George Russell secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix sprint, signaling a potential shift in momentum for Mercedes. Driving a heavily upgraded W17, Russell edged out championship leader Kimi Antonelli by just 0.068s in a tight session where drivers attempted two flying laps on soft tires. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were third and fourth, a few tenths off the pace despite their own car upgrades.
Ferrari followed with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in fifth and sixth. Reigning champion Max Verstappen struggled significantly, qualifying seventh, while his Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar was eighth, both appearing to lack grip on the bumpy Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Haas endured a tough session, with Esteban Ocon 14th and Oliver Bearman 15th after running off track. Fernando Alonso crashed in SQ1, and Alex Albon missed qualifying due to a groundhog incident. Mercedes’ strong showing suggests the upgrades are working, putting pressure on Red Bull and McLaren heading into the sprint race.
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