Hello and welcome to this Total Motorsport live blog for qualifying at the F1 2025 Canadian GP from Montreal, where the fight for pole position is shaping up to be a thriller following a dramatic final practice session.
Lando Norris delivered when it mattered for McLaren, setting the pace in FP3 with a 1:11.779 lap, narrowly beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by just 0.078s, who delivered an excellent lap in his recovery from a crash in FP1 on Friday. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton followed closely for Mercedes, while Max Verstappen remained firmly in the mix, just 0.273s off the top. With six drivers from three teams separated by fractions, all signs point to a fierce qualifying session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
There was drama too, as Oscar Piastri and Nico Hulkenberg both found the Wall of Champions, bringing out the red flag. Piastri limped back with a puncture, while Hulkenberg suffered rear wing damage. Oliver Bearman also kissed the wall in his Haas, but escaped serious damage, while Franco Colapinto narrowly avoided disaster for Alpine.
Stay with Total-Motorsport.com for live updates from 16:00 local time for qualifying at the F1 2025 Canadian GP as we find out who takes pole!
F1 Canadian GP 2025 Qualifying LIVE: Latest Updates
George Russell makes pole for 2025 Canadian GP: How does he feel?
It’s a first pole position of the year for George Russell and it’s a memorable one in Canada as the Brit delivers one of the best laps of his career to start the 2025 Canadian GP from the front of the grid.
Not just good in terms of quality, the Mercedes star admitted he was even enjoying it from within the car as he knew he was on for a good one.
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“Today was awesome,” Russell told F1 TV. “That last lap was probably one of the most exhilarating laps of my life.
“Because on my steering wheel you have the delta and I was seeing every corner I was one tenth quicker.
“I got into the last corner and I was six tenths up so I was like, ‘This lap is mighty’. Crossing the line and seeing we were P1 was a real surprise but I was so chuffed with it.”
Max Verstappen misses out on pole, but he’s not downbeat
Max Verstappen misses out on pole position once again but the Dutchman isn’t feeling down in the dumps about it as he gets ahead of both his rivals for the title.
Now he needs to overtake George Russell if he wants to win the 2025 Canadian GP, but either way, he’s happy with how his afternoon played out in Montreal.
“I felt quite good all weekend. The car actually was in a good window,” Verstappen told F1 TV. “”You need to quite efficient on the straights, which we are in general.
“So overall I’m quite happy with qualifying. The car was again working quite well. The tough choice was the tyres, which one to use. But I think we did the right thing [mediums].”
Oscar Piastri content to race from third on the grid
Oscar Piastri starts the 2025 Canadian GP with a golden chance to extend his championship lead after Lando Norris slumped to seventh in the order.
But he is third on the grid and behind one of his championship challengers in Max Verstappen, so how does he ultimately feel about his effort?
“After how practice went I’m pretty happy with myself,” Piastri told F1 TV. “A nice turnaround.
“It was always the question, do we want the medium or soft for Q3? We went with the soft because we were having a lot of problems and wanted to keep things consistent.
“I’m pretty happy with third which is a bit different this year but I will definitely take it.”
GEORGE RUSSELL TAKES POLE FOR THE F1 2025 CANADIAN GP
It’s not Max Verstappen, Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri who takes pole position for the 2025 Canadian GP, it’s George Russell who stuns the cards for Mercedes!
The Brit bangs in a 1:10.899 on the medium tyre to beat the defending champion by 0.160 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as Verstappen lines up right next to him after their dramatic incident in Spain last time out.
Then comes Piastri, Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar and Alex Albon to round out the Top 10 for the 2025 Canadian GP on Sunday, June 15.
That was not in the script – especially for Norris, who is poised to watch the championship lead slip further away after two shocking Q3 laps.
90 seconds to go: Messy from Leclerc
Charles Leclerc almost loses his SF-25 Ferrari through the Turn 6 corner, but he has enough time to back off and go again right at the death.
That’s not ideal for the Monegasque star, who is now down to eighth on the grid.
Three minutes to go: Final runs are here
Max Verstappen has the advantage of provisional pole in this final part of qualifying as the last runs beckon in Canada. Can anyone respond?
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri look to bring the fight to the four-time world champion, they will get one chance to do it.
However, Norris is being coached through his own prep lap…
Six minutes to go: Norris gets up to fifth
Lando Norris goes again and gets his second lap on the board to go fifth, it’s not what he wants but it does help him put that mistake behind him.
Remember, he was fuelled for two laps if he managed to do that run plan, so expect him to be a factor when the cars come out for their final efforts.
Can he fight back to take pole from under the nose of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen?
Eight minutes to go: Error from Norris!
Lando Norris gets it wrong into the final chicane and has to skip the corner after getting too ambitious on the brakes!
He loses that lap time and all of the tyre life in those softs, so now he has to reset and go once again.
Max Verstappen goes to the top of the times with a 1:11.248 to pip Oscar Piastri to provisional pole by just a slender 0.025…
Will anyone respond to the Dutchman’s challenge?
GREEN FLAG: Who takes pole for the 2025 Canadian GP?
The session is back underway in Canada and we’re back to running in this qualifying session with just 10 drivers remaining.
Realistically, it’s Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli fighting it out for pole. Who takes it in Montreal?
OUT IN Q1: Esteban Ocon (15th), Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto and Yuki Tsunoda.
OUT IN Q2: Tsunoda doesn’t make it
Yuki Tsunoda will start the 2025 Canadian GP from last on the grid, with the Red Bull driver being unable to get his car through to Q3 whilst also carrying a 10-place grid penalty.
He’s joined on the sidelines by Esteban Ocon (15th), Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg, and Franco Colapinto.
Tsunoda feels George Russell should collect a grid penalty for overtaking him at the pit exit, but the rules say if a car is going so slow they appear to have a problem, then that’s OK. We’ll see what happens to the Mercedes later on.
Four minutes to go: Leclerc goes quickest
Charles Leclerc proves there is a lot of time in that Ferrari car, enough to compete for pole, as he puts in a 1:11.626 to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.012 and McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri by 0.050 and 0.089 respectively.
The cars are coming out for their final runs now, and nobody feels safe at the Circuit Gilles Villenueve.
Five minutes to go: Who is in danger?
Five more drivers will be eliminated in five minutes’ time, so who are the ones at risk in Montreal?
Look to Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman to step up the pace.
If they can’t, they could very well miss out on the chance to score some big points at this Canadian GP weekend.
Eight minutes to go: Mercedes can’t match Verstappen either
George Russell can only go sixth-fastest on a set of used soft tyres for Mercedes, whilst Kimi Antonelli joins him close behind in eighth.
That’s not going to worry either the Red Bull or the McLarens so far, the Brit sitting a comfortable 0.322 off the pace despite benefitting from better track evolution in Canada.
More to come from the big boys soon.
12 minutes to go: Verstappen sets the bar
Max Verstappen sets the bar for the rest of the grid to chase as the Red Bull driver puts in a 1:11.638 to go to the top of the times in Montreal.
He’s 0.038 ahead of Lando Norris and 0.077 ahead of Oscar Piastri, his rivals for the title in this F1 2025 season.
The Ferraris do not have an answer for the four-time world champion’s early doors benchmark.
Q2 begins in Canada: Who will make it through to battle for pole?
Drivers now have 15 minutes to get their best times on the board and we have already lost five racers at the end of Q1.
Carlos Sainz suffers disappointment for Williams after Isack Hadjar got in his way at Turn 6 and cost the Spaniard valuable time.
OUT in Q1: Gasly (20th), Lawson, Stroll, Sainz, Bortoleto.
Norris tops Q1 ahead of tight field
At the top of the times, Lando Norris’s 1:11.826 was good enough to beat Oscar Piastri to the punch in the McLaren battle, with Lewis Hamilton slotting into third ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.
Fernando Alonso, in sixth, was close too but didn’t set a final lap at the end of Q1 – is the Spaniard in the mix? Could Aston Martin get a shock result?
OUT IN Q1: Sainz dumped out of qualifying
That’s a bad session for Carlos Sainz who is 17th on the grid and knocked out of qualifying at the 2025 Canadian GP, kicking up the grass on his run to the finish line.
However, he was impeded by Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls car and that will most certainly be a grid-drop penalty for the rookie, regardless of wherever he starts.
OUT in Q1: Gasly (20th), Lawson, Stroll, Sainz, Bortoleto.
Two minutes to go: Norris up to the top
Lando Norris goes to the top of the timing boards with a 1:11.826 and sets a yellow final sector, that should be enough to see him through into Q2.
Will the McLaren have to pay a penalty with using those extra set of red soft tyres?
Time will tell later in the session.
GREEN FLAG: Pit lane opens and the session resumes
There are five minutes and 30 seconds on the clock and a very long queue in the pit lane as drivers are keen to get back out on track and get their laps on the board.
Lando Norris has had to use another set of soft tyres on the McLaren to try and improve on 12th, but with a lot of track evolution due, expect the times to tumble.
The cars are released from the pits and it’s time for a very hectic end to Q1 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, who will be eliminated?
Check out he reason for the red flag below:
Order under the red flag: Alonso leads but who is in danger?
Fernando Alonso currently leads the timing boards under the red flag, the Aston Martin star putting in a very strong lap on the medium tyres to pip Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to the top spot.
But eyes should be turning to the bottom of the order to see who is at risk of elimination.
And it’s not good news for Nico Hulkenberg (20th), Oliver Bearman, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz, who all need to find some extra time.
RED FLAG: Five minutes to go: Debris on track
Alex Albon’s Williams has lost its engine cover on the run down to Turn 12 and it has gone flying off onto the track, sitting just off of the racing line in Canada.
Race Control red flags the session, the time hits pause and the marshals will be able to clear up the debris in a few moments’ time. Can Williams change that engine cover quickly?
Seven minutes to go: 10 PLACE PENALTY FOR TSUNODA
Yuki Tsunoda’s qualifying just took a miserable turn as the Red Bull receives a 10-place grid-penalty for overtaking a slow-moving Oscar Piastri in FP3 earlier on Saturday.
The Australian had hit the wall and given himself a puncture, but the stewards took a dim view of Tsunoda’s driving.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto managed to get away with a similar offence.
Nine minutes to go: Verstappen on top
Max Verstappen comes out of the pits and on his first push lap, he goes straight to the top of the times and just ahead of Oscar Piastri.
That’s a decent lap from the Red Bull.
He has no issues understanding where the grip is.
10 minutes to go: Not a great time from Norris
Lando Norris set a 1:12.6 in the McLaren but it isn’t holding up well as he’s being shuffled down the order and away from Oscar Piastri.
The Brit is currently seventh and 0.364 off the pace, just ahead of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.
It should be a banker lap, but if not? Then that’s very worrying.
11 minutes to go: Verstappen still in the pits
Max Verstappen needs to be coming out onto the track soon if he doesn’t have a problem on his car.
He’s the only driver without a time on the board, and the Red Bull needs to get a move on sharpish.
13 minutes to go: Lock ups for Hamilton and Bearman
Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari and Oliver Bearman in the Haas have a couple of lock-ups on their first laps of the day as they begin to figure out the limit in Canada. They’ve got a lot of time to improve through.
George Russell currently leads the session for Mercedes, ahead of Kimi Antonelli – the latter is interestingly on the medium tyre.
GREEN FLAG: Qualifying begins in Canada
Drivers have 18 minutes to get their best times on the board as they look to book their spots in Q2 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The bottom five cars will be eliminated from the session.
It’s already becoming a busy track, with both Williams and Saubers out there looking to make the most of the time at hand.
Ready to go?
The drivers and teams are ready, and so are we.
Stay tuned for live updates from Total-Motorsport.com at qualifying for the F1 2025 Canadian GP.
Nico Rosberg tells the grid what to expect in Canada
There are a plethora of rookies on this 2025 Formula 1 grid who haven’t had the chance to sling a car around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve until this weekend.
So what should they expect? Who better than Nico Rosberg, the 2016 F1 champion who famously beat Lewis Hamilton in equal machinery, to tell you?
“The track is very particular – it’s different to anything else,” Rosberg told Sky Sports F1. “It’s low downforce, with slow speed corners, lots of kerbs and bumps where you have to be ultra precise.
“It doesn’t allow any errors. You’re straight into the Wall of Champions if you make any error at the final corner. It has everything. A very unique and spectacular weekend.”
Never count out Max Verstappen
Red Bull have a very difficult car to drive but Max Verstappen is managing to make it work as the four-time world champion remains in the hunt at the Canadian GP.
Can he take pole ahead of his title rivals, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri?
Can Ferrari snag pole in Canada?
Charles Leclerc was narrowly behind Lando Norris’ McLaren at the end of FP3 and wasn’t happy with his own lap, whilst Lewis Hamilton was close in fourth at one of his strongest circuits on the calendar.
Could they take their first pole position of the year? For Hamilton, it would be a first since the 2023 Hungarian GP – 689 days ago!
Let’s see what the Scuderia can serve up.
Drama on the last lap in F1 Academy
F1 Academy served up some fine racing on Saturday, including to the chequered flag.
So who managed to win out in the all-women series?
Qualifying times around the globe
Keen to watch all of the action but you’re not sure when?
Check out the guide below by finding your location on the map to know when to turn on the TV.
Welcome to the blog!
Who will take pole position for qualifying at the 2025 Canadian GP? Lando Norris had a slender advantage based on FP3, but the rest of the pack is very close.
Max Verstappen, in fifth, was under three tenths off the McLaren and Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, proved very cautious after hitting the Wall of Champions.
So which man will prove to be the fastest in Canada? Qualifying begins in 50 minutes.
Where to Watch 2025 Canadian GP FP3?
For viewers in the United States, 2025 Canadian GP qualifying will be shown on ESPN2, with streaming coverage via ESPN+.
In the UK, all sessions, including 2025 Canadian GP qualifying are available on Sky Sports F1. And fans in Australia can catch all the action on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, and Foxtel.
What time is Qualifying at the 2025 Canadian GP?
Qualifying for the 2025 Canadian GP begins at 4pm local time on Saturday in Montreal. That means an early evening start for F1 fans in the UK, where the action begins at 9pm on Saturday.
Over in the USA, the 2025 Canadian GP qualifying session begins at 4pm on Saturday afternoon, which means a 1pm start for those on the West Coast.
