General
Provisional starting grid Canadian GP | Russell ahead of Verstappen
- Ludo van Denderen
George Russell probably did not expect it himself. In a season that has so far been extremely difficult for Mercedes, the Briton's pole at the Canadian Grand Prix is an absolute highlight. The difference with Max Verstappen was small, though. Or rather, there wasn't. Indeed, Russell and Verstappen recorded exactly the same time in Q3 in Montreal (1.12.000). Russell set this time first on the clock, which means he also gets to start first.
Judging from the provisional starting grid, an exciting Grand Prix awaits, with drivers starting from positions that are actually foreign to them. For instance, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz do not even start in the top 10 with their Ferraris. Sergio Perez also has a long way to go before he gets anywhere near the points. Red Bull Racing's Mexican starts from spot 16.
A few hours before the start of the Grand Prix, it becomes clear whether the provisional starting grid is also the final one. It is easy to imagine a single driver in the backfield deciding to make adjustments to his car and as a result start from the pit lane. That could be an option for Esteban Ocon, for example. The Alpine driver had an outstanding grid penalty from the Monaco GP and will therefore start from last place.
