George Russell: "Goosebumps" on the way to another Montreal pole

(Motorsport-Total.com) - George Russell secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix with an outstanding final lap in qualifying. The Mercedes driver beat Max Verstappen in a hard-fought qualifying session characterized by changing conditions – finishing at exactly the same time, but with Russell's advantage due to his earlier time. It's the Briton's second pole position in Montreal after 2024.

"That was probably the most exciting lap of my life," Russell said immediately after the session. "On a track like that, you have to commit completely. It's bumpy, the grip is constantly changing, and it's so easy to make a mistake. But I found a tenth in every corner—it was like the car was on rails."

The Mercedes was competitive throughout the weekend, but it wasn't until the crucial moment that everything came together perfectly. "I had goosebumps as I crossed the line – I've never had that after a pole position."

Medium tires as the key to success

A key factor in the performance was the choice of the medium tire in the final Q3 attempt – a risky but ultimately wise decision. While the majority of the field opted for fresh softs, both Russell and Verstappen chose the harder tire – and benefited.

"We weren't sure if it would actually be faster," Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained to Sky . "Normally, you expect the new soft to deliver the best performance, but with this set of C6s, the medium was simply in the better window."

Russell confirms: "The Medium gave me exactly the confidence I needed to push. I don't think the Soft was significantly slower, but with the Medium everything just came together. And even though the car was already good before, it would have been difficult without the right tire choice."

Mercedes on the rise - but with caution

The fact that Mercedes can once again fight for pole positions is an important confirmation of the team's development direction. Wolff emphasizes: "When the driver, the setup, the tires, and the conditions are all right, that's how a lap like this comes about. That was the case with George today – absolutely flawless."

At the same time, the team remains realistic. "A day like today only comes around a few times a season," Russell pointed out. "Our car works particularly well in cool conditions – like here. But that's only three or four races on the calendar. We're working on extending that window."

A challenging task now awaits in the race: With Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri breathing down their necks, Sunday promises to be a battle of blows – strategically as well. But Russell seems ready: "That was only half the battle. Now we have to finish the job tomorrow."