For the second year in a row, George Russell has secured the pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix. The British driver outpaced all his rivals in the final seconds of Q3, earning the sixth pole of his career. The Mercedes was fast throughout the weekend in Montreal due to the cooler weather conditions, but the Brit’s quick lap was unexpected. Russell is particularly looking forward to a potential battle with Max Verstappen, who will be starting next to him: ‘I can still afford a few penalty points on my racing license.’
“Today was amazing, especially for this fantastic crowd,” Russell thanked the fans present immediately after the session. “To be honest, that last lap was probably the best lap of my life, because on my steering wheel I saw the delta and with each turn, I saw that I was a tenth faster. When I went into the last corner and saw that I was six tenths faster, I thought: ‘This lap is mighty.’ And then it was pole. It was unexpected, but I was so happy about it.”
Battle with Verstappen
Russell’s pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix means that he will start the race next to Max Verstappen in P2. The two drivers encountered each other on the track in the final phase of the Spanish Grand Prix. “We’re friends, so it’ll be fine,” Russell reassures Jacques Villeneuve in an interview. “I can still afford a few penalty points on my racing license,” the Brit jokes when asked about the potential battle with Verstappen after the race start. “So we’ll see.”
