Mercedes remains the team to beat in the 2026 Formula 1 season. In the qualifying for the Canadian GP this Saturday (23), George Russell will start from pole position, while Kimi Antonelli completes the front row in Montreal.
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In the earlier Sprint race, tensions ran high between the teammates. In an overtaking attempt, the Italian moved on the British driver but had the door closed and went off track, complaining a lot on the radio.
After the situation was calmed down, Russell praised the pole in the fifth round of the 2026 season and highlighted the positive weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
“We had a good day yesterday and another good day today. The team worked very hard to bring a big upgrade this weekend and that helped us stay a bit ahead of the competition. We had to work hard for it, with McLaren right behind us in the Sprint. The battle between Kimi and me was tough but fair, and that gave Norris the chance to close in, but we are happy to take the win and add another good haul of points for the team,” he noted.
“It wasn’t just McLaren putting pressure on us in qualifying. Ferrari and Red Bull were also in the fight for pole, while we were struggling to get the tires working properly and dealing with a temperature imbalance between the axles. I was lacking confidence throughout the session, but the team did a great job nailing the tire preparation in Q3 and giving us the chance to secure pole position,” he continued.
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“We expect cooler conditions tomorrow, along with the possibility of rain, so we don’t know exactly what to expect. We will do all the necessary preparation and hope to finish the weekend on a high, fighting for the win,” he concluded.
Antonelli, meanwhile, regretted not getting pole but praised the overall positive result. “This morning’s Sprint was an intense race. There was a lot of action and I’m sure everyone who watched enjoyed it! George and I fought hard against each other, but we know where the limits are. Still, we scored good points with P3 and that was important both for me and the team.
“Qualifying was much more complicated than the Sprint Qualifying the day before. It was difficult to get the tires into the ideal operating window and there was definitely more time to find. My last lap wasn’t perfect and I lost a bit of time in the second sector. I think that’s where I let the pole position slip. It’s frustrating to lose P1 by such a small margin, but it’s still a good result and gives us the chance to fight for the win tomorrow,” he continued.
“The weather looks uncertain for tomorrow. There will probably be many unknowns and it might be a matter of keeping the car on track and being ready for any situation. If we race in the wet, it will be the first time for everyone with these cars, so it will be an interesting experience,” he concluded.
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