Russell edges out Antonelli to seal pole position for Canadian Grand Prix

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a], winner of the day's earlier sprint race from pole, crossed the line 0.068 of a second faster than the Italian right at the end of the session after the 19-year-old had gone quicker than everyone else.[/p][p][b]"That is the most exhilarating feeling in the world when it comes last-minute, out of nowhere,"[/b] the Briton said on the team radio after a shriek of joy. "We made that a bit tricky..." [/p][p]McLaren's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a], the reigning champion, will start in third place on Sunday with Australian teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] alongside him for what could be a wet race.[/p][p]Ferrari's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] qualified fifth with Red Bull's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a] sixth. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Hadjar[/a] will start seventh alongside Ferrari's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a].[/p][p]Racing Bulls rookie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindblad-arvid/bgk1rl5a/"]Arvid Lindblad[/a] qualified ninth with Alpine's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/colapinto-franco/GzFqySBA/"]Franco Colapinto[/a], finally finding some form after a breakthrough weekend in Miami, will start 10th.[/p][embed guid="58927472-acd5-4fbc-8a10-2dd365630b10" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2058296963200700532" social-type="twitter" /][p]The pole was a third in a row in Canada for Russell, who converted the position into victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last year.[/p][p]It had not looked at all like a given minutes earlier when Russell aborted his first attempt and was still to set a time with six minutes to go.[/p][p]Russell had not figured in the top three in the two previous qualifying phases, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a] - winner of the last three grands prix and 18 points clear of Russell in the standings - top in Q1 and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar fastest in Q2.[/p][p][b]"That last lap came from nowhere. It was such a great feeling when it was such a challenging session, and to pull it all together on that last lap to throw yourselves up the leaderboard is epic," [/b]said the Mercedes driver.[/p][p][b]"Kimi was more competitive than I and we weren't as clear ahead of everyone else as yesterday, so it was a challenge but I redialled my driving and put it together."[/b][/p][embed guid="e883b134-bdb8-4ceb-8d12-1708772ff3fa" url="https://x.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/2058302507143639390" social-type="twitter" /]