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Mercedes-AMG’s George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen both clocked identical times of 1’12.000 during the qualifying session of the Canadian Grand Prix. However, Russell secured pole position for the race on Sunday due to setting his time earlier in the final session. The crowd was hushed as Verstappen made a final attempt in the closing moments of Q3 to set a new fastest lap. An audible gasp followed by applause confirmed that both drivers had matched times, with Russell taking the top spot on the grid.
“It’s been a great day! It was such a tight fight for pole position,” Russell commented. “The previous few races I’ve been a matter of hundredths of a second behind the car ahead, so it’s nice to be on the upside of that today! In the end, Q3 was difficult. I did my best lap of the session in Q2, and I didn’t improve on my last lap in Q3. I wasn’t sure therefore whether I had taken pole position as I crossed the line.”
McLaren had a strong showing with Lando Norris securing third place, just two hundredths of a second off pole, followed closely by Oscar Piastri in fourth. Daniel Ricciardo of Team RB finished fifth, ahead of Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes-AMG.
Ferrari faced disappointment in qualifying, as both of their drivers failed to make it into the top 10. Charles Leclerc will start 11th on the grid, with his teammate Carlos Sainz right behind in 12th.
**The full Canadian Grand Prix qualifying results:**
1. George Russell
2. Max Verstappen
3. Lando Norris
4. Oscar Piastri
5. Daniel Ricciardo
6. Fernando Alonso
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Yuki Tsunoda
9. Lance Stroll
10. Alexander Albon
11. Charles Leclerc
12. Carlos Sainz
13. Logan Sargeant
14. Kevin Magnussen
15. Pierre Gasly
16. Sergio Perez
17. Valtteri Bottas
18. Esteban Ocon
19. Nico Hulkenberg
20. Zhou Guanyu
**FAQ:**
– **Why did George Russell secure pole position despite tying with Max Verstappen?**
Russell set his time earlier in the final session, which is the tiebreaker rule in qualifying sessions.
– **Who were the surprise performers in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix?**
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri delivered strong performances, finishing in the top four.
**Conclusion:**
George Russell’s pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix after an intense qualifying session sets the stage for an exciting race. With the top drivers closely matched in times, Sunday’s race promises to be a thrilling showdown.
