At the same time as Verstappen
Russell races into pole position
08.06.2024, 23:40
For the first time this season, George Russell wins the qualification. World champion Max Verstappen drives exactly the same time and starts in Canada from second place. The world champion takes it in his stride.
Mercedes driver George Russell has surprisingly secured first place on the grid for the Canadian Grand Prix. The 26-year-old Briton was exactly level with Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull in his Mercedes on Saturday in Montreal. But because he had driven his fastest lap a few minutes earlier, Russell took pole position for the second time in his career. Both drivers drove exactly 1:12.000 minutes. Lando Norris in the McLaren took third place.
“It feels so good, there was so much hard work put into it in the factory,” said Russell, who was already looking forward to the race: “It’s going to be really great. Maybe I can get a win – you can always try.” His Silver Arrow feels “great here,” said Russell. Recently, the team had some problems and was at times far behind the leaders. Verstappen, meanwhile, was not upset about narrowly missing pole position. “That’s just how it is,” said the three-time champion.
Peréz and Leclerc miss the top ten
Just four days after his contract was extended for another two years, Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez experienced another debacle. As he did recently in Monaco, the Mexican was eliminated in 16th place in the first of three qualifying sessions and cursed his performance on the pit radio while still in the car. Nico Hülkenberg had to start from even further back. The only German in the field only managed to finish 19th in his Haas racing car.
Before the ninth race of the season on Sunday (8 p.m./Sky), Verstappen leads the overall World Championship with 169 points, ahead of Ferrari star Charles Leclerc (138), who recently triumphed at his home race. The Monegasque also messed up in qualifying and, in eleventh place, has poor prospects of another coup. The afternoon was just as disappointing for his teammate Carlos Sainz, who only finished twelfth.