (1m13.435s) in 18th, Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg (1m13.978s) in 19th and Stake’s Zhou Guanyu (1m14.292s) 20th.

Q2:

It was cloudy again in the second part of F1 Canadian GP but it remained dry all-through which saw a big drop for both the Ferrari cars where both Charles Leclerc (1m12.691s) and Sainz (1m12.728s) were knocked out in 11th and 12th by only just.

Tyre degradation didn’t work for Ferrari who were struggling to get in the right window, as Mercedes ended up 1-2 with Russell (1m11.742s) ahead of Hamilton, as McLaren’s Lando Norris rounded out the Top 3 where Verstappen was only seventh.

There was a close moment for Russell along with Verstappen and even Sainz. The drop zone saw Williams’ Logan Sargeant (1m12.736s) in 13th from Haas’ Kevin Magnussen (1m12.916s) and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (1m12.940s).

Q3:

It was dry again to start the final part of F1 Canadian GP qualifying as the first run saw Mercedes 1-2 still with Russell (1m12.000s) ahead of Hamilton (1m12.280s), as Verstappen rounded out the Top 3 from Piastri and Alonso in the Top 5.

The McLaren pair went out of sequence where Piastri slotted in second after a 1m12.103s lap but he was dropped to third after teammate Norris pipped him to be second with a 1m12.021s lap after which the rest of the field started to bow out.

It was close in the end and the margin was 0.000s between 1-2 after Russell took F1 Canadian GP pole ahead of Verstappen having set the same time as the Brit. Norris (1m12.021s) was third, just 0.021s behind the Top 2 drivers.

Piastri was fourth from Visa Cash App RB’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m12.178s) as Alonso (1m12.228s) was sixth from Hamilton (1m12.280s), who dropped behind on his final attempt, as Tsunoda (1m12.414s), Stroll (1m12.701s) and Albon (1m12.796s) rounded the Top 10.