And here is Giles Richards’ verdict:
double quotation mark Russell has admitted he has had a “turbulent” opening to the season. he delivered an absolutely flawless lap to thread the needle on the demanding street circuit that flows at high-speed across the Île Notre-Dame. The track rewards commitment and precision but is unforgiving of error and the 28-year-old judged it to perfection.
Right, Giles Richards’ report will be along shortly. Thanks for following on, and here’s to a good race tomorrow.
Andrea Stella, the McLaren principal, looks quietly pleased with the day’s work, but acknowledges losing time on the straights.
Here we have the same top three from sprint qualifying. from the sprint race, the only difference across the three sessions being that Norris was P2 in the sprint race.
David Croft points out the margin to Antonelli, 0.068, is the same as yesterday.
Russell was so cool there, putting what had gone wrong out of mind.
It was some sprint race, it was some qualifying session. Russell really did come “last minute out of nowhere”, as he said. It’s his third straight Montreal pole.
Russell is asked if the gloves will be off tomorrow between him and Antonelli. “No, we’ve had a good chat since this morning. we’re both racing drivers, we both know what to do, we both respect one another, so we’ll go racing. We hope we’re just battling, the two of us, but we saw today how competitive everybody else is. Tomorrow looks to be wet, that’s going to be a whole new challenge as well. So to be honest, it’s not really what we’re thinking about now. We just want to ensure we can be standing on the top step.”
1. George Russell (Mercedes) 1:12.578 2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.068 3. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.151 4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.203 5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.290 6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.329 7. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +0.357 8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.398 9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +0.702 10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.119
I was wrong, Verstappen was P6 not P7. That will teach me to snark.
Norris again third fastest, as with SQ3. He is pleased to be closer to Mercedes.
Mercedes made changes looking towards tomorrow’s weather, he says. Antonelli says it’s been very difficult with tyres all weekend.
“It’s always challenging coming back from the sprint race,” says Russell. “To throw yourself up the leaderboard was epic.”
Up-and-coming endurance racer Max Verstappen doesn’t look happy with P7.
“It’s the most exhilarating feeling in the world when it comes last minute out of nowhere,” says Russell.
Confirmed Mercedes lockout and boy is Russell pleased.
Russell fastest! Mercedes one-two! Superb from the sprint winner.
Norris second, Piastri third. Russell flying though.
Antonelli fastest by 0.083!
Antonelli is go for a flyer. He has the last three poles. He goes fastest in the first sector.
Russell has a clear circuit but is only P3. He still has time for another lap.
Barely five minutes left and we have a McLaren-Ferrari front row, Norris-Hamilton.
Russell is down in 10th at present with no real time. But he is back out there.
Antonelli four tenths off the pace, Russell pits. Brundle wonders if he touched a wall.
Hamilton splits the McLarens, Leclerc manages fourth.
Max Verstappen goes faster than Hadjar, then Norris pips Piastri.
Sadly, Pierre Gasly hit a marmot in Q1 which did more damage than first thought, leading to his Q2 problems.
Just 0.003 between Antonelli and Russell in Q2.
Charles Leclerc sounds almost distraught at being eighth: “I’m completely off the pace. Q3 is either in the wall or P8. We just need to make sure, give me clean air. I don’t care about whatever else, just clean air. That’s all that matters.” Franco Colapinto sounds like he just won the playoff final having coming in 10th.
And it finished with Hulkenberg, Lawson, Bortoleto, Gasly, Sainz and Bearman in the drop zone. Antonelli opted not to go flying again, safely through.
Russell up to fifth, just behind Antonelli, who will have the final say in Q2.
Hadjar fastest, into the 1:12s! Less than two tenths across the top five.
Hamilton flying and fastest, Leclerc struggling.
Hulkenberg, Sainz, Lawson, Bortoleto, Gasly and Bearman in the drop zone.
Russell makes a mess at turn one, goes straight across. Not much time to improve on eighth. Will he need to?
Leclerc has more problems, slow to reach the pits. Will he have time for a warm-up lap?
Leclerc down in 11th. Still more than six minutes to go, but his next lap only brings ninth.
Hadjar once again shows he’s a proper Red Bull driver, briefly going second before Norris pips him.
Antonelli appreciably faster than Russell. The Italian is channelling his anger/heeding Wolff’s advice and goes fastest.
Hamilton – six times a pole-sitter here, at the scene of his first GP win – goes second fastest.
Norris in the low 1:13s, Piastri just behind.
Everyone seeking to get those temperatures up. Weaving? If they were spotted driving like this when these roads are just streets. not a circuit, then the Mounties would not bother with a breathalyser.
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.