Canadian Grand Prix 2026: George Russell grabs pole position as Antonelli, McLaren and Ferrari prepare for a fierce battle

Round four of the 2026 Formula 1 season has finally arrived as the lights turn to the iconic Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. After an action-packed weekend and an intense qualifying session, all eyes are now on the main race, scheduled to start in the early hours of May 25 at 1:30 AM IST.George Russell will start on the pole after setting an impressive lap of 1:12.578 in qualifying, just hours after taking the win in the Sprint Race. The Mercedes driver continues to build on what has become a remarkable love affair with Montreal, a track where he also took a pole and a win during the 2025 season.Alongside George Russell will be his Mercedes teammate and current championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

The 19-year-old rookie has been the rising star of the season so far, winning three consecutive Grand Prix races and building a 20-point lead over Russell in the standings. This weekend also marks the first ever Sprint format event in Montreal under Formula 1’s new structure, leaving teams with just one practice session before competitive racing begins.Mercedes has completely dominated the first stage of the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations with its dominant W17 machine, winning all four races so far this season.

But even though the Silver Arrows are closing down the front row again, the pressure is quickly building from behind. McLaren will line up directly behind the Mercedes duo after introducing a major upgrade package for the MCL40 this weekend. With both Norris and Piastri showing impressive pace during qualifying, McLaren remains firmly in contention.Meanwhile, Ferrari arrives in Canada looking for momentum after a mixed start to the season.

For Lewis Hamilton in particular, Montreal could be a turning point in his season with Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most Canadian Grand Prix victories, tied with legend Michael Schumacher with 7 each.It has been an even more disappointing weekend for Oracle Red Bull Racing. Under the new partnership between Red Bull and Ford introduced with the 2026 regulation overhaul, the team has struggled to unleash the pace needed to challenge Mercedes.Four-time world champion Max Verstappen looked visibly frustrated throughout the race and qualifying sessions, repeatedly complaining about the RB22’s lack of straight-line speed. Verstappen eventually qualified more than three-tenths off Russell’s time. Max Verstappen has won the Canadian Grand Prix three times, achieving a dominant hat-trick of consecutive victories between 2022 and 2024.

Isack Hadjar will start alongside Verstappen from sixth position. Now away from racing, what is adding to the tension of the weekend is the growing rivalry between Russell and Antonelli inside the Mercedes garage. During the Sprint Race, Russell aggressively defended the lead on Lap 6, pressing Antonelli wide at Turn 2 and forcing the young Italian onto the grass. Antonelli immediately expressed his frustration on team radio, calling the move “extremely naughty” and demanding a penalty kick.The situation became so severe that Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, intervened over the radio, firmly telling Antonelli to “stop whining on the radio.”Despite the nerves, Antonelli looked set to reclaim pole position later in qualifying. But Russell succeeded in achieving the most important goal, as he managed the final flying lap perfectly to snatch first place by only 0.068 seconds.With team rivalry heating up, McLaren closing in, Ferrari desperate for a breakthrough, and Verstappen struggling to stay in the championship picture, the stage is all set for one of the most dramatic races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Free training result – top 5

Sprint results – top 8 points scored

Grand Prix qualifying results (starting grid)

2026 World Drivers’ Championship standings