George Russell seized Sprint pole at the Canadian Grand Prix after topping Sprint Qualifying, heading a Mercedes 1-2 from team mate Kimi Antonelli. McLaren’s Lando Norris was third as the field set the grid for Saturday’s Sprint.
Quickest in SQ2, Russell carried the momentum into the final phase and banked an early benchmark before lowering it to 1:12.965 on his last attempt. Antonelli fell just 0.068s short, while Norris ended the session around three tenths off the pace.
Oscar Piastri backed up McLaren’s form in fourth with a 1:13.299, narrowly behind Norris’s 1:13.280. The Ferrari pair followed, Lewis Hamilton in fifth — after showing speed across the segments — and Charles Leclerc sixth.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took seventh, with team mate Isack Hadjar eighth. Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and the Williams of Carlos Sainz completed the SQ3 runners.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were next in 11th and 12th respectively, ahead of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto. The Haas duo of Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman filled 14th and 15th.
Fernando Alonso advanced to SQ2 but could not take part after a SQ1 crash into the Turn 3 barriers, which triggered red flags; he will start the Sprint 16th. When the session resumed with less than two minutes remaining, a scramble to beat the clock meant most failed to begin a final lap.
That left Cadillac’s Sergio Perez 17th, followed by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and the other Cadillac of Valtteri Bottas.
Two drivers did not participate in Sprint Qualifying. Williams confirmed Alex Albon’s car sustained too much damage after striking a groundhog in Free Practice 1, while Racing Bulls said Liam Lawson would sit out following a hydraulic leak in Friday’s practice as the team worked to prepare the car for Saturday.
Earlier, all cars ran the mandatory medium tyre in SQ1. Antonelli initially led the way on a 1:14.010 before Hamilton moved on top with a 1:13.889.
The result delivers Mercedes a front-row lockout for the third Sprint weekend of 2026. Attention now turns to Saturday’s Sprint, where Russell will try to convert from pole under pressure from Antonelli, the McLarens and the Ferraris — while eyes will also be on repairs for those sidelined by practice drama.
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*Originally published on [Formula News](https://newsformula.one/article/russell-heads-mercedes-1-2-in-canada-sprint-qualifying). Visit for full coverage.*
