George Russell delivered a last-gasp masterclass to snatch pole position for the 2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix, ending teammate Kimi Antonelli’s run of three straight qualifying poles. The Mercedes driver edged out Antonelli by just 0.068 seconds in a nail-biting finish at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday.
Russell’s lap of 1:12.578 came after a tricky session where setup changes and cold conditions made tyre warm-up a nightmare for most drivers. The Briton admitted he was knocked off stride early but hooked everything perfectly on his final run.
George Russell after claiming the pole
“It was just such a great feeling because I did a really great lap,” George Russell said. “It was all hooked up together. I crossed the line, I see my name’s gone to the top of the leaderboard, and I knew that was pole, and that rush of adrenaline within the space of 10 seconds is what we all live for.”
Who shone brightest in Canadian GP Qualifying?
George Russell’s late heroics made him the clear winner of the day. After recent scrutiny, the pole felt extra sweet and came at the perfect moment. Lando Norris also impressed, staying on the right side of fine margins against Oscar Piastri and splitting the Mercedes cars earlier in the weekend sprint.
Kimi Antonelli settled for second with 1:12.646, while McLaren filled the second row in papaya orange. Lando Norris took third (1:12.729), just 0.052 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri in fourth (1:12.781). Lewis Hamilton recovered to fifth for Ferrari despite abandoning his final lap (1:12.868), and Max Verstappen rounded out the top six for Red Bull (1:12.907).
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar bounced back strongly to seventh (1:12.935), looking like the driver who shone in the opening rounds. Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad grabbed a solid ninth, proving he is delivering exactly what a Red Bull junior should.
Biggest qualifying disappointments in Montreal
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll endured another tough day, qualifying 21st and once again outpaced by teammate Fernando Alonso. The Canadian looked lost in his AMR26, with confidence clearly shaken.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc could only manage eighth (1:12.976) after struggling with tyre temperatures all session. Pierre Gasly’s slump continued with 14th for Alpine, now four straight qualifying defeats to teammate Franco Colapinto. At the very back, Valtteri Bottas qualified 22nd for Cadillac, overshadowed by Sergio Perez’s heroics higher up the order.
2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying results: Top 10
1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:12.578
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:12.646
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:12.729
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:12.781
5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:12.868
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:12.907
7. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – 1:12.935
8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:12.976
9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – 1:13.280
10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 1:13.697
The rest of the grid followed with Nico Hulkenberg (11th, Audi), Liam Lawson (12th, Racing Bulls), and so on down to Valtteri Bottas in 22nd.
