Russell on pole as pit lane starts shake up Canadian grid

The 2025 Formula 1 season continues to serve up surprises, with the latest twist coming at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. In an unexpected turn, no McLaren driver will start from the front row, as Mercedes’ George Russell claimed his first pole position of the year. The Briton will be joined on the front row by long-time rival Max Verstappen, who lines up second for Red Bull.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri leads McLaren’s charge from third, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed once again to secure fourth. Row three features two of the sport’s most decorated names, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in fifth and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in sixth.

Lando Norris starts seventh in the second McLaren, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in eighth. Completing the top ten are the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto, with the latter out-qualifying his Alpine-bound team-mate Pierre Gasly.

Gasly, however, will not line up in his original position. After qualifying 20th, the Frenchman is one of two drivers starting from the pit lane, following post-qualifying changes made by Alpine. Joining him there is Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, who had initially qualified 18th.

Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda finds himself at the back of the grid after incurring a 10-place penalty for passing under red flag conditions, while his team-mate Isack Hadjar drops to 12th after being penalised for impeding another car during qualifying.

Local favourite Lance Stroll will begin his home race from 17th on the grid. The Aston Martin driver will be hoping to make progress, especially given team-mate Alonso’s strong qualifying performance suggests the car has competitive pace around the Montreal circuit.

With a mixed-up grid and some big names starting out of position, Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix promises no shortage of drama.