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00:01:00Hello, everyone. Welcome back to Canada, where we are running round five of the Formula One season in 2026.
00:01:07And after a consequential scrap in the sprint, it is time for Grand Prix qualifying in Montreal.
00:01:13This is the full hour to set the grid for the 45th running at the Canadian Grand Prix at the
00:01:18Circuit Chilville Nerve.
00:01:19Let's have a look at it in greater detail.
00:01:21It's hairpins and chicanes, but it adds up to a wonderful challenge of 2.7 miles.
00:01:26Pretty flat out there, but for the Grand Prix, we have 70 laps.
00:01:30And given that if you were outside of overtake mode, it seemed tricky to pass, this is going to be
00:01:36a crucial qualifying hour.
00:01:39Adding to the fact that we might get rain tomorrow, then you've really got to get the job done across
00:01:44the next hour on the C5 tyre, which is what they're going to be running.
00:01:47Also available to us this weekend, the C4 and the C3.
00:01:51Let's go through the medium tyre. Love that bit. Let's take you to the live pictures.
00:01:55The roar of V6 turbocharged engines. A familiar sight in these parts since 1978.
00:02:01Sights and sounds heading to the end of the pit lane.
00:02:05And Jolion Palmer, it's the great reset.
00:02:07After the five red lights went out and we saw our first clash between our title rivals in 2026, it's
00:02:13back into one lap mode.
00:02:15Like you, I am brimming with enthusiasm for this.
00:02:20It's more important now, qualifying.
00:02:23Mercedes have learned how to start, which means getting that track position will become important to them.
00:02:29Russell is the man to beat still over one lap.
00:02:31Obviously, he had his elbows out earlier on.
00:02:33I like that there's a little bit more angst between the teammates as well.
00:02:37This is how title rivals should act with one another.
00:02:40It's inevitable that it's going to happen.
00:02:42We've had our first flashpoint and it just makes you grit your teeth a little bit more.
00:02:47You dig deeper and think, all right, all right, so you're going to shove me wide at turn one.
00:02:51How about I put it on pole and I do that to you tomorrow?
00:02:54It was so well managed between the McLaren pair last year that at times there were some out there that
00:03:02felt it was almost too managed.
00:03:04That was level.
00:03:05We've got a wonderful conclusion.
00:03:06Stafford made it a three-way tie.
00:03:07As you say, after the sprint, it doesn't seem like we've got any prospect of that happening in 2026.
00:03:14George Russell making the point in the press conference afterwards, you know from the first stages of go-karting, if
00:03:20you try around the outside, you're going to be shown the side of the car.
00:03:24Making the point with Kimi Antonelli all of a foot away from him.
00:03:28It's game on in the Formula One World Championship in terms that we've understood with previous Mercedes battles.
00:03:33I like it.
00:03:34I really, I really do.
00:03:36I can see both of their points of view.
00:03:38It's, you know, no one's massively in the wrong.
00:03:40The move was kind of on there for Antonelli as well.
00:03:42He was committed into the corner.
00:03:44He did get right wheel to wheel alongside.
00:03:47Was he fractionally ahead of the apex?
00:03:49That's what the stewards would be looking at in terms of him being forced off.
00:03:52In the end, there was no action there.
00:03:54And George is right.
00:03:55You know, overtaking moves on the outside, they are incredibly ambitious, especially a fast corner like that.
00:03:59But I can't remember too many moves, if any moves, that were Banzai around the outside of Turn 1 here,
00:04:06as you see it there, to then have the inside of the right-hander at Turn 2.
00:04:10It just doesn't happen, let alone for the leader of the race.
00:04:12But I love the ambition from our championship leader.
00:04:15I can remember plenty of contact if you try it through the years.
00:04:18Well, you're going to get bundled off.
00:04:20That's what's basically going to happen, isn't it?
00:04:22It's the reality of it, isn't it?
00:04:23When you put the car in that vulnerable position, as you can see, the very best in world motorsport have
00:04:29lined up in the pit lane.
00:04:31There's a lot of drivers out there who need a turnaround from this weekend so far.
00:04:36The Haas pair, for example, have been really struggling to make their updates.
00:04:41One of very few teams that have put new parts on the car this year so far and not found
00:04:46anything.
00:04:46And it's something that Haas thought they were getting on top of a lot more in the last couple of
00:04:51years.
00:04:51But it's difficult on a sprint weekend.
00:04:53This is a unique circuit.
00:04:55It's full of combination corners that are about compliance and curb riding more than sheer aero efficiency.
00:05:03And I think Haas turned up here not quite in the right window with a new package.
00:05:07Ockham put it in the wall, was surprised in practice that he just had such poor curb riding
00:05:12that it spat the thing to the left-hand side, exiting Turn 4, and he was lucky not to destroy
00:05:17it.
00:05:17And as they head out with everyone else, they'll be hoping that some changes in Park Fermat
00:05:21will give them a little bit more, oh, a little bit more pace.
00:05:27Colofinto, luckily, without more pace.
00:05:29Otherwise, he might have hit the back of Alonso.
00:05:32We've got a green light at the end of the pit lane.
00:05:34And the shenanigans begin before we even left the fast lane of the pit lane.
00:05:40We've put 18 minutes on.
00:05:41We're back to the full Grand Prix qualifying format.
00:05:44Here's a man who needs a turnaround as well.
00:05:46Using the sprint race, Alex Albon, earlier on for some data gathering.
00:05:51He did, in the last Grand Prix, score his first Grand Prix points since September 2025.
00:05:56In that run, he did have some sprint points in Austin.
00:06:00But what he would have wanted, above all else, is to carry on that momentum.
00:06:03We saw Carlos Sainz capable of the top 10 yesterday.
00:06:06And he basically had his running deleted with an unfortunate practice crash.
00:06:10No four to be done.
00:06:11No.
00:06:12Hit Marmot there on practice.
00:06:14And he was ahead of Sainz at the time.
00:06:18Fairly well destroyed the, well, some sensitive parts of the car.
00:06:21Gearbox damage, the power unit damage.
00:06:23Couldn't get out for sprint qualifying.
00:06:25And so, Albon, super unlucky this weekend.
00:06:29On a weekend, the Williams are starting to show a little bit more progress.
00:06:34They obviously had a great run in Miami, but they're cementing that here so far.
00:06:38Sainz on pace, up in the top 10.
00:06:40Their best qualifying effort.
00:06:42And at least for Albon, at least for Lawson, drivers that haven't done a huge amount, they managed to get
00:06:48laps in earlier on.
00:06:49Just to get their eye in, to get a feel for the curves, the lines, the quirks of this place.
00:06:53And so, they're not going to be as on the back foot as they might have been.
00:06:59Unsafe release has been noted by race control.
00:07:03That was Fernando Alonso meandering into the fast lane.
00:07:06We'll all get over it.
00:07:07I reckon we will.
00:07:08They race to the fast lane as well.
00:07:11Colopinto, he had a decent eyeline to see the Aston Martin going slowly out.
00:07:16Might have hoped that Fernando would break, but it's all about dipping a toe into the fast lane to secure
00:07:21your precious track position.
00:07:24And I don't think anything too much will come out of that.
00:07:27Lawson, having seen his teammate rise to the top eight in the sprint race, will be hoping that he gets
00:07:34a clean run here because they believe that car is quick.
00:07:36The racing bulls car is quick.
00:07:39We had a mechanical issue for Isaac Hadjar earlier on.
00:07:42They will hope that that issue is fully resolved and everyone now beginning their first run out there.
00:07:50And the preparation was a feature of yesterday.
00:07:53Sometimes drivers going for prep laps, other times getting on with it.
00:07:58The crucial track temperature is 31 degrees.
00:08:00The air temperature is 21 as we see Kimi Antonelli emerge onto the race track.
00:08:06Yeah, there was a split amongst the Mercs as well.
00:08:08Antonelli favoured getting out there and getting on with it.
00:08:12Russell favoured building it up with an out lap and then a prep lap to make sure that the tyres
00:08:16were fired up for that first entry point of Turn 1.
00:08:20It's a quick corner, it's a small break and there's a big deceleration zone for Turn 2 as well.
00:08:25And it's very easy to either lock up or have a big snap of oversteer as you turn in if
00:08:31the rear tyres aren't exactly where you want.
00:08:33And look there, Antonelli in the background following the Russell route this time of going out, doing a prep lap.
00:08:3921 degrees air temperature, very pleasant in Montreal.
00:08:44But it's cool in comparison to a lot of races that we go to, not least Miami last time where
00:08:50it was Scorchio.
00:08:52So a different scenario for the tyres.
00:08:55Yeah, slightly earlier date for the round in Montreal, usually traditionally in June,
00:09:01but helped make the calendar better in terms of air miles and freight for the World Championship.
00:09:08They've moved it forward.
00:09:10Our previous round was in Miami and the idea was chased for a long time to then go on to
00:09:16Montreal.
00:09:17Managed it for the first time in 2026.
00:09:21I've enjoyed these cars so far around this circuit.
00:09:24There's been a huge talk about the power units.
00:09:28It's the biggest change for the season.
00:09:29But remember, less downforce, shorter wheelbase, livelier cars.
00:09:34And I did think we saw that so far through all of the weekend's action.
00:09:38Particularly the Ferrari has been very pointy and kind of quick with it.
00:09:42Especially Lewis Hamilton yesterday was really swinging it into the final chicane.
00:09:47And the cars look lively.
00:09:50I'm wondering if we're going to see drivers take a little bit more risk on their final efforts here in
00:09:56what is now qualifying proper.
00:09:57If you can't put the lap on the board and you're not going through, it's a huge detriment to your
00:10:03whole weekend now.
00:10:04You don't have, you know, in sprint qualifying, you're thinking about the sprint.
00:10:08You're thinking about the rest of the weekend, not to total the car.
00:10:11Maybe there's a little bit more now on the line for qualifying proper.
00:10:15And it's literally getting closer to the walls, taking more curves, taking more chances.
00:10:19Rewards you with lap time.
00:10:21Landon Norris going very, very quickly.
00:10:23You are on board with our sprint race winner on the left-hand side of your picture.
00:10:27Verstappen goes ahead of Piastri.
00:10:29They're all on used soft tyres.
00:10:31Arvid Lindblad also on a used soft tyre.
00:10:34The driver who was sixth in the Formula 2 Championship last year.
00:10:37This is the world champion, Landon Norris, who chased George Russell all the way to the win.
00:10:42Had to settle for second.
00:10:44It's Norris top of the pile.
00:10:45He's never won a round here, but he has been ultra-competitive.
00:10:48In the hunt for the win a couple of years ago.
00:10:50And then McLaren on the back foot last year compared to Mercedes.
00:10:54This Grand Prix was won by George Russell, who is chasing his fourth qualifying pole position around this venue in
00:11:03a row.
00:11:04Two Grand Prix poles and a sprint pole so far.
00:11:08He's looking to do the double.
00:11:09That's later on.
00:11:10If you're one of our newer viewers, we are going to lose our six slowest drivers at the end of
00:11:17this session, which has 11 minutes and 49 seconds to go.
00:11:20It's Norris ahead of Russell, then Verstappen and Colin Pinto in fourth.
00:11:25And Tonelli also on used tyres.
00:11:27All of the top drivers are when they log their time.
00:11:31Top four are on old tyres.
00:11:33Let's go on board with Hamilton, who's been using all of the road and a bit more this weekend.
00:11:36Entertaining to watch the seven-time Montreal winner around this circuit.
00:11:40He goes into sixth.
00:11:42He's also using those old tyres.
00:11:44Nothing fresh in the top five, apart from Franco Colopinto.
00:11:47He's bolted on a new set to go P5 at the moment.
00:11:50In the drop zone, Ocon, Albon, Gasly, Bottas, Alonso.
00:11:54And we now see Stroll move up to 17th.
00:11:57But he's still in the bottom six.
00:11:58Leclerc coming over the line from an odd angle.
00:12:00I wonder if he cut through the chicane there.
00:12:03Two seconds off the pace as well.
00:12:05Hamilton's Ferrari was straight away dancing the rear end again.
00:12:09Compared to the McLaren here of Oscar Piastri.
00:12:12Looks way more settled than McLaren.
00:12:14Eight thousandths away from his teammate.
00:12:16Tight margins.
00:12:17Fifteen thousandths separate in the top three.
00:12:19You love to see it.
00:12:20And yeah, Hamilton straight away again.
00:12:22Looking like he's still attacking with that little bit of oversteer in the car.
00:12:27Alex Albon improves.
00:12:28A reminder, the track will rub in as we continue on.
00:12:31Russell, why the ride has felt quite a bit worse today than yesterday.
00:12:39Doesn't seem overly concerned, George Russell.
00:12:41But McLaren were potentially closer to Mercedes than we expected from the qualifying times yesterday.
00:12:47And ride has been something mentioned by many drivers so far.
00:12:51Including the man who's just appeared on the left-hand side of your screen.
00:12:54Max Verstappen has not been happy with the way that his Red Bull is handling this circuit.
00:12:59But with Parc Ferme open, Red Bull, I would say I've got the best relationship with opening Parc Ferme and
00:13:06finding time.
00:13:07We've seen it so many times where they scratch their heads on a Friday.
00:13:11Verstappen gets close to the Wall of Champions.
00:13:14And then they can make setup changes and ping it to the top of the times.
00:13:18And that's what Verstappen does this early lap.
00:13:21Used tyres for all of the frontrunners.
00:13:23If you ran in SQ3 yesterday, you've got a Conserva set somewhere to get back in sync.
00:13:28And that is what they're doing right now.
00:13:30So maybe why Colopinto and Sainz and co are as competitive as they are.
00:13:34Russell looks like he's going to lower the benchmark even with his dodgy ride at the moment.
00:13:38Must be a small thing for him.
00:13:40Just the angle that you hit kerbs, it makes a difference.
00:13:44The speed that you hit them if you roll a bit more speed in.
00:13:46Normally it's a bit of give and take, entry to exit.
00:13:48But if you get that relationship a little bit different, your approach different, it can affect how you feel.
00:13:55In the drop zone at the moment, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hülkenberg, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc
00:14:02doesn't have a time on the board.
00:14:03Fastest time belongs to George Russell.
00:14:06Let's see what his 19-year-old teammate can do by way of comparison.
00:14:10Expecting some battle between these two later on in the qualifying hour.
00:14:14All you have to do in this session is get yourself through.
00:14:17That's half a second quicker, albeit on old tyres, but Antonelli seems highly motivated as Hadjar gets up to second.
00:14:23To show you the track is improving all the while.
00:14:2612.9 was the pace yesterday, so we're still away from it, but only by four tenths.
00:14:31And Antonelli again carrying big speed into that final chicane.
00:14:36He took a good chunk of time off Russell yesterday in the final two corners there.
00:14:41On a little bit of understift, just committing.
00:14:43That's what happens if you don't get your tyres fired up at the start of the lap.
00:14:46That's Hülkenberg with a double flat spot.
00:14:49And he's grateful for the tarmac runoff area.
00:14:52Here's his teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, young Brazilian driver, avoiding the wall.
00:14:57That was crucial for him.
00:14:58And we saw that there's no time on the board for Charles Leclerc.
00:15:01There's the lock-up that took him over the chicane.
00:15:03Yeah, so that'll be the lap where he rejoined to the side and it looked like he was on that
00:15:07strange line.
00:15:09And indeed he was.
00:15:11A little bit of a spark off the underside of the car as well.
00:15:14The brawl won't thank him for that ride over the raised curbs.
00:15:19Should be okay.
00:15:20They are less sensitive this year than they were in the last few years of ground effect.
00:15:27And Lindblad going very quickly in the first sector.
00:15:31That's why he's appeared in the left-hand side of your picture.
00:15:34Ran the hard tyre earlier on, more durable tyre, and secured another point in his rookie season.
00:15:40He scored in his Grand Prix debut and scored in the sprint.
00:15:44And did well to take that opportunity.
00:15:47Isaac Hadjar having a mechanical issue that allowed him to take advantage.
00:15:50Charles Leclerc needs a lap.
00:15:52And he is finding an improvement around the circuit.
00:15:55Let's see what he can do at the chicane that caused all the trouble the last time.
00:16:00Neatly through there.
00:16:01But it's Hamilton who seems to be the more comfortable Ferrari driver on the evidence so far this week.
00:16:07And it continues. Hamilton in seventh.
00:16:09Charles Leclerc in eighth as we complete the lap with Arvid Lindblad.
00:16:12And the British driver cuts the beam and goes into third.
00:16:16What I imagine is a shiny new set. And it is indeed.
00:16:20You imagine correct.
00:16:22He made SQ3 yesterday.
00:16:24He went out there on a used tyre.
00:16:26But Racing Bull's taking no chances.
00:16:27Not wanting to risk a red flag as we saw yesterday with Pierre Gasly getting caught out
00:16:33with a little under two minutes left on the clock.
00:16:36So Lindblad pops one on the board.
00:16:37And that's a team that has confidence, isn't it?
00:16:39We don't need the absolute best of new tyres at the end of the session.
00:16:43Just do a lap that's tidy enough.
00:16:45And we'll clear ourselves away from the Aston Martins, the Cadillacs, and two more that will go out.
00:16:52Yeah, Fernando Alonso desperately trying to get himself through into the next part of the session.
00:16:57Did so, but did so at the cost of putting his Aston Martin in the wall.
00:17:00Trying to get through today and take part in the second part of qualifying.
00:17:05A two-time world champion currently in 18th.
00:17:08Hamilton getting to the end of the straight.
00:17:10Driver in eighth position at the moment.
00:17:12Riding those curves and then some around that final chicane.
00:17:15Let's see the effort where it puts him across the line.
00:17:18He goes up to...
00:17:19Yeah, Karl was more settled.
00:17:21Driver more animated as he rode that curve a little harder at the final chicane.
00:17:27Still on a used set of tyres.
00:17:29Seven laps for Lewis, six for Charles.
00:17:31And Charles continues into another flyer.
00:17:34I mean, the cooler temperatures do make it a little bit more forgiving for the soft tyres as well.
00:17:38So there's pace to be had on a soft.
00:17:44And you get a few bites of the cherry with it as well.
00:17:48So the two McLarens have come through the pits but stayed on their used set of tyres.
00:17:52So they just want to have another go.
00:17:55Stick on the same set.
00:17:56Save one for later in the session.
00:17:59So interesting line-up that we've got at the bottom.
00:18:03The, on average, across the first four Grand Prix weekends of the season.
00:18:07It's been the Williams pair, the Aston Martin pair and the Cadillac pair.
00:18:10Who are usually in the bottom six on average.
00:18:14Lot of curb riding for Charles Leclerc there.
00:18:17Lot of movement for the man from Monaco as he made his way through turns eight and nine.
00:18:21Yeah, he's not feeling the love, is he, this weekend so far?
00:18:24And he's in way hot for the, for the hairpin.
00:18:27I don't know if he'll be too chuffed with Lewis Hamilton there as well.
00:18:31Possibly bulking him towards the apex.
00:18:34So another aborted lap for Charles, who's in ninth.
00:18:38I don't know how secure he is there.
00:18:39Just three tenths up on Colin Pinto on Sainz, four on Behrman.
00:18:43And those guys might be looking over their shoulder when everyone else improves.
00:18:47So, Leclerc with less than, well, about four minutes left on the clock.
00:18:50He might want to put a better time on the board.
00:18:52Because that, I think, is a, is a target for someone.
00:18:55Talking of better times on the board.
00:18:56Improvement for Alexander Albon has put him into 13th position.
00:19:00Oliver Behrman is reporting that he's lost a piece of his hat.
00:19:04He's going to have to get on with it though.
00:19:05We've got four minutes to go.
00:19:07Lando Norris is getting on with it.
00:19:08Gasly currently at the bottom of the pile.
00:19:10Looking for an improvement on Ocon.
00:19:12It's looking good for him.
00:19:13Norris is up to second.
00:19:14And let's go on board with the one-time Grand Prix winner.
00:19:18Gasly, who went out in the first part of qualifying yesterday for the sprint format.
00:19:23Looking to try and re-establish his form.
00:19:25And it's been brilliant so far in qualifying this year.
00:19:27He's the seventh best in the field in 2026.
00:19:30I feel like one of the upper struts of the barge board was flapping around a little for Oli Behrman.
00:19:36He's continuing out there, but there was definitely a lot of movement there.
00:19:41Keep an eye in case another bit of his hasp makes a bid for freedom.
00:19:44Loads of upgrades on the car.
00:19:46Not a huge amount of performance from it at the moment.
00:19:49And I wonder if they're just finding something else out.
00:19:51But a structural integrity for a car that's not enjoyed itself over the bumps and kerbs so far this weekend.
00:19:56Liam Lawson's got up to ninth position.
00:19:59As we see Gasly and Hamilton have been noted for impeding.
00:20:03Deadbury.
00:20:03Deadbury on the inside heading down towards the final chicane.
00:20:07Well off the racing line.
00:20:08O'Connor in the drop zone at the moment along with Bortoleto, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Bottas and Stroll.
00:20:14The battle continues for those at the front as well.
00:20:17And that's a well-timed slipstream for Oscar Piastri, who improves up to third.
00:20:21Anthony Norris and then Piastri.
00:20:24Key lap coming in now for the Haases.
00:20:26Up to 11th goes Oliver Behrman.
00:20:28And you can see the extent of the flapping bodywork there for Behrman as well.
00:20:33Who's got a car coming up behind him.
00:20:34Whoa!
00:20:35Careful now as Lewis Hamilton roars through.
00:20:38Yeah, almost sent him on his head there as he just tried to stop before getting to the apex of
00:20:43turn one.
00:20:44So, who has anything left in the tank?
00:20:46Alex Albon was just starting a flying lap in the Williams.
00:20:49All of the guys in the drop zone are pushing.
00:20:51Alonso's just finished a lap and is in 17th.
00:20:53What's Stroll's response?
00:20:55Stroll currently at the back.
00:20:57He improves, but only to 20th position.
00:20:59So the two Audis are the team that should have pace to advance.
00:21:02We've seen Hulkenberg already through the runoff earlier on.
00:21:05Needs a cleaner lap.
00:21:06Jumps to 17th, but it's not enough.
00:21:08He can go again though.
00:21:09Sainz got the improvement to 10th position.
00:21:11Where can Perez go?
00:21:13Up to 18th, but he can't escape the drop zone.
00:21:16The Audis will be hoping that they can.
00:21:18That's what they've been used to so far this season.
00:21:20Across the line for Bortoleto, he's got safe, but only by a place.
00:21:24So Ocon's completed a lap as well and is bumped down to the drop zone.
00:21:29So Hamilton's going to complete this one and it's a pretty tidy lap.
00:21:32His first sector was lightning yesterday and it's lightning again so far in this one.
00:21:36Fastest of anyone.
00:21:39Threading it through the final chicane.
00:21:41Very tight to the wall on the exit.
00:21:44Past the Wall of Champions he goes up to 5th position.
00:21:48Hadjar got himself up to 4th place.
00:21:50Lando Norris continuing his lap.
00:21:52Ocon, Hulkenberg, Perez, Alonso, Stroll and Bottas.
00:21:57The order at the moment.
00:21:58And they all have time to go again.
00:22:00So you can see one minute left on the clock.
00:22:02They're all circulating and about to start.
00:22:04Final flying laps.
00:22:06For reference Hamilton with an improvement there has done 10 laps on a used set of tyres.
00:22:10So it's not a one hit wonder right now.
00:22:12That is absolutely clear.
00:22:14But the next shot will be the last shot for those in the drop zone to try and jump up.
00:22:20So this is it.
00:22:20This is where you have to perform.
00:22:23Ocon.
00:22:24Too far away from Bortoleto.
00:22:26The driver at risk.
00:22:27There is a lap of improvement for Franco Colapinto in 12th position.
00:22:32He's just gone past our commentary box.
00:22:33Liam Lawson's about to do the same right now.
00:22:36In the straight zone with the active aero.
00:22:38The elements of the front wing and the rear wing opening to reduce drag.
00:22:43And there's a key lap now for Esteban Ocon.
00:22:45Oh, he's well wide on the way into turn eight.
00:22:47That many had a lot of turning to do towards the exit.
00:22:50And hence you've got turning on the throttle and a load of fish tailing out towards the wall.
00:22:55Not neat, not tidy from Ocon.
00:22:58Oh, it's a hideous amount of wheel spin on the exit as well.
00:23:00That's going to cost him on the run down towards the final chicane.
00:23:04This is messy from Ocon and he needs to improve.
00:23:07He's a tenth slower than his teammate to the first sector.
00:23:09A tenth slower than his teammate to the second sector.
00:23:12It has not been a compliant lap.
00:23:13It's waiting to get on the power.
00:23:16Ocon without the confidence at all.
00:23:18Haas have upgraded that car.
00:23:20He gets up to 15.
00:23:21He's given himself a fighting chance.
00:23:23So what about the Audi's?
00:23:25What about Albon to try and improve?
00:23:27What about Alonso coming out of the final turn?
00:23:29Albon has gone across the line and Albon gets the chance.
00:23:33Alonso goes to 18th position.
00:23:35Hülkenberg was going very quickly at two thirds distance.
00:23:38Hülkenberg will believe that he can escape.
00:23:40Albon is done.
00:23:41He's through the first sector and he's nowhere near it.
00:23:43So Albon is 16th and is not going to improve.
00:23:46He's been in the bottom six on average so far this year.
00:23:49Hülkenberg trying to get through into the next part of qualifying.
00:23:52There's a lap to do just that.
00:23:54Now can Bortoleto do the same thing and knock out Esteban Ocon?
00:23:57Yeah, this is it now.
00:23:58It's Bortoleto v Ocon.
00:23:59One corner, deep inhale and send it.
00:24:03What have you got, Gabi?
00:24:07Bit of kerb, lot of kerb.
00:24:09Let's find out if it's enough for the former F2 champion across the line.
00:24:12Gabriel Bortoleto finds a time good enough for progression.
00:24:18That will be satisfying for Audi.
00:24:20Under pressure, not the easiest weekend for them, but they have made the next part of qualifying.
00:24:25Bortoleto goes through.
00:24:26Ocon goes out along with Albon, Alonso, Perez, Stroll and Bottas.
00:24:33I love the final chicane because you just have a chance to pucker up and send it, take some risk
00:24:39and get some reward.
00:24:41And Bortoleto did exactly that to sneak through.
00:24:44Bottas ends up at the back of the field and that is why.
00:24:47Massive lock up, trying to push a little bit hard on that final lap.
00:24:52No build lock for him either there.
00:24:54So just out and one, one effort.
00:24:56Yeah, that's a bigger moment for Stroll.
00:24:59Well, well, Stroll was able to gather it together and avoid the wall that his teammate hit, but he is
00:25:05still behind his teammate for a Grand Prix qualifying session and he gathers it together.
00:25:10So, at the front, it's Kimi Antonelli ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, but at the bottom of the
00:25:16page and playing no further part in qualifying.
00:25:19Ocon, Albon, Alonso, Perez, Stroll and Valtteri Bottas.
00:25:28So satisfaction for Bortoleto making it through with that last gasp lap.
00:25:32Didn't have huge margin to Esteban Ocon, but Ocon, when we were on board with him, it just did not
00:25:37look like a happy driver and car combination.
00:25:41No, he was all over the place, to be frank, from the part that we joined him.
00:25:46Missed that turn in for turn eight.
00:25:49That's your right-left chicane that brings you towards the hairpin.
00:25:52It meant the left part of it was difficult.
00:25:54You're still squeezing on the throttle you know as now or never.
00:25:57So the car starts fishtailing as you're getting on the gas.
00:26:00That spikes the tire temperatures.
00:26:02And the worst case for that is you've got a big traction zone coming up.
00:26:05So he got to the hairpin, went for the throttle, and it just didn't want to connect with the rear
00:26:11tires.
00:26:11And you could just hear the wheelspin coming, and you're going to carry that loss down the straight.
00:26:15I think he actually made quite a good fist at the final chicane as well, considering, but it was not
00:26:19enough.
00:26:21And the Haas disappointment continues.
00:26:23Behrmann through, and they could patch up his car as well for a better effort.
00:26:27Here's Fernando Alonso.
00:26:28One-time winner of this Grand Prix.
00:26:30Car in the way.
00:26:32Can't imagine he'll be delighted.
00:26:34Wow, the Cadillac, the last corner.
00:26:36Yeah, copy Perez, he's starting a lap.
00:26:39Yeah, in the line, mate.
00:26:42In the way.
00:26:43And Alonso not pleased with it.
00:26:45Yeah, it's a penalty coming for Perez, that.
00:26:47That's a pretty, pretty slam dunk case of impeding.
00:26:52Yeah, I don't think anyone would find a way to disagree.
00:26:58I imagine those race winners will get over it as well.
00:27:08We're building up to Q2 in Montreal.
00:27:12That session was headed by Kimi Antonelli, but the heavy hitters were all using used tires and running on and
00:27:19on and on and on.
00:27:20Lewis Hamilton's very unusual to see in a tri-session.
00:27:24Just so many consecutive laps, but both Ferraris just went out there, stayed out there.
00:27:29And chipped away to find some pace.
00:27:32They will now get a hit of grip when they put on some new softs if they want to for
00:27:35the start of the session.
00:27:37Or do they want to just see what these can do?
00:27:39They've got plenty of time on the clock.
00:27:41After you do a sprint qualifying session, these feel quite leisurely on a Saturday, don't they?
00:27:45Anyway, two sets of tires for everyone to have a go if they so wish in Q2.
00:27:50And the Ferraris, they've got the pace in hand.
00:27:53All of the big hitters have got the pace in hand to get into the top ten.
00:27:56The field spread not quite what it was last year just yet.
00:28:00It will tighten up as the development race continues.
00:28:03But for now, it gives a little bit of margin for the top dogs to just hone in, maybe save
00:28:08a set of tires again.
00:28:10Right, let's get some strategy pointers right about now with Ruth Busker.
00:28:15Yes, well, it was another session dominated by high track evolution.
00:28:19In fact, Q1 was double the track Evo we had yesterday in SQ1 as the drivers really do look to
00:28:25be pushing more.
00:28:26Interestingly, all of the top eight drivers and the top four teams went on used tires.
00:28:31But they all went for different strategies.
00:28:34Ferrari, they had one set, they ran for the whole session, getting faster to the end.
00:28:37The tire is losing grip, but track Evo is dominating.
00:28:40The McLarens did two runs and the Red Bulls did it and then parked it.
00:28:44So we haven't got a clear comparison.
00:28:46But what we do have is an answer on the Mercedes teammate battle.
00:28:50Russell yesterday did a build lap before he went for that push.
00:28:53His teammate Antonelli went the opposite way.
00:28:56We asked, they said it was a driver choice.
00:28:58Today, they've both gone the Russell route, going for that build and then a push.
00:29:02Going into this session, it will be really interesting to see how many laps they want to put on a
00:29:07tire.
00:29:08Because at one point the track will flatten, happens every single qualifying, and then you might go over the peak
00:29:13of the tire.
00:29:14Really excited to see how it is.
00:29:16It does look like the conditions are much calmer today out on track.
00:29:19And that is helping the McLaren and indeed the Red Bull get a little bit closer.
00:29:25Thank you, Ruth.
00:29:27Slightly calmer out there, not in the grandstands.
00:29:29They're having a lot of fun down there at Turn 10 at the moment.
00:29:32Track temperature is 30 degrees, air temperature is 21.
00:29:35You are looking at Franco Colopinto.
00:29:37Trying to keep this run going of being the lead Alpine.
00:29:40Had a great performance in Miami.
00:29:43Seventh his best performance ever in a race after the penalty was applied to Charles Leclerc.
00:29:49After choosing his own adventure and limping home, cutting many corners and getting a penalty that went with it.
00:29:56And that promoted Franco Colopinto, who has now scored points on two occasions so far this year with Alpine.
00:30:03Having waited a fair old while.
00:30:04Had to wait until China didn't need to get on the board.
00:30:07He's the first car.
00:30:08Then Gasly will be pleased to be taking part in the second stage of qualifying.
00:30:13And then you have the world champion ahead of his teammate and so on and so forth.
00:30:17Let's get a green light at the end of the pit lane and the crowd murmuring their appreciation as the
00:30:24Alpines take to the top.
00:30:26They're not flush with pace still though, are they Alpine?
00:30:29The team that were clear of the rest of the midfield in Miami.
00:30:32Gasly certainly would have been on for some points as well were he not turned on his head by Liam
00:30:38Lawson with a mechanical issue.
00:30:41Seems like the car's just not that well suited to this circuit.
00:30:45They have upgrades for Miami.
00:30:47They work all right.
00:30:48I spoke to Pierre actually in Miami.
00:30:50He said, I've got the new rear wing.
00:30:52I shouldn't really tell you, but I don't love it just yet.
00:30:55But they clearly overall were in a decent position there, but it's one thing putting the upgrades on.
00:31:01It's another thing just fine tuning it, finessing it so that what you see back at the factory is then
00:31:07shown on the lap times and performance.
00:31:12Some bits work, some bits don't. The McLaren team had a new front wing that they bought to this race,
00:31:17put it on the car yesterday, took it off again.
00:31:20Thought, OK, we've tried it. We'll go back to it at some point, but we need a little bit more
00:31:25data gathering before we're going to run fully fledged with it.
00:31:28That's interesting for McLaren because obviously it has been a hallmark of that team in recent times that they're able
00:31:33to bring parts and bolt it on.
00:31:35We have seen them try things in the past on a Friday and then wait a couple of rounds before
00:31:40they race them.
00:31:42Yeah, it's not unusual really for McLaren to be cautious with that.
00:31:45Their main package worked brilliantly in Miami to get themselves right to the front, to win the sprint, to get
00:31:52into a race winning position in the Grand Prix as well.
00:31:55And they were very happy with how this is going, considering how they started the weekend as well.
00:32:00Norris hunting down Antonelli for a sprint win that they didn't think was likely.
00:32:04And as Ruth said, they seem to be a little bit more competitive over one lap from what we've seen
00:32:09on just a few tours so far in this hour.
00:32:16Piastri reported the tyres were coming in well, but he stuck with the plan, which was to do a prep
00:32:20lap, which is why he's weaving all over the road.
00:32:22Same as Lewis Hamilton, that's his qualifying form at the bottom of your picture.
00:32:25Really strong in a track that he's thrived at in China and in the middle of the top ten with
00:32:33the rounds that have followed.
00:32:35He'll be hoping to get his deployment in a better place.
00:32:38Lost out massively on the back straight at the end of SQ3 yesterday.
00:32:42Yeah, he made a mistake in their head pin as well.
00:32:45Had deployment to make up for a sub-optimal exit and then, as you say, ran out of speed down
00:32:53the straight.
00:32:54So three tenths he was off his ideal sectors, Lewis, yesterday.
00:32:59It would have put him right towards the Mercedes pace.
00:33:01And as I mentioned earlier, he had the outright fastest first sector, which is pretty impressive for Ferrari,
00:33:07but not a surprise given we know that their chassis is working really well.
00:33:11I'm already excited to see what they can do in Monaco next time out,
00:33:14where you haven't got the straight line sensitivity that seems to be hampering them a little bit at the moment.
00:33:20Yeah, they're absolutely superb when it comes to the slow corners and the mechanical grip.
00:33:25In fact, every car they build, no matter whether it's a good year or a bad year,
00:33:28seems to be in that part of the racetrack.
00:33:32Very effective.
00:33:33It's our next round after Montreal.
00:33:35We're in the second part of qualifying round five of the World Championship in 2026.
00:33:40Really clearly see the bump on the braking zone as well for turn one.
00:33:43So if you don't do these prep laps and you try and go for it with a tyre that's not
00:33:48perfectly up.
00:33:48Even more likely to catch that bump and lock your front axle particularly in towards turn one.
00:33:55It's the harder one to fire up.
00:33:57And that is why it's a slower start to these sessions as everyone does the out lap,
00:34:01does the build lap, it's a short lap as well.
00:34:03Get the energy into the tyres and then you unleash, as Lando Norris is doing now.
00:34:07Heading through turns eight and nine.
00:34:11Neat and tidy.
00:34:12New set of boots for Norris for the first time in this qualifying.
00:34:16But McLaren will be buoyed with the fact that Norris was able to fight and put Russell under enormous pressure
00:34:23earlier on.
00:34:25Norris will be looking to claim his first Grand Prix win as the World Champion.
00:34:31Last one in Brazil.
00:34:34On his way to the title.
00:34:35Actually dominated that round on the back end of last year.
00:34:38Sweeping the sessions.
00:34:40Hadjar ahead of Colopinto, Gasly, Verstappen at the moment.
00:34:44And there is Lando Norris.
00:34:46Top of the pile.
00:34:47Four tenths ahead of Isaac Hadjar.
00:34:50Hamilton momentarily up.
00:34:52Four hundredths up.
00:34:53Piastri slots into second.
00:34:56Let's see what the deployment's like here for Lewis Hansen.
00:34:58Yeah, let's see what the Ferrari is like in the straight line speed dominated sector.
00:35:03You can see it on the track map.
00:35:04You can see it on board with Hamilton as well.
00:35:06Just that final chicane now breaking up this run.
00:35:08And the next run to the line.
00:35:12Sling it through.
00:35:13Driving towards the line.
00:35:14Staying to the right hand side.
00:35:16And didn't lose too much.
00:35:18Three hundredths of a second.
00:35:19Back from Lando Norris.
00:35:21Splitting the McLarens.
00:35:22It's encouraging.
00:35:23There was actually quite a big difference between the McLarens and the Mercedes as well.
00:35:26From Norris and Russell on pole yesterday in terms of straight line speed.
00:35:31So let's see when Russell does a time.
00:35:33Or Antonelli does a time.
00:35:34If they can unlock a little bit more in that final sector.
00:35:37Charles Leclerc puts his time on the board.
00:35:39It's behind Franco Collopinto.
00:35:41So Charles Leclerc not getting on with the Ferrari in this circuit.
00:35:45Once again on that opening lap.
00:35:47Antonelli fastest of anyone so far through the first sector.
00:35:50But it is George Russell who is negotiating the final corners of the racetrack.
00:35:55This is going to give us the read that Jolien was talking about a few moments ago.
00:35:58And the answer is a time good enough for fourth.
00:36:02Yeah with the fastest final sector.
00:36:04Antonelli has the fastest first.
00:36:06Can he bolt on the fastest final sector?
00:36:08Yes he can.
00:36:09To go to the top of the times.
00:36:11Driver chasing his fourth Grand Prix pole in a row.
00:36:16Hulkenberg with a time good enough for seventh.
00:36:19Let's go on board with Max Verstappen.
00:36:21Yet to show his hand in this stage of qualifying.
00:36:24His teammate in sixth position.
00:36:26Half a second adrift at the time just set by Kimi Antonelli.
00:36:30Who you imagine after that side-by-side wheel-banging moment with George Russell earlier on in the sprint will
00:36:36have sky-high motivation.
00:36:38Red Bull on the left-hand side of your picture.
00:36:40We're on board with Verstappen with the final chicane to go.
00:36:44Wow Hajar's on a belter of a lap here.
00:36:46He's up of Verstappen through two sectors.
00:36:49Max through the right and the left.
00:36:55Taking not too many chances through there just yet.
00:36:57Jumps up to fifth.
00:36:58That's a tidy enough time.
00:36:59But what's Hajar doing just behind?
00:37:01Let's see whether it adds up to a good time for Isaac Hajar.
00:37:04You bet it does.
00:37:05Second fastest in Q2.
00:37:07Eight minutes to go.
00:37:08But that is hugely encouraging.
00:37:09The driver originally from Paris.
00:37:12And Lindblad now goes over the line.
00:37:14He is in seventh.
00:37:15Ahead of George Russell.
00:37:17Not a great effort for Russell.
00:37:19Eighth, ninth and tenth.
00:37:20Russell, Hülkenberg and Kolobinto.
00:37:23Charles Leclerc currently in the drop zone.
00:37:26And that is why we join the Ferrari driver.
00:37:28Who's going again.
00:37:31Not compliant into the change of direction that he would have wanted in six and seven.
00:37:36Yeah, he dropped half a second the last time he went through the first set.
00:37:39He still dropped a few tenths here.
00:37:40Leclerc in the first sector.
00:37:41That's where the Ferrari has been quick.
00:37:43But Charles is not able to get the response he wants from it so far.
00:37:48We'll get a second sector split from him as he sweeps down towards the hairpin.
00:37:51He's up on Kolobinto.
00:37:53But he's actually quite a long way away from the sector times of those at the sharp end.
00:37:59So Leclerc still not looking like he's totally comfortable.
00:38:02The Red Bull look like they're back in play, don't they?
00:38:04Hajar's time is way quicker than they managed yesterday.
00:38:07The outright pace is slower.
00:38:09Antonelli's one tenth away.
00:38:11Hajar is much closer with a good improvement.
00:38:13So it says the track isn't necessarily as good right now.
00:38:16But the cut off of Red Bull is way better.
00:38:19Across the line with Charles Leclerc.
00:38:20Ninth position for Charles Leclerc.
00:38:22Still not the buffer that he would want at this stage of the session.
00:38:26Max Verstappen currently in sixth position behind his teammate.
00:38:30I can't get my front tyres in the window.
00:38:33Like, it's really, really bad.
00:38:35Like yesterday in the Olympics.
00:38:37Like, I'm driving on ice.
00:38:39I'll be there.
00:38:41Max needs a sharp front.
00:38:44It's famous now, we know it.
00:38:45He needs to have the response at the front axle.
00:38:47If they're not fired up, then you don't get the bite on turning.
00:38:51And it starts to feel a bit passive for him.
00:38:53So he's done an okay lap at this stage.
00:38:56But that's why he's a quarter of a second adrift of his teammate,
00:38:59who's looking really quick.
00:39:00Bit of out-lap prep.
00:39:03Something that Red Bull should be able to quite easily fix
00:39:05with just different driving techniques for Max when he leaves the garage,
00:39:08which he's currently now in.
00:39:11But for Leclerc, he's definitely quick.
00:39:13Doesn't look comfortable.
00:39:14He's not safe at all.
00:39:16And that's a new set of tyres for Leclerc.
00:39:17Let's see.
00:39:18And called back to the pits.
00:39:20And no chatter on the radio about what they need to improve.
00:39:25And he is, you can see, Hamilton not too far away in fourth.
00:39:29And Charles Leclerc with plenty of time to find,
00:39:30with the risk of Colopinto only being two tenths of a second away.
00:39:34This is Liam Lawson at the moment in 16th position.
00:39:41So yeah, hitting the brakes, hitting them hard on the initial hit.
00:39:45We saw that yesterday with the McLaren,
00:39:49where the active aero wasn't shutting initially,
00:39:51as quickly as Piastri was hoping for in practice.
00:39:55And that looked like a similar sort of thing there for Lawson,
00:39:58where he hammered on the brakes,
00:40:00late, ambitious at the end of a lap,
00:40:02and just went into straight double front lock-up.
00:40:05So maybe ambitious on the brakes,
00:40:07maybe needs to just deactivate that active aero.
00:40:12Weighbridge for Charles Leclerc at the exact moment.
00:40:15He didn't want it.
00:40:16That is mandatory.
00:40:17You have to stop if called to the Weighbridge.
00:40:19It looked incredibly smoky, didn't it, when he was stopped?
00:40:22I think they were just firing back up again.
00:40:24And it's always the worst times when you get called to the Weighbridge.
00:40:27And every time you come in, you think,
00:40:29oh, I'm under pressure now.
00:40:30And then, oh, let me just kill another 60 seconds or something,
00:40:34as you're pushed on, cut the engine, get fired up again,
00:40:37push back, look at some data, give some feedback,
00:40:41have a few laps more fuel put in and go again.
00:40:44And it's always when you least want it to be.
00:40:47When you're nice and safely through and you've got time to kill.
00:40:50They're not interested at all.
00:40:51No.
00:40:52They're wavy on by.
00:40:53If you're one of our newer viewers, the Weighbridge
00:40:55to check that the car is not underweight at any stage.
00:40:58It's a random time that you can be called to that
00:41:00to make sure that you are not getting a quicker car by running underweight.
00:41:04Russell doesn't look comfortable, does he?
00:41:06We haven't seen a huge amount of him,
00:41:08but he's also eighth, half a second away from his teammate.
00:41:12He's run new tires.
00:41:13He's going out on another new set right now.
00:41:16And if Leclerc's not safe, I don't know if Russell's totally safe.
00:41:20I don't know if he took Cole yesterday
00:41:21and he was complaining about the ride earlier on.
00:41:23So I think it's a bigger issue than he seemed in his voice
00:41:28and that it appeared to be.
00:41:31It's just sort of fallen onto the back foot.
00:41:33I haven't seen yet a really pacey lap time from him.
00:41:36Charles Leclerc asking for an adjustment
00:41:38of the element of the front wing.
00:41:40That was what he was referring to on the radio
00:41:43for what he wanted changed.
00:41:44You are limited with what you can change.
00:41:46Remember, from the end of the sprint race,
00:41:48the start of qualifying, the teams have been able to unlock the cars
00:41:51and dramatically change the setup should they wish.
00:41:54And here's Liam Lawson.
00:41:55No improvement in the middle sector for the New Zealander,
00:41:59who is the 11th best qualifier so far this year on average
00:42:02and finds himself in 13th.
00:42:04So he looked really tentative on the brakes that time into the final chicane.
00:42:08And you've had the big lockup.
00:42:10It's easy to go the other way.
00:42:11So Russell, that's maybe why he's not put a better time on the board,
00:42:16was trying to push again and does almost the Antonelli route from earlier on.
00:42:21Maybe again linked to bumps and curb riding though.
00:42:24If he's not fitting the compliance, that's where you hit it.
00:42:26And you've got the bumpy approach to turn one.
00:42:29And through he went.
00:42:30So I think that was just now actually.
00:42:33He's gone out and on a new set of tires, tried to improve.
00:42:37And he's gone out, not done the build lap.
00:42:39And I think that's what has just happened now.
00:42:41We're watching Pierre Gasly currently in 16th position,
00:42:44but his teammate is a very intriguing prospect here.
00:42:48He has not displaced Charles Leclerc.
00:42:50He's gone into 10th Colopinto.
00:42:52So that's crucial for the Ferrari's progress.
00:42:55He got close though, half a tenth away.
00:42:57And Gasly finds himself in 15th.
00:42:59They'll have another shot.
00:43:01Everyone is leaving the pits with enough fuel for two flying laps right now.
00:43:05A little bit like you saw at the end of Q1.
00:43:07You can push.
00:43:08You can recharge again and go for one all or nothing flyer.
00:43:12Oh, I bet I thought about it and then saw that wall of champions looming.
00:43:16And turn left before he committed to the right.
00:43:20So Behrman 16th and needs a time on the board.
00:43:22Again, one more flyer for him to dig something out.
00:43:25If Russell wants to completely eliminate the doubts,
00:43:27he needs to put something on the board here as well.
00:43:30Russell just looking for a confidence building lap ahead
00:43:32of what he will expect to be the top 10 shootout.
00:43:35A driver who we expect to be one of our contenders for pole.
00:43:38And the reason for that, he was on pole for the Grand Prix here in 2024, in 2025,
00:43:42and for sprint qualifying yesterday as Lewis Hamilton has the fastest first sector of anyone so far.
00:43:49And George Russell rotates the car best he can through eight and nine,
00:43:53where in previous years he once hit the wall whilst competing in this Grand Prix.
00:43:57Final chicane ahead for Lewis Hamilton.
00:44:00Yeah, everyone piecing it together better now.
00:44:01Track getting better.
00:44:02Hamilton still squirming through that final chicane, building through the traction phase.
00:44:08Goes to the top of the times. Russell's going quickly. Here we go on board.
00:44:12So Russell with the final chicane.
00:44:14Plenty of improvement out there if you need.
00:44:16Hamilton, Antonelli and Norris in the drop zone.
00:44:19Hulkenberg, Sainz, Lawson, Bortoletto, Gasly and Behrman,
00:44:22who is chasing it around this lap so far.
00:44:25Russell goes to third. Encouraging lap time for him.
00:44:28Three thousandths of a second slower than Antonelli was able to do.
00:44:32Let's see where we go across the line with Max Verstappen now.
00:44:36No improvement of position for him.
00:44:39Lawson, final attempt for him to try and get out of the bottom six.
00:44:43It's improvement through. First couple of seconds is not enough.
00:44:46He misses out. Eleventh for Lawson.
00:44:49Didn't miss out by much. Four hundredths of a second.
00:44:51Isaac Hadjar to the top of the field.
00:44:54An unexpected sentence to say, even if it is Q2.
00:44:57Now Hulkenberg heading out as it stands.
00:44:59And the German driver just misses out. Eleventh place for Hulkenberg.
00:45:03Here's a tiny, tiny margin.
00:45:05Sainz, Bortoletto, Gasly and Behrman all still completing laps.
00:45:10Still chances to be taken. Bortoletto went brave at the end of Q1.
00:45:14Can he do something similar to sneak ahead of his teammate in the final chicane?
00:45:18Here's the brakes. Down four gears.
00:45:21And it's over to Gabriel Bortoletto.
00:45:24Looking for a time only 13th. Lots of personal bests being set by those currently in the drop zone.
00:45:30But are any good enough to displace Franco Colopinto?
00:45:33It's only his teammate now. It's only Gasly that can find an improvement for those in the drop zone.
00:45:39Leclerc doesn't need to improve, but surely will.
00:45:42And Charles Leclerc gets up to eighth position. Half a second adrift of Isaac Hadjar.
00:45:46Now Pierre Gasly. The final chicane is complete.
00:45:49The wall of champions is waved on by. The active arrow is open.
00:45:53Gasly versus Colopinto.
00:45:54And it's nowhere near in the end.
00:45:56Franco Colopinto once again will be the lead Alpine on the grid.
00:46:00He has reached Q3 at back-to-back Grand Prix.
00:46:03Hugely encouraging for him.
00:46:05And Gasly has not been getting on with the Alpine updates.
00:46:08He's out along with Hulkenberg, Lawson, Bortoletto, Sainz and Behrman.
00:46:13They are the sixth to fall at the second stage.
00:46:17Our top ten shootout for pole position will be Hadjar versus Hamilton.
00:46:21Norris, Antonelli, Russell, Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc, Lindblad again and Colopinto.
00:46:27They're the ten to fight it out. Looking forward to it in a few moments time.
00:46:38Well, Gasly used to being a driver in that top ten week in, week out.
00:46:44But unfortunately for him, he has lost out.
00:46:47And that's the first time since the opening Grand Prix of the year that he won't be part of Q3.
00:46:55He's lost his rhythm at the moment, hasn't he?
00:46:57You mentioned it, the upgrades that came to Miami.
00:47:00And it just hasn't quite felt the same connection with the car.
00:47:05Inconsistencies from the rear, then you lose a little bit of confidence.
00:47:09And especially on a circuit like this, confidence is so important.
00:47:12To be able to hit the brakes and turn it in and know that you're not going to be swapping
00:47:17ends
00:47:17and finding yourself shuffling out towards the wall.
00:47:21Difficult weekend for Lawson, way down on mileage, heading towards this qualifying.
00:47:26So 12th isn't too bad.
00:47:28And we are through. So you are E8.
00:47:31I'm completely out of the place, completely out of the place.
00:47:33Q3 is either in the wall or on E8.
00:47:35We just need to make sure, give me cleaner.
00:47:39I don't care about whatever else, just cleaner. That's all that matters.
00:47:44Understood, Charles.
00:47:47Well, a very, very clear instruction from Charles Leclerc.
00:47:51Who's fighting it? And that's been evident trackside and on board.
00:47:55And it has not been easy for the driver who has 27 rear pole positions for Ferrari.
00:48:03Some of the drivers feel that that's about the ride of their cars.
00:48:06That's the, it's the corner entry of their cars, I think.
00:48:10Rear stepping out.
00:48:12Beautiful.
00:48:17We are building up to Q3 at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
00:48:23First held in 1978, in 2026, we have Hadjar, Hamilton, Norris, Antonelli, Russell, Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc, Lindblad and Colin Pinto
00:48:34competing over the major places.
00:48:36That's to come. First of all, some analysis with Alex Brunner.
00:48:40What is fascinating, guys, about this circuit is watching how the drivers are having to drive around the characteristics of
00:48:47their cars.
00:48:48Isak Hadjar ends Q2 fastest.
00:48:51And I want you to hold in your mind how the Ferraris, the McLarens of this world, are dancing on
00:48:57the kerbs.
00:48:57Now watch Hadjar driving the radius of the kerbs in the first two corners.
00:49:03Not really even troubling.
00:49:05The outside of the road here, look.
00:49:07Close to this outside wall, as we've seen some other drivers do.
00:49:12And then once more, being quite cautious on this first kerb, driving all the way around the second kerb.
00:49:18Wheel nice and straight as he makes his way over the kerb in turn four.
00:49:22Does he want the lumpy stuff in turn six? None of it.
00:49:25All the way through turn seven.
00:49:28Other cars are bouncing all over that stuff, taking a more direct route.
00:49:32Hadjar is choosing to drive around it and take these wider radiuses.
00:49:37It's obviously the way that he's found the Red Bull is efficient.
00:49:40And you can see why. Look at that big shimmy through the exit of turn nine.
00:49:44It's obviously evil in terms of its ride quality, the car.
00:49:49But Hadjar is finding a way to make it work.
00:49:52Skirts around sort of the longer radius line of turn ten.
00:49:58Tear off goes almost into the air box there for Hadjar in what is a lovely lap at the end
00:50:03of Q2.
00:50:04But I found it so interesting how actually those longer non-kerb strike lines are working out for him.
00:50:12I would have thought that Verstappen will be checking that out and seeing if he can optimise his stuff into
00:50:17Q3.
00:50:19Thank you, Alex, ahead of Q3.
00:50:22Stop the press.
00:50:25Max Verstappen might look at a teammate for some performance improvement.
00:50:30And so he might. Half a second deficit there to Isaac Hadjar.
00:50:34Hadjar, the quickest of anyone, is on fire.
00:50:37Max not happy with curb riding, not happy with the compliance of the Red Bull.
00:50:42And Hadjar is, fascinatingly, avoiding curves that others are clattering over.
00:50:48He's best so far this year in Grand Prix qualifying.
00:50:50Third place in the opening race of the year for Melbourne.
00:50:53Let's check in with Ruth Buscombe ahead of Q3.
00:50:56Yeah, everything has changed 24 hours later.
00:50:59Interestingly, that Red Bull was also the best on deployment in that session.
00:51:04Is that a tactical decision? I don't know.
00:51:06But Mercedes are now sat in P3.
00:51:09Even the McLarens were faster on the straights with Ferrari in P4.
00:51:13Going into this, it's going to be absolutely tight.
00:51:15All four of our top cars are strong in different areas.
00:51:18But that's on the straights, in the corners, or ride.
00:51:21It's all to play for, to be honest.
00:51:23Thank you very much, Ruth. Looking forward to this one enormously.
00:51:26We have our top ten set.
00:51:29Hülkenberg finding himself in that pesky 11th place once again.
00:51:33Not missing out by much, but missing it.
00:51:36There's Audi constantly there, aren't they?
00:51:38Between Hülkenberg and Bortoletto.
00:51:40Has anyone else had a look in at 11th place yet?
00:51:43And usually their teammates are either 12th or 13th.
00:51:46They're pretty evenly matched, and they're both always looking in on the top ten,
00:51:50it feels like, for the start of the race.
00:51:52Hülkenberg 11th, 11th, 13th, 10th, and now 11th.
00:51:56So I'm fairly consistent.
00:51:59Consistency is key.
00:52:01Bortoletto has made Q3 a couple of times so far this year,
00:52:05and finds himself now 3-2 down in the teammate head-to-head.
00:52:10Now, as we know, Verstappen and Hadjar is 2-2.
00:52:14Verstappen had a spin at the start of the year where Hadjar was in P3.
00:52:18This is an opportunity for the driver who was always rapid over one lap in Formula 2,
00:52:23and was best of the rest in terms of one lap pace last year in Formula 1.
00:52:264 tenths was the gap, Hadjar to Verstappen in Q1.
00:52:32Half a second in Q2.
00:52:33They've run the same tyre allocation so far.
00:52:36Illustration of what a superb job Isaac Hadjar has done up until this point.
00:52:42Unfortunately, it counts for nothing when you wipe the scoreboard again,
00:52:45and you've got to put another lap time in, but is consistent and he's looking super confident right now.
00:52:51It's another illustration of how good Red Bull are between sprint and qualifying.
00:52:54They are able to turn what looks to be a miserable weekend into something else, and they look like they've
00:53:01done that.
00:53:02And Verstappen's not miles off. He's certainly closer as well.
00:53:05But Hadjar seems to be a bit of a threat maybe for the Mercedes.
00:53:10Well, we will find out. That would be sensational if that's the case.
00:53:14Hadjar with P3 as his best qualifying result.
00:53:17Verstappen is out there. We have the green light illuminated at the end of the pit lane.
00:53:22Q3 underway. Verstappen trying to get more of a feel that he's used to from the front of the car.
00:53:29That is where the Max Verstappen magic lights.
00:53:33Hadjar's Q2 time is only 100th off what Russell managed yesterday.
00:53:40And he's only the second driver this weekend to dip underneath the 1 minute 13.
00:53:44So he's bang on the fastest pace that we've seen all weekend.
00:53:47That was in yesterday's qualifying. The track grip will come up.
00:53:50The drivers have now got to execute 14 turns with a little bit more risk, a little bit more jeopardy.
00:53:55We saw the Mercedes duo get off the line well in the sprint earlier on.
00:54:00It's no longer an opportunity necessarily if you're third or fourth as a Ferrari or McLaren to launch into a
00:54:05race lead.
00:54:06You have to put it on paper, get yourself on the front of the grid in qualifying.
00:54:12It's a different task now as Charles Leclerc goes out and we've heard already his radio saying it's either in
00:54:19the wall or it's eighth.
00:54:19Basically, it's slow or I take so many chances that it's too risky.
00:54:26But has he been able to find anything else? Preplux completed.
00:54:31Is there a third option for Charles? He will hope so.
00:54:35Well, it's a pretty bad 50-50 option, isn't it, for Ferrari?
00:54:39Should we settle for eight then?
00:54:41Yes, he got him.
00:54:42He will hope there's more at the end as we get the build-up laps for the first runs in
00:54:48Q3.
00:54:48And we're showing Red Bull because Hajar topped the previous session.
00:54:53Antonelli very quick earlier on in Q1.
00:54:56Here's Max Verstappen.
00:54:57First of all, his teammate is about 100 meters back.
00:55:01He will emerge around that final corner.
00:55:03And it is the three-time Canadian Grand Prix winner who is starting things at turn one.
00:55:11Lovely aerial shot to see the line as he hugs the apex at turn two.
00:55:15Straightens off that exit.
00:55:16You go over a crest.
00:55:17You're still turning towards the right before you have that little punch up towards turns three and four.
00:55:22Hajar sparing of the curves in Q2.
00:55:24Verstappen looks neat and tidy over those as well.
00:55:27But he's down on Hajar's best sector from earlier on by one tenth.
00:55:30Picture in picture, confidence exuded from Isaac Hajar.
00:55:34Verstappen kicking up cross.
00:55:35It's all happening.
00:55:36And this is just the Red Bulls.
00:55:38It's five hundredths of a second in the advantage of Max Verstappen after the first sector.
00:55:43But Hajar, 2-2 in the head-to-head.
00:55:46We get a nice look at the trees there.
00:55:48And you can see that active aero, the rotisserie, rear wing now shotting.
00:55:52Oh, Hajar dancing it through and somehow keeping it away from the wall.
00:55:57Honestly, just these two alone are keeping me on the edge of my seat.
00:56:00Everyone else is winding up fast laps as well.
00:56:03You've got Piastri out there.
00:56:04You've got the two Mercedes about to launch into fast laps.
00:56:08Norris on circuit as well.
00:56:09But let's see Max through the final chicane.
00:56:12Verstappen tight to the wall of champions.
00:56:14Trying to find his best at the end of a session where he struggled with the front of the car.
00:56:18And Verstappen puts a 13-4.
00:56:21That's a step back compared to what we've seen.
00:56:23Now what can Hajar do by the end of the lap?
00:56:26No, he's left time on the table.
00:56:28There's way more in that.
00:56:29Over to the McLarens then.
00:56:30First of all, we will see Oscar Piastri with his blue crash helmet for the Canadian Grand Prix.
00:56:35Comfortably ahead of both of the Red Bulls.
00:56:37But Norris has always been superb around this circuit.
00:56:40Does he go top?
00:56:41The answer is yes.
00:56:42Both Mercedes on flying laps now.
00:56:45That is a belter of a lap from Norris to put a quarter of a second between him and his
00:56:48teammate.
00:56:49The Mercedes are nowhere near this man's first sector.
00:56:53Lewis Hamilton misses out at the end by a tenth of a second.
00:56:57The Mercedes will hope to claw it back.
00:56:59They were miles back on the Ferrari man's first sector.
00:57:01Russell's lap is not on it at all.
00:57:04Antonelli's a little better through the middle part of the lap.
00:57:06But they've got a lot of work to do as we pick them up.
00:57:09This is George Russell now heading towards the final turn.
00:57:11But he's missed a load in the middle of the lap.
00:57:14Charlotte Clare went into P4.
00:57:16Arvid Lindblad split the two Red Bulls.
00:57:19He's in P6.
00:57:20Russell doesn't even finish it.
00:57:21So to the championship leader by 18 points.
00:57:24Kimi Antonelli trying to make it four Grand Prix polls in a row.
00:57:28And he has the fastest final sector.
00:57:30But he is fourth.
00:57:32And it's Lando Norris versus Lewis Hamilton at the end of run one.
00:57:36Yeah, the Mercedes nowhere near it through the first two thirds of the lap.
00:57:40Quarter of a second Antonelli had in the middle.
00:57:42You see Russell fighting the car on the exit of four.
00:57:45Is this going to be where the lap goes?
00:57:47Inter6 here certainly is.
00:57:49Rear snap.
00:57:49And then the front lock as he panics and keeps decelerating.
00:57:53But the initial hit there is...
00:57:55Nothing on the rear.
00:57:56Yeah, it's a big rear lock.
00:58:00So it's a very unusual one to have in a corner like that for George.
00:58:04Tire temperature related possibly.
00:58:07It's strange that both Mercedes just flunked the first part of the lap.
00:58:10Antonelli still showed pace at the end, but it was too little too late.
00:58:14One run to go.
00:58:15And this would be a turn up for the books for the team that had the front row lockout yesterday,
00:58:19wouldn't it?
00:58:19Well, Mercedes will be thinking, well, we've sorted the starts.
00:58:22Great.
00:58:23They're going to find themselves in the middle of the pack.
00:58:24Russell, big lap for him and his world championship aspiration.
00:58:28Antonelli in four.
00:58:28But it's three and a half tenths.
00:58:30It's a big, big gap.
00:58:33What's going on with this straight line speed?
00:58:35Because it's completely ****.
00:58:39Yeah, so Verstappen is nowhere and is pretty clear where he's thinking the pace is.
00:58:45And he'll get a speed delta as he's going round.
00:58:47So he'll get a lap time delta and he'll see that that's getting worse and worse on the straights
00:58:52and just be very aware that he's approaching each of the corners a little bit slower.
00:58:57Russell goes out super early.
00:58:59So this has got to be Mercedes trying to go for a two lapper end of Q3 attempt.
00:59:04Russell needs something on the board.
00:59:06That big rear lock must be a sign that they're not firing up the tires, even with a prep lap.
00:59:12Antonelli as well, just nowhere near it.
00:59:14Hajar, by the way, my word, he was close to nailing that wall through the exit of turn nine.
00:59:19That's right.
00:59:20He's suddenly 1.3 seconds away and has the potential to make at least a one second gain on that.
00:59:25That's what he did earlier on, possibly more.
00:59:28It's still so up for grabs.
00:59:31But at the stage of Q3 that we find ourselves in, with one run still to go from the field,
00:59:38it is a completely different order against expectations.
00:59:42Norris, Hamilton, Piastri at the current top three.
00:59:45Mercedes have not been beaten to a Grand Prix poll this year.
00:59:49I mean, how often is it the case?
00:59:51You get sprint qualifying on a Friday.
00:59:53You get main qualifying on a Saturday.
00:59:55And it's like they're all swapping cars.
00:59:57The pecking order just changes so much.
01:00:00We saw McLaren dominate the sprint last time out in Miami.
01:00:04Then you had Antonelli.
01:00:05You had something to stuff in on the front row in the Grand Prix.
01:00:09And he now leaves the pits to join his good mate George Russell out on circuit.
01:00:16Russell on a build lap now.
01:00:18And the rest of the cars start to filter out.
01:00:23So the build lap's important this year.
01:00:25The drivers with so much to do.
01:00:28Temperature critical.
01:00:29Putting yourself into the window of deployment as well.
01:00:32Absolutely vital.
01:00:33Frank and Colin Pinto currently in eighth position.
01:00:38Lewis Hamilton the last time he was on the front row.
01:00:40The 2024 British Grand Prix.
01:00:42Right, so this has got the feel of either a complete shuffle on these final laps.
01:00:48Or someone puts it in the wall and it's frozen and that's the order.
01:00:52The benefit of your Norris is if that happens, you're sitting on pole.
01:00:56You can't have the mindset though.
01:00:57You have to be out there thinking, let me find another tenth or two.
01:01:01Let me find the last little piece of the puzzle to improve my time.
01:01:05Because I think if he doesn't, there's still potential for Mercedes to improve.
01:01:10Hamilton's lap was extremely good.
01:01:12He's still looking confident around here.
01:01:13But can he find a little bit more?
01:01:15Can Hajar put a much better lap in at this phase of qualifying?
01:01:21George Russell going out early because of the disappointment of that first run.
01:01:27Currently in tenth position.
01:01:28And deciding to wait until the last possible moment.
01:01:31And he boots the throttle and begins a really consequential lap.
01:01:36Looking for compliance, looking for a clean one.
01:01:39As he rotates the car and it was a little bit loose out of two.
01:01:42Yeah, it did look like he was still fighting for traction.
01:01:44That's the rear grip that he didn't have on the last lap when he came through this section.
01:01:48So you're flat out through five.
01:01:50Pick yourself to the right-hand side and hit the brakes for turn six.
01:01:53Here we go.
01:01:55Better for Russell.
01:01:56Gets over the curb on the left-hand side.
01:01:58But still fighting the traction slightly coming through turn seven.
01:02:02He's obviously right with Lando Norris through the first sector.
01:02:05It's a much better start to the lap.
01:02:07And we know the Mercedes is good at the end of it.
01:02:09So, fighting the wheel again.
01:02:10These traction zones are not comfortable for the Mercedes.
01:02:13But are they quick?
01:02:14They're quick enough.
01:02:15He's in range.
01:02:16Well, that is going to put him one thousandth of a second behind Hamilton.
01:02:20But remember, this is the part of the track as Russell applies all of that power.
01:02:25Fights the car slightly out of the hairpin at turn ten.
01:02:27He's got to get around the car that is building up.
01:02:30That's Franco Colapinto, who moves away from the racing line.
01:02:34How much dare he gamble?
01:02:36That's very, very tight on the second part of the corner for George Russell.
01:02:41Maybe a little bit of time left there.
01:02:43Russell to third.
01:02:45And he fell back by a tenth.
01:02:47Over to Max Verstappen.
01:02:48A huge gap at the rear wing.
01:02:50Verstappen doesn't improve.
01:02:51And his tough qualifying hour continues in P7.
01:02:55Yeah, it wasn't coming for Max all the way through there.
01:02:58It was coming for George.
01:02:59Even if traction was difficult, he had a chance.
01:03:02But overcommitted, I think, to that final chicane.
01:03:05Tried to turn it in and they thought, oh my word, I'm in hot.
01:03:08And couldn't get out of that corner too well.
01:03:10So a little bit more time seeped away on the sector where Mercedes still have the best time.
01:03:15Let's see what Kimi can do.
01:03:18Verstappen on the radio saying it's absolutely impossible.
01:03:21And that's a driver who is a three-time winner of the Canadian Grand Prix.
01:03:25Just couldn't find the setup which they unlocked after the sprint race.
01:03:30To Kimi Antonelli with his teammate in third.
01:03:33A chance for Hamilton and Norris to go again.
01:03:35Is this an opportunity for the championship leader?
01:03:38Car looks better.
01:03:39He's finding the traction.
01:03:41He's hopping over those curbs.
01:03:42And it's sitting down nicely for him when he applies the right foot.
01:03:45And gets on the gas once again.
01:03:46Lovely curb angle as he gets through turn seven.
01:03:49Without so much as a bit of opposite lock that George Russell was having.
01:03:54On the brakes.
01:03:55Weave your way through the latest chicane.
01:03:57He goes through the dust.
01:04:00Whoever was ahead of him there has dragged the dust onto the circuit.
01:04:04And Antonelli is two hundredths back on Lando Norris' time.
01:04:09With that back straight where the Mercedes are superlative.
01:04:12Leclerc picture of picture squirming his way towards the wall.
01:04:15And he's on a better lap.
01:04:16But this now is all on Antonelli.
01:04:18If he matches his best last sector.
01:04:20He'll be on provisional pole.
01:04:22Right out towards the grass on turn in.
01:04:24Antonelli looking for provisional pole.
01:04:27This is the moment as he comes across the line.
01:04:30Antonelli goes fastest.
01:04:32By eight hundredths of a second.
01:04:34Norris is still in the fight.
01:04:36It is not done yet.
01:04:37It's all going to come down to the large chicane.
01:04:39And the wall of champions for Lando Norris.
01:04:41Possibly for Oscar Piastri too.
01:04:43Charles Leclerc improves to fourth position.
01:04:45The McLarens are still contenders.
01:04:47Lewis Hamilton has bailed out of it.
01:04:49He has dropped off the front row.
01:04:50And Piastri will try and demote him further.
01:04:53Lando Norris is already there.
01:04:54Up against Kimi Antonelli.
01:04:56Trying to take his first Grand Prix pole.
01:04:58Since he became world champion.
01:05:00Lando Norris misses out by eight hundredths of a second.
01:05:03And here's Oscar Piastri.
01:05:04Who's been the second of the McLarens so far this weekend.
01:05:08Can he change it at the end?
01:05:09He gets to third.
01:05:10Russell goes again.
01:05:11He does indeed.
01:05:13Hajar to the line.
01:05:14But Russell with that second flying lap.
01:05:16Mercedes went early.
01:05:17They've given him two shots.
01:05:19And this is it.
01:05:20All or nothing for George.
01:05:21He's seventh at the moment.
01:05:23Hajar gets to P5.
01:05:26Russell fighting it all the way to the end.
01:05:28Can he get on the front row?
01:05:30Can he take pole position again?
01:05:32The answer is yes!
01:05:34George Russell steps forward at the end.
01:05:37And takes pole position once again.
01:05:40For the third year in a row.
01:05:42He will lead the line for the Canadian Grand Prix.
01:05:45Russell with a last gasp effort.
01:05:48And after all of that excitement.
01:05:50Once again.
01:05:51It is a Mercedes 1-2.
01:05:53With Russell set once more.
01:05:55To start eight metres ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
01:05:58If you like what you saw in the sprint earlier on.
01:06:00Round two is coming tomorrow.
01:06:03Sign me up.
01:06:05Chapeau George Russell.
01:06:06What a lap.
01:06:08So much on the line.
01:06:10Seventh place.
01:06:11Looking uncomfortable.
01:06:12Not feeling the grip.
01:06:13I bet it was his decision to go and have two bites of the cherry at the end.
01:06:17And my word.
01:06:17He made the most of it.
01:06:19Piecing it together.
01:06:20Oh.
01:06:21Hamilton.
01:06:22Touched the grass.
01:06:23But he was just dragged off wide to the wall with it.
01:06:26Out of turn seven.
01:06:28The chance fading.
01:06:29Hamilton down to fifth.
01:06:30Having occupied the front row after run one.
01:06:33It's Russell.
01:06:34On pole.
01:06:35In Canada.
01:06:39Nice work.
01:06:40Nice work.
01:06:41Woohoo.
01:06:43Yes.
01:06:45Well.
01:06:46Well done mate.
01:06:47Keep me posted.
01:06:47Is that good enough?
01:06:48Yep.
01:06:49That is good enough.
01:06:51Well done.
01:06:53Oh.
01:06:53We made that a bit tricky.
01:06:58Well George Russell.
01:06:59Identical time.
01:07:00To Max Verstappen.
01:07:02A couple of years ago.
01:07:03A good effort last year.
01:07:06And three in a row.
01:07:07Secured by all of six hundredths of a second.
01:07:10I think that's his best pole.
01:07:12You can.
01:07:12I mean you can tell the elation in his voice what it means.
01:07:15It's the most exhilarating feeling in the world.
01:07:18When it comes.
01:07:20Last minute.
01:07:21Out of nowhere.
01:07:22Good job.
01:07:24You were going to be so insufferable if he was going to say.
01:07:26That's my favourite pole.
01:07:28We all thought it was coming.
01:07:31No.
01:07:31What a laugh.
01:07:32I mean he's absolutely right.
01:07:33It's come from nowhere.
01:07:34There was barely a point in that hour where it looked like he was comfortable.
01:07:38He was under pressure all sprint.
01:07:41We've got a lot more popcorn to be getting out for the race tomorrow with those two on the front
01:07:46row again.
01:07:46But that's going to be a bit of a gut punch for Kimi.
01:07:49Who looked like he had it.
01:07:51Made his own improvement at the end to get ahead of Norris.
01:07:54Shane Vallando to slide off the front row and start third.
01:07:58But you've got to take your hat off to that.
01:08:01That is a sensational lap from Russell under a lot of pressure.
01:08:05Well, if he'd overcooked it, he would have been looking at a lot of work to do in the opening
01:08:11stint of the race.
01:08:12And he's taken pole position.
01:08:19For the ninth time in his Formula One career, George Russell has taken pole position and it was a great
01:08:25fight with Kimi Antonelli.
01:08:26Six hundredths of a second deciding things between the top two in the World Championship.
01:08:31Then it is the McLaren pair occupying row number two.
01:08:36Norris finding himself half a tenth ahead of Oscar Piastri, who found his best balance at the end of the
01:08:44session.
01:08:45Max Verstappen not happy in P6.
01:08:48And Lewis Hamilton with a mistake on his second run, which prevented any improvement after he'd provisionally got himself to
01:08:55the front row.
01:08:56But it's the Mercedes pair once again and like all entertaining championship battles, they are driving themselves to new heights.
01:09:05Career pole number nine for George Russell and he will head the field for the first time since the season
01:09:10opener in Melbourne for a Grand Prix.
01:09:12And it'll mean that little bit more to him with that fight that they had earlier on.
01:09:17The antics between the two Mercedes teammates, title rivals and the tension just brewing and the delivery of one of
01:09:26the great laps there for George.
01:09:28Huge one for him. They've learned how to start, it seems.
01:09:31They need to show they can do it on a consistent basis tomorrow.
01:09:37All right, Jamie Chadwick is down in Park Fermi. Let's hear from our qualifying top three.
01:09:45George, wow. A very, very close qualifying session in the end. Not the easiest obsession for you. Talk us through
01:09:51it.
01:09:52It's always challenging coming back from the sprint race. The car feels very different. You're obviously into the qualifying format.
01:09:59We made some changes as a team. We need to review after if that was the right direction.
01:10:05And then obviously that last lap just sort of came from nowhere. And it was just such a great feeling
01:10:09when it was such a challenging session.
01:10:11And then you just pull it all together. That last lap to sort of throw yourself over the leaderboard was
01:10:16epic.
01:10:17What were the challenges? Because you end up out of sync. You said you had an issue with the rear
01:10:20or something came in.
01:10:21And then obviously did the lap on the very last lap, but it was looking tough until then.
01:10:25Yeah, I mean, we made some changes based on the forecast for tomorrow.
01:10:29It may have hurt us a little bit for now. It just took the car out of sync a little
01:10:34bit.
01:10:34And, you know, both of us, you know, Kimi was definitely more competitive than I in that session, but we
01:10:40weren't as, you know, clear ahead of everybody else as we were yesterday.
01:10:43So it was definitely a challenge. But as I said, just managed to redial my driving in for that last
01:10:48lap and put it together.
01:10:50Kimi, you looked in control for most of the qualifying session, just missing out at the very end.
01:10:55How was that last lap? Do you think there was a bit more on the table?
01:10:58Yeah, I mean, it's always a bit hard to commit for lap one.
01:11:03It's been very difficult this weekend with the tyres, putting them in the right window.
01:11:09But, yeah, I was pretty happy. Of course, there was still a little bit left on the table, but Jordi
01:11:14did a great lap.
01:11:16And, yeah, now it's on to tomorrow.
01:11:18And tomorrow is looking, I think, quite different conditions. Any thoughts on that?
01:11:22Yeah, I mean, we'll see. I mean, we'll see what the weather is going to be like. But, of course,
01:11:27we'll try to be ready for anything.
01:11:29Lando, P3, similar to yesterday. Is that the best you could have hoped for? Or do you think there's a
01:11:34bit more?
01:11:36It's always impossible to know. I feel like we did a good job out there today, honestly.
01:11:41You can always say it, but I'm sure everyone can say around here, it's a difficult track to kind of
01:11:46put everything together perfectly.
01:11:48But I think we did another good job. It's clear that these guys are just a little bit quicker.
01:11:52It's nice to be closer than we were yesterday. So, no, I mean, I had fun this morning.
01:11:56Of course, the weather's going to be different tomorrow, so we'll wait and see.
01:12:00But we're in a good place and we're in the place we need to be.
01:12:03Good luck tomorrow. And just back to you, George. Obviously, we saw some great racing earlier today.
01:12:08Do you think this is going to be the same again tomorrow? The glove's going to be off or have
01:12:11you been told something different?
01:12:13No, I mean, we've had a good chat since this morning and, you know, we're both racing drivers.
01:12:19We both know what to do. We both respect one another. So, we'll go racing.
01:12:23I think, you know, we hope it's just battling the two of us, but we saw today how competitive everybody
01:12:28else is.
01:12:29Tomorrow looks to be wet. That's going to be a whole new challenge as well.
01:12:31So, to be honest, it's not really what we're thinking about now.
01:12:34We just want to ensure that we can be standing on the top step.
01:12:37Good luck.
01:12:37Thank you so much. Thanks, everybody.
01:12:42Thank you, George Russell, for your answers.
01:12:44The question's asked by Jamie Chadwick.
01:12:46And it's Russell Antonelli and Norris the top three for the Canadian Grand Prix.
01:12:51George Russell's entire margin of taking pole position added together around here.
01:12:55Two tenths of a second across three years.
01:12:58For the third year in a row, he is the driver to beat at the Canadian Grand Prix.
01:13:03He won last year.
01:13:05Amazing three-car battle for the win was resolved in Max Verstappen's favour in 2024.
01:13:10That involved Lando Norris as well, who's chasing his first win at this circuit.
01:13:15And the pole position trophy.
01:13:17So, he did it in the sprint.
01:13:19But everyone got a chance to take all of their knowledge of the cars to reset.
01:13:23And he's done it again under considerable pressure for the Grand Prix.
01:13:28So, four qualifying sessions in a row around this circuit that he has topped.
01:13:32But crucially, having taken eight points earlier on in the sprint,
01:13:35Russell finds himself with a chance to go for the 25.
01:13:39Interesting line from him about the setup, though.
01:13:42So, that compromise with pretty much every paddock, every team in the paddock saying that rain is expected.
01:13:51It's been an all-dry weekend.
01:13:53And you know it's a good lap.
01:13:55When it's arm off the steering wheel, waving to the crowd.
01:14:00That euphoric feeling of putting together a pushback with the pressure on.
01:14:04And it's George Russell with his second pole of the year.
01:14:07And he's ninth in his Formula One career.
01:14:14As we look at downtown Montreal.
01:14:19And we'll reveal the circuit in the middle of the St. Lawrence River.
01:14:25And we'll confirm your order for the Canadian Grand Prix.
01:14:31After the full qualifying hour, it's George Russell.
01:14:34Still the driver to beat over one lap around this venue.
01:14:36Kimi Antonelli got within six hundredths of a second.
01:14:39Lando Norris much closer.
01:14:42Believes he can fight tomorrow.
01:14:44Oscar Piastri, two tenths of a second away.
01:14:45He's in fourth.
01:14:46Hamilton with that mistake in turn seven.
01:14:49He's fifth.
01:14:50As he tries to hustle the car around this circuit.
01:14:53Then it's Verstappen, Hadjar, Leclerc, Lindblad and Franco Collor Pinto.
01:14:58Completing the top ten.
01:15:00Only his second Q3 appearance of the season.
01:15:03Hockenberg in 11th.
01:15:05And then it's Lawson, Bortoleto and Gasly.
01:15:07Sainz, Behrman, Ocon, Albon and Alonso.
01:15:11Sergio Perez is in 20th position for Cadillac.
01:15:19And the final two.
01:15:21Lance Stroll is in 21st place.
01:15:23Valtteri Bottas was 22nd after a lockup on his final run in Q1.
01:15:28My thanks to Jolyon and for the updates from Alex and Ruth.
01:15:33It is well set up for another Titanic battle,
01:15:35but the picture could completely change when the rain arrives in Montreal.
01:15:40We'll see you for the Canadian Grand Prix when Formula One returns tomorrow.
01:15:44Goodbye.
01:15:44Bye, bye bye.
01:15:45Bye, bye bye bye.
01:15:48Bye, bye bye.
01:15:51Bye, bye.
01:16:26Субтитры создавал DimaTorzok
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