Canadian GP Qualifying: Russell takes pole with same time as Verstappen

George Russell put Mercedes on pole for the Canadian Grand Prix in the blink of an eye on Saturday, setting the exact same time as Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Verstappen, a three-time Formula One world champion, missed out on pole because he set his time of one minute 12.000 seconds after his British rival in a dramatic qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Mercedes hinted that they would be a contender for pole earlier on Saturday when Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time winner in Canada, set the fastest time in final practice, with Russell close behind in third.

Rain, which had disrupted both Friday practices, returned for the first two phases of qualifying, but the skies cleared and the sun appeared just in time for the last-10 shootout, which ended in a dead heat.

Russell will start on pole for the first time since Brazil in 2022, joined by Verstappen, who is aiming for a hat-trick in the Canadian Grand Prix.

"I've missed this feeling," Russell said. "Excited for tomorrow, first step done but now obviously we've got our eyes on that win.

"The car has been feeling amazing since we brought some upgrades to Monaco, we have really been in that fight now. So we're going for it tomorrow."

Russell's pole provided yet another indication that Red Bull's dominance is fading.

Following Verstappen's eight-race streak of consecutive pole positions dating back to last season, three different drivers have started from the front in the last three races.

If Russell can build on his pole position with a victory on Sunday, he will become the fourth different winner in the last four races.

However, Red Bull and Verstappen will not be waving white flags, and the Dutchman demonstrated that his team remains a threat.

"I think overall we still had a good qualifying," summed up Verstappen, who tops the drivers standings 31 points clear of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

"The whole weekend has been still a bit tricky for us, but to be P2, I’d take it," he added.

"Going into qualifying I would have definitely taken that. That it was that close at the end makes it really exciting for tomorrow as well."

Verstappen will have little help from Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, who put in an uninspired performance and will start in 16th place.

Perez's day was not as bad as Ferrari's, with Leclerc, who won in Monaco two weeks ago, and Carlos Sainz stumbling out in the second phase and starting 11th and 12th respectively.

"For sure when you are 11th and 12th you are not happy," said Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur. "It's tight. At the end of the day Perez is 16th and for one or two tenths you can be out."

Sauber's Zhou Guanyu, who crashed early in two of the three practice sessions, paid dearly for his lack of track time, finishing last on the results sheet.

Alpine's Esteban Ocon will start last on Sunday, with the Frenchman receiving a five-place grid penalty for colliding with teammate Pierre Gasly in the previous race in Monaco.

SportsLigue