Max Verstappen impresses to take pole position from Fernando Alonso in Canadian Grand Prix qualifying

Max Verstappen’s Red Bull was in a league of its own as he powered to pole position in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix. Qualifying in Montreal started in the wet and ended in the dry, but all conditions came alike to the defending champion as he took pole from Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz.

Ad/> Cars got out early with concerns that despite reports of improving weather, visibility and track conditions meant it was important to put a time down on the board early. Sergio Perez would show why those fears were legitimate in Q2.

Canadian Grand PrixLeclerc questions new FIA measures as Ferrari progress could be ‘put it in the bin’9 HOURS AGO Sebastian Vettel impressed during FP3, but he could not find any pace in qualifying and the Aston Martin driver was the biggest casualty in Q1, with Vettel's teammate Lance Stroll being cut alongside Yuki Tsunoda, NicolasLatifi and Pierre Gasly — who earlier on Saturday had his 2023 AlphaTauri ride confirmed. Verstappen’s team-mate Perez was the big loser in Q2, as he locked his brakes and went careering into the barriers — meaning he was unable to post a time and failed to reach Q3 — and to rub salt into his wounds, the Mexican was made to walk through the undergrowth to get back to the pits, bringing a red flag that interrupted his colleagues' work in the rain.

George Russell in his Mercedes rolled the dice and went for slick tyres late in the session, but the track was not ready and he careered off the track to end his hopes of a shot at pole. With pole looking unlikely for the Mercedes man he was prepared to risk his place for tomorrow's grid position, but ended up down in eighth.