George Russell claimed a sensational pole position at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, delivering under pressure in the final seconds of Q3 with a 1m10.899s lap on the medium compound tyre. It was a strategic masterstroke from Mercedes and a clinical drive from Russell, who edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.160s. In a tight and unpredictable qualifying hour at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top three.
What To Know?
- Russell on Pole: George Russell secured pole with a 1m10.899s lap on medium tyres, beating Verstappen and Piastri in a dramatic Q3 shootout.
- Mercedes Resurgence: Antonelli joined Russell in the top four, showcasing strong form as Mercedes outpaced both Ferrari and Red Bull on Saturday.
- Grid Shakeups: Penalties for Hadjar and Tsunoda and a disrupted session for Albon added drama, with Leclerc and Norris off pace and Sainz exiting in Q1.
Verstappen had looked the favourite after setting the benchmark in Q1, but as the track evolved and tension ramped up, it was Russell who found the most in the closing moments. The Briton’s pole was doubly impressive given that most others—including Piastri—opted for the softer C6 tyre in Q3. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli followed his teammate’s lead with a stellar P4, confirming the Silver Arrows’ strong pace around the Canadian track.
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Lewis Hamilton was the top Ferrari in fifth, followed closely by Fernando Alonso in sixth for Aston Martin. Lando Norris, after a messy Q3 that included a brush with the chicane, could only manage seventh, while Charles Leclerc’s disrupted weekend saw him qualify eighth—leaving Ferrari with plenty to think about overnight. Isack Hadjar initially claimed P9 for Racing Bulls but was later handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Carlos Sainz in Q1. That promotes Alex Albon to ninth after a wild session that saw the engine cover of his Williams detach mid-run.
Yuki Tsunoda narrowly missed out on Q3 in 11th but will drop to the back of the grid due to a 10-place penalty for his red flag infringement in FP3. Franco Colapinto impressed with P12 in his Alpine—his best qualifying since rejoining the grid—while Nico Hülkenberg slotted into 13th for Kick Sauber, ahead of the Haas pair of Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
Gabriel Bortoleto was the first driver eliminated in Q1, taking 16th for Kick Sauber, while Sainz’s disappointing day worsened with an early exit in 17th. Home favourite Lance Stroll couldn’t convert crowd support into pace, qualifying 18th for Aston Martin, while Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly struggled to find rhythm, rounding out the order in 19th and 20th.
With a mixed-up grid and varying tyre strategies in play, Sunday’s race promises high drama—and with Russell on pole and Piastri looking to defend his lead in the 2025 F1 World Championship, Montreal is primed for another classic.
2025 Canadian GP Qualifying Results
2025 Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying, 14 June 2025.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:12.075 | 1:11.570 | 1:10.899 | 21 |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:12.054 | 1:11.638 | 1:11.059 | 20 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:11.939 | 1:11.715 | 1:11.120 | 23 |
| 4 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:12.279 | 1:11.974 | 1:11.391 | 21 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:11.952 | 1:11.885 | 1:11.526 | 27 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:12.073 | 1:11.805 | 1:11.586 | 27 |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:11.826 | 1:11.599 | 1:11.625 | 22 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:12.038 | 1:11.626 | 1:11.682 | 27 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:12.211 | 1:12.003 | 1:11.867 | 21 |
| 10 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:12.090 | 1:11.892 | 1:11.907 | 30 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:12.334 | 1:12.102 | 15 | |
| 12 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine Renault | 1:12.234 | 1:12.142 | 20 | |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:12.323 | 1:12.183 | 18 | |
| 14 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | 1:12.306 | 1:12.340 | 19 | |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari | 1:12.378 | 1:12.634 | 21 | |
| 16 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:12.385 | 11 | ||
| 17 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes | 1:12.398 | 13 | ||
| 18 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:12.517 | 12 | ||
| 19 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:12.525 | 10 | ||
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:12.667 | 12 | ||
| Note – Tsunoda penalised 10 positions for overtaking under red flags in practice. Hadjar penalised three positions for impeding in Qualifying. | |||||||
2025 Canadian Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying session.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:10.899 |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:11.059 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:11.120 |
| 4 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:11.391 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:11.526 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:11.586 |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:11.625 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:11.682 |
| 9 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:11.907 |
| 10 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine Renault | 1:12.142 |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:12.183 |
| 12 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:11.867 |
| 13 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | 1:12.340 |
| 14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari | 1:12.634 |
| 15 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:12.385 |
| 16 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes | 1:12.398 |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:12.517 |
| 18 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:12.525 |
| 19 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:12.667 |
| 20 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:12.102 |
| Note – Tsunoda penalised 10 positions for overtaking under red flags in practice. Hadjar penalised three positions for impeding in Qualifying. | ||||
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 13 June 2025 – 15 June 2025
Race date: Sunday, 15 June, 2025
Race start time: 14:00 local time
Circuit: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.361km
2024 winner: Max Verstappen
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