P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mark Hughes looks into George Russell’s surprise pole and how it was possible. Hint: some struggles from rivals made that ‘stupendous’ lap more profitable
George Russell’s pole lap at the Canadian Grand Prix was exceptional, faster by 0.3 seconds in both sector 1 and sector 2 compared to his first Q3 lap. He ultimately secured pole position by a tenth-and-a-half over Max Verstappen, surprising given Mercedes’ expected strong performance at this track. Both Russell and Verstappen opted for the medium C5 tire for their final runs, proving to be the optimal choice over the soft C6 used by others like McLaren and Ferrari. Leclerc’s Ferrari with extra front wing showed great mechanical grip, but a turbulent moment from Racing Bulls hindered his final lap for pole position. Ultimately, Russell’s exceptional performance and tire choice played a significant role in securing pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix.
