Formula 1 saw Mercedes give a strong sign of reaction at the Canadian GP, with George Russell taking the Sprint pole after a dominant Friday in Montreal. The Briton outperformed teammate Kimi Antonelli and returned to the center of the fight at an important moment in the 2026 season.
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The German team brought its first major upgrade package of the year to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and the results appeared immediately. Russell comes under pressure after seeing Antonelli win the last three GPs and open a 20-point lead in the championship, but responded with solid performance in both FP1 and the Sprint Qualifying.
“After Miami, obviously it’s great to be back in P1. I never doubted what I’m capable of,” said Russell. The driver also praised Mercedes’ new aerodynamic package: “The team did an incredible job bringing these updates. On a track like this, they really worked very well.”
McLaren also showed strength in Canada with its new upgrade package, considered practically a B car by the team itself. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured the second row of the Sprint after changes made between FP1 and qualifying. “It was a nice surprise. In the morning we were worried about the lack of confidence in the car, but we made important adjustments,” Norris highlighted.
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At Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton had his best Friday of the year. The seven-time world champion abandoned the use of the simulator before the weekend and said the decision improved his adaptation to the car. “It was probably our best qualifying in a long time. The car has been fantastic since FP1,” said the Briton, who will start fifth.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen faced difficulties with the balance of the RB22. The Dutchman complained a lot about the irregularities of the Canadian track and revealed problems even keeping his feet on the pedals. “On the bumps I couldn’t accelerate. My feet would come off the pedals,” explained the Red Bull driver, who starts only on the fourth row of the Sprint.
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