Max Verstappen will start from the leading position at the Canadian Grand Prix, which takes place on Sunday afternoon.
• Also read: Grand Prix: Dealers make golden deals
• Also read: Grand Prix: Lance Stroll eliminated in Q1
• Also read: Formula 1: an uncomfortable budget ceiling
At the wheel of his Red Bull, the Dutchman covered the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit in 1 minute and 21.299 seconds to overtake, not without surprise, Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Alpine), who has not been on the front row of an F1 grid for ten years .
Photo agency QMI, Joël Lemay
Quebec’s Lance Stroll only managed the 18th fastest time and was eliminated in the first qualifying round.
Charles Leclerc’s penalty (replacing engine components) will still earn him a place on the grid.
Sebastian Vettel, Stroll’s teammate at Aston Martin, did little better with 17th fastest time, while the other Canadian, Nicholas Latifi, was 19th.
Both will also benefit from Leclerc’s efforts to climb a rank.
Dad’s playground
Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) share the second row as the red lights go out.
This qualifying, which started in the rain, also impressed the two drivers of the American Haas team, Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, who took fifth and sixth place.
On his first outing in Montreal, Schumacher delivered a best qualifying performance of his young career, at a track where his famous father Michael climbed to the top step of the podium seven times.
Perez mistake
Verstappen did the right thing by signing his second leadership position of the season and his first ever at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit.
Photo: AFP
The Dutch driver meeting the media after qualifying.
His two main rivals for the title race, teammate Sergio Pérez (13th) and Leclerc will have to work hard to ensure resonance.
The Mexican made a costly mistake in the second qualifying round when he lost control of his Red Bull and crashed into a guard rail.
We saw him attempt to reverse gear to get out of his awkward position, but to no avail. The marshals had no choice but to set a red flag to clear his racing car.
Pérez tried to improve his lot by being one of the first to fit his car with intermediate tires, but this strategy was unsuccessful.
“I love this tour”
“I’m not expecting an easy race,” said Verstappen at a press conference. I have to thank my team for making the right decisions at the end of the third qualifying round. »
The racing line dried out five minutes before the end of the debates, prompting the ten drivers qualified in Q3 to put their formula cars on slick tyres.
“I love this track,” added the Dutchman, and their ardent fans. We get that feeling of karting on curbs. That is a lot of fun. »
Alonso, the dean of the grid, confirmed his great form, he who had dominated the last free practice session on a totally wet track a few hours earlier.
“My goal, said the 40-year-old Spaniard, is to lead the race. I plan to attack Max from the first corner… It would be nice to dominate this Grand Prix. »
For the first time, after several rejections on his part, Jacques Villeneuve finally took on the role of interviewer for the first three drivers as they exited the car at the end of qualifying. The same task should be entrusted to him at the end of the Grand Prix.
According to the latest weather forecasts, spectators are in for a treat on Sunday after suffering a dreadful day at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit.
1D line
- Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)
- Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine Renault)
2e line
- Carlos Sainz Jr. (ESP/Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)
3e line
- Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas Ferrari)
- Mick Schumacher (GER/Haas Ferrari)
4e line
- Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine Renault)
- George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)
5e line
- Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren Mercedes)
- Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo)
6e line
- Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo)
- Alexander Albon (THA/Williams Mercedes)
7e line
- Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren Mercedes)
8the line
- Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)
- Sebastian Vettel (GER/Aston Martin-Mercedes)
9e line
- Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin Mercedes)
- Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams Mercedes)
10e line
- Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)
- Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)