George Russell will start the Canadian Grand Prix 2026 from pole position after leading a Mercedes front-row lockout at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
Russell beat Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli by about six-hundredths of a second in qualifying, according to The Guardian. The result gave Mercedes its fifth straight pole of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The pole followed a tense sprint race between the two Mercedes drivers. Russell won the sprint, while Antonelli accused him of forcing him off track during their battle, according to TalkSport.
The result cut Antonelli’s lead over Russell in the drivers’ championship to 18 points. The 18-year-old arrived in Montreal after three straight wins, including victory from pole in Miami, according to BBC Sport.
McLaren will start from the second row, with Lando Norris third and Oscar Piastri fourth. The Guardian reported that Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen placed sixth.
Read: Russell Canadian GP Pole Sealed by 0.068 Seconds
The race is the fifth round of the 2026 Formula One World Championship and the third sprint weekend of the season. BBC Sport listed the Canadian Grand Prix weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve from May 22 to May 24.
The Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, with lights out at 9 pm UK time, according to Sky Sports and Radio Times
