George Russell took pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix off Max Verstappen with his final lap in qualifying.
Verstappen had been scrapped for the top spot with Oscar Piastri, but a superb final effort by Russell put his Mercedes on pole for the second year in a row in Canada.
Lando Norris suffered another poor Q3, however, and could only manage seventh on the grid.
Q1
As was the case at Imola, the C6 soft compound tyre was proving so fragile that drivers found they could get better performance from the medium tyre. Many were therefore tempted to run it during Q1, including Fernando Alonso, who used it to set the sixth-fastest time.His team mate Lance Stroll couldn’t match his pace however. Two weeks after being infuriated by his elimination in Q2 in Alonso’s backyard, Stroll’s home qualifying session ended in the first round.
The session was red-flagged with five minutes remaining when Alexander Albon’s Williams spectacularly shed its engine cover as he accelerated towards the final chicane. He was in the drop zone at the time, as was team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr, along with Pierre Gasly, Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg.
Albon secured his progression to Q2 with his final lap. But an unimpressed Sainz recorded his second consecutive Q1 eliminated after catching Isack Hadjar dawdling on the racing line approaching turn six. The stewards will investigate the Racing Bulls driver for impeding.
Hulkenberg joined Albon in claiming a spot in Q2, but it came at the expense of his team mate Gabriel Bortoleto. Franco Colapinto left Pierre Gasly behind, the senior Alpine driver qualifying last.
Liam Lawson also dropped out, while Yuki Tsunoda also secured a place in Q2. However word came from the stewards during Q1 that he had been given a 10-place grid drop for an infringement during final practice.
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Q1 result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’11.826 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’11.939 | 0.113 |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’11.952 | 0.126 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’12.038 | 0.212 |
| 5 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’12.054 | 0.228 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’12.073 | 0.247 |
| 7 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W16 | 1’12.075 | 0.249 |
| 8 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’12.090 | 0.264 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’12.211 | 0.385 |
| 10 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’12.234 | 0.408 |
| 11 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W16 | 1’12.279 | 0.453 |
| 12 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’12.306 | 0.480 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’12.323 | 0.497 |
| 14 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’12.334 | 0.508 |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’12.378 | 0.552 |
| 16 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’12.385 | 0.559 |
| 17 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’12.398 | 0.572 |
| 18 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’12.517 | 0.691 |
| 19 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’12.525 | 0.699 |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’12.667 | 0.841 |
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Q2
Verstappen opted for the medium tyre compound at the start of Q2 and produced a 1’11.638 which put him at the top of the times after the first runs. The McLaren pair got closest to him to begin with, each a few hundredths away.
As the drivers began their final runs, Leclerc displaced Verstappen from the top of the times by a hundredth of a second on the softs. But Russell also opted for the mediums and took over from Leclerc at the top of the times. Norris did a second run on a used set of soft tyres which proved quick enough to split the pair of them, signalling McLaren’s potential ahead of Q3.
Tsunoda moved up into the top 10 with his final run but was undone by a late flying lap from Hadjar, which demoted him to 11th. The Red Bull driver was displeased at being overtaken by Russell on his way out of the pits, but will be even less happy to start last for the third time in the last four grands prix, once his penalty is applied.
Colapinto qualified 12th, having got into the top 10 with his final lap before others improved their times. Hulkenberg and the two Haas drivers also went no further.
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Q2 result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W16 | 1’11.570 | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’11.599 | 0.029 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’11.626 | 0.056 |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’11.638 | 0.068 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’11.715 | 0.145 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’11.805 | 0.235 |
| 7 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’11.885 | 0.315 |
| 8 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’11.892 | 0.322 |
| 9 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W16 | 1’11.974 | 0.404 |
| 10 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’12.003 | 0.433 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’12.102 | 0.532 |
| 12 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’12.142 | 0.572 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’12.183 | 0.613 |
| 14 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’12.340 | 0.770 |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’12.634 | 1.064 |
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Q3
Not for the first time this year, Norris’s opening run in Q3 did not go to plan. A twitch of oversteer as he entered the final chicane sent him onto the run-off area. He was able to complete a second run on his original set of tyres, but it was only good enough for fifth place.His team mate looked quick enough for pole position to begin with, setting a 1’11.273. However Verstappen, following a short distance behind, found even more time through the first sector and got to the line 0.025s faster than Piastri. The Mercedes pair separated them from Norris.
Norris’s plight worsened as the final runs began. Alonso switched back to the medium rubber for his final run and went fourth, then Hamilton on softs took that place off him, relegating Norris to the fourth row.
On the McLaren drivers’ final runs, Piastri went even quicker, but Norris’s plight deepened. While Piastri retook provisional pole position, Norris was unable to rise above seventh.
His only consolation was that Leclerc behind him failed to improve despite setting the fastest first sector time. He had a snap of oversteer in turn seven and furiously blamed Hadjar ahead of him.
Verstappen dug deep and found a few hundredths more than Piastri, taking pole back. But while they set their times on the softs, Russell had kept his medium tyres back, and used them to dip below the 1’11 mark and repeat his pole position of 12 months earlier.
Behind the top trio, Antonelli ensured both Mercedes will start from the front two rows. Hamilton took fifth for Ferrari ahead of Alonso, while a displeased Norris and Leclerc share row four.
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Q3 result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W16 | 1’10.899 | |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’11.059 | 0.160 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’11.120 | 0.221 |
| 4 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W16 | 1’11.391 | 0.492 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’11.526 | 0.627 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’11.586 | 0.687 |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’11.625 | 0.726 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’11.682 | 0.783 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’11.867 | 0.968 |
| 10 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’11.907 | 1.008 |
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2025 Canadian Grand Prix
- Don’t boo Piastri, Norris tells British Grand Prix fans
- Fine teams for “long shot” protests like Red Bull’s in Canada, says Wolff
- Verstappen refuses to say whether he supported Red Bull’s latest Russell protests
- No change to McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ after Canadian GP collision – Piastri
- The driver and car explanations for how Piastri turned the tables on Norris
Edvaldo
14th June 2025, 22:34
Stroll 18th, just as i predicted.
Makes you wonder what’s even the point to rush back to the car after a surgery.
Dex
15th June 2025, 2:51
Why? He’s performing in line with expectation.
Edvaldo
15th June 2025, 4:59
True.
Ideals (@ideals)
15th June 2025, 9:12
He is the next Verstappen after all.
All you’ve got to do is look at the list upside down and he’s always in top 3 contention.
MarkWebber (@markwebber)
14th June 2025, 22:42
Looking forward for tomorrow’s first two corners. My money is on Piastri leading coming out of turn 2
Applebook
14th June 2025, 22:45
It will be fireworks for sure!
Genghis Blond
15th June 2025, 1:14
I predicted a GR pole, but if it’s hot tomorrow George will have no chance against Oscar and will be focused on pushing this fictional rivalry with Max by keeping him behind and baiting him into contact.
I’ll be interested to see if Alonso can keep any of the big three team’s drivers behind. Probably a hopeless task. And to see if Colapinto can deliver a full weekend. A P10 for him would be great. And realistically, even a P11 would be a very good performance.
HW Small
15th June 2025, 6:05
Yep. Russell v Verstappen. What could possibly go wrong :)
MichaelN
14th June 2025, 22:54
Great job by Mercedes, Verstappen excellent as always!
Hamilton solid, and Leclerc being upset with Hadjar seems a bit misplaced. He was way behind the Red Bull when he started sliding around, that was pretty much on him. Hadjar gave him all the space he needed coming out of that sequence. Not much he could, or needed to have done, differently there.
Tsunoda starting in 20th, again. What is there left to say? Such a shambles that team is with their second driver.
David BR (@david-br)
15th June 2025, 0:12
He qualified 11th, right?
Genghis Blond
15th June 2025, 1:08
Yeah, a pretty silly twisting of the situation. He was P11 in a car no one else has been able to do any better in. The real failure is Lawson who was turning in P20s in the RBR and is now turning in P19s in a car that is easy to drive and possibly as quick as the RBR.
MichaelN
15th June 2025, 9:32
He qualified 11th plus 10 due to a pre-qualifying penalty, which he himself got for a serious safety offense, and which he and the team knew about and had every incentive to offset with an amazing performance. His teammate is on the front row. It was a very poor result.
And sure, Lawson is also not doing great. Cold comfort for Tsunoda, though.
David BR (@david-br)
15th June 2025, 11:23
I know, but still, actually driving the car to 11th counts as a relative improvement and will have been noted. Penalties can be avoided in the future, working the car is clearly far more tricky.
David BR (@david-br)
15th June 2025, 0:11
Good qualifying session. Great pole by Russell with four cars (eight drivers) theoretically able to compete for P1. A seriously underrated driver.
Norris half a second behind Piastri. Wow.
Leclerc seemed to be overdriving and losing the car some corners before he caught Hadjar.
Doggy
15th June 2025, 0:25
Some people in the media said that Leclerc was so impressive by MCL performance, that he decided to take a couple of lessons from Lando
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
15th June 2025, 0:16
It’s ridiculous that mediums were also a qualifying tyre – what is wrong with these pirellis? Awful tyres.
An Sionnach
15th June 2025, 8:32
The C6 is a joke tyre. It can be fast, but it was reported by Max to have given in before the lap was up before. They can use it in practice and in qualifying if treated delicately?
Jack
15th June 2025, 1:09
Unfortunately Russell is stained with the cheating from Monaco
Genghis Blond
15th June 2025, 1:46
lol, I’m no Russell fan, but grow up.
Jere (@jerejj)
15th June 2025, 7:09
Russell’s late pole position run came as a positive surprise.
Whether he can covert pole position into victory is another matter.
Leclerc was definitely exaggerating the dirty air impact from Hadjar’s presence a little, albeit I don’t get how Pierre Hamelin ended up giving him misleading info about Sainz.
Albon’s PU cover break was totally unforeseeable, which I noticed immediately in the helicopter view.
Norris somehow messed up Q3 & therefore will probably struggle to climb up through the positions quickly.
GR (@gr)
15th June 2025, 11:18
Think this is the first time my estimation of Russell has really gone up. He’s been impressive a few times this year, in a way that has me doing a double take – he’s really got some quality to him