George Russell secured a spectacular pole position for the 2025 Canadian GP at the iconic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with the starting grid set for an intense showdown. The Mercedes driver will lead the field into Turn 1, aiming for victory at one of Formula 1’s most demanding circuits.
Alongside Russell on the front row will be his fierce championship rival Max Verstappen, ensuring an electrifying start given their recent heated exchanges. Verstappen’s strong qualifying performance was overshadowed by lingering tension from a controversial collision with Russell in the previous race at Barcelona.
Oscar Piastri, the current championship leader, lines up third for McLaren, providing him a strategic advantage to protect and potentially extend his lead in the drivers’ standings. Behind him, promising young talent Kimi Antonelli will start fourth in the second Mercedes, showcasing impressive consistency and pace.
Lewis Hamilton occupies fifth place for Ferrari, alongside the experienced Fernando Alonso, who once again delivered a standout performance for Aston Martin to qualify sixth. Lando Norris faces a challenging start from seventh after struggling in qualifying, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completes the fourth row in eighth.
Isack Hadjar secured ninth for Racing Bulls but faces scrutiny after an alleged impeding incident with Carlos Sainz. Alex Albon recovered from a dramatic qualifying session—highlighted by his Williams losing bodywork mid-session—to round out the top ten.
F1 Starting Grid 2025 Canadian GP – Final
Here is the full F1 starting grid for the 2025 Canadian GP, based on Saturday’s qualifying results.
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| Pos | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 7 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 8 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 9 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 10 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber |
| 12 | Isack Hadjar* | Racing Bulls |
| 13 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 14 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 15 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 18 | Yuki Tsunoda* | Red Bull |
| 19 | Pierre Gasly* | Alpine |
| 20 | Liam Lawson* | Racing Bulls |
- Yuki Tsunoda – 10-place grid penalty for passing the McLaren of Oscar Piastri under red flag conditions in final practice.
- Isack Hadjar – 3 place grid penalty – Impeding another driver
- Liam Lawson – Additional PU elements have been used – Starts from pit lane.
- Pierre Gasly – Additional PU elements have been used – Starts from pit lane.
Grid penalty shakes up midfield order
Outside the top ten, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto achieved his best qualifying result since returning, initially placing 12th but promoted to 11th following Yuki Tsunoda’s penalty. Tsunoda received a 10-place grid drop after illegally passing Oscar Piastri’s McLaren under red flag conditions during FP3, pushing the Red Bull driver to the back of the grid.
Behind Colapinto, Nico Hulkenberg starts 12th for Sauber, ahead of the Haas pairing of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon in 13th and 14th. Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missed advancing beyond Q1 and lines up 15th, with Carlos Sainz next in a disappointing 16th for Williams.
Local favourite Lance Stroll will need to navigate significant traffic from 17th, as he continues recovering from a recent wrist surgery. The final rows see Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson in 18th and a surprisingly struggling Pierre Gasly in 19th for Alpine, with Tsunoda now at the rear due to his infringement.
