F1 | Qualifying | Canadian GP | Russell snatches pole from Verstappen in Q3 thriller

Qualifying for round 10 of the 2025 F1 season has taken place at the Canadian GP, view the full report and results below.

With three different drivers topping the practice sessions, it looked set to be an enthralling qualifying hour at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

Q1

McLaren’s pace advantage from final practice remained evident as Q1 got underway in Canada. George Russell initially set the pace with a 1:12.574, but Oscar Piastri quickly established the benchmark with a strong 1:12.332. Lando Norris, meanwhile, left it late but delivered under pressure, topping the session with a rapid 1:11.826 to assert McLaren’s authority early.

However, the session was far from straightforward. The first major headline came not on track, but via the stewards: Yuki Tsunoda was handed a 10-place grid penalty and two penalty points for overtaking Oscar Piastri under red flag conditions in FP3. The decision was officially announced during Q1, casting a shadow over the Japanese driver’s qualifying regardless of his result.

Alex Albon provided one of the biggest talking points when the engine cover of his Williams blew off on the back straight, scattering carbon fibre across the circuit. The red flag was thrown with just over five minutes remaining. Albon was also placed under investigation for not correctly using the escape road, but was ultimately cleared.

When running resumed, the track evolution was dramatic. Times tumbled as all 20 drivers pushed to avoid early elimination. Norris jumped to the top with a stunning lap, narrowly edging out teammate Piastri. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also found time late on to slot into the top four.

Fernando Alonso delivered under pressure in front of the home crowd, going sixth, while Albon recovered impressively from his earlier mishap to go eighth.

But the drama wasn’t over. Carlos Sainz was knocked out in 16th after being visibly impeded by rookie Isack Hadjar in the final sector. “Massive impeding! Massive!” came the furious radio message from the Ferrari driver. Hadjar, who claimed Sainz appeared to be aborting his lap, will face post-session investigation.

Qualifying 1 results and classification at the F1 Canadian GP

1. Norris
2. Piastri
3. Hamilton
4. Leclerc
5. Verstappen
6. Alonso
7. Russell
8. Albon
9. Hadjar
10. Colapinto
11. Antonelli
12. Bearman
13. Hulkenberg
14. Tsunoda
15. Ocon
16. Bortoleto
17. Sainz
18. Stroll
19. Lawson
20. Gasly

Q2

The second segment of qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix saw George Russell top the timesheets with a composed and rapid final effort, while others scrambled in a tightly packed midfield battle.

Max Verstappen set the initial benchmark with a 1:11.638 on soft tyres, but McLaren were quick to respond. Lando Norris edged just 0.038s behind, and Oscar Piastri slotted in a further 0.039s back, underlining just how fine the margins were between the three front-runners.

Ferrari and Mercedes kept themselves in the mix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton delivering solid laps within three-tenths of Verstappen. Leclerc eventually improved late on to jump up to third, just 0.056s off Russell’s pole-setting time.

While the fight at the front was intense, the scramble to reach Q3 was even more dramatic. Williams’ Alex Albon delivered again to go eighth, while rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli did enough for ninth. Isack Hadjar was a late mover, climbing from P13 to P10 with a calm and committed lap under pressure.

Fernando Alonso, running on medium tyres, was in real danger before improving on his final effort. The Spaniard—though not the home hero in Canada—once again showed his class, moving to sixth and securing his Q3 slot.

Yuki Tsunoda improved but fell just 0.011s short in P11. Combined with his 10-place grid penalty for a red flag infringement in practice, he’ll start near the back. Stroll, Colapinto, Bearman, Ocon and Hülkenberg also failed to make the cut.

Qualifying 2 results and classification at the F1 Canadian GP

1. Russell
2. Norris
3. Leclerc
4. Verstappen
5. Piastri
6. Alonso
7. Hamilton
8. Albon
9. Antonelli
10. Hadjar
11. Tsunoda
12. Colapinto
13. Hulkenberg
14. Bearman
15. Ocon

Q3

George Russell delivered a stunning performance in Q3 to take pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix, narrowly beating Max Verstappen in a thrilling finish.

At first, Verstappen appeared to have done enough. He set the pace early with a 1:11.248, edging out Oscar Piastri by just 0.025 seconds. However, moments later, Russell surged to the top with a remarkable 1:10.912. Notably, he was the only driver to break into the 1:10s — and he did so on the medium tyres.

Piastri, who had looked strong throughout the session, settled for third after a clean final sector. Nevertheless, it marked his best qualifying result of the season. Meanwhile, rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli continued to impress, taking an excellent fourth place.

Further back, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso locked out the third row. Although both drivers showed flashes of pace, neither was able to challenge the front three. Lando Norris, expected to be in the pole fight, made a crucial error by missing the final chicane on his first lap. Consequently, he could only manage seventh.

Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon followed in eighth and ninth, respectively, while Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten in his maiden Q3 appearance.

Russell’s pole underscores a remarkable step forward for Mercedes, while Verstappen remains well placed to fight for victory. With tyre strategy and weather both likely to be factors, Sunday’s race promises plenty of drama.

Qualifying 3 results and classification at the F1 Canadian GP

1. Russell
2. Verstappen
3. Piastri
4. Antonelli
5. Hamilton
6. Alonso
7. Norris
8. Leclerc
9. Hadjar
10. Albon