F1 GP Canada 2026 – Starting grid: Russell beats Antonelli at the last second, Leclerc only 8th

The starting grid of the F1 Canada GP

Here is the complete ranking and the starting grid at the end of the qualifying for the 2026 F1 Canada GP:

Read more Leclerc in trouble, snaps on the radio and ‘predicts’ the fourth row: «Either I do P8 or I put it in the wall»

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The Qualifying report in Montreal

The hard-fought and fiercely defended victory in the Sprint Race must have energized George Russell. Thus, almost with the same struggle and despite a somewhat unstable and almost imperfect car, the English Mercedes driver puts himself ahead of everyone again at the end of Q3, decisive for the starting grid of the F1 Canada GP on Sunday. The 28-year-old managed, right at the last moment, in his final good lap and after already making an attempt with the same set of tires, to beat the competition silencing the shout from the box of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was probably already savoring another pole position.

The young Bolognese, however, defends himself well and, with a delay of only 68 thousandths – the same as yesterday – completes yet another all-silver front row of this 2026 Formula 1 season. Behind him, in the identical repetition of the Friday evening sprint qualifying result, are the two McLarens, with the reigning world champion Lando Norris ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri. And with Lewis Hamilton continuing to show himself particularly sharp among the walls of Montreal, confirming himself as the best Ferrari driver, although outpaced at the end and thus slipping to fifth place: the Englishman pays a smaller gap, with “only” 290 thousandths from the pole time of his former teammate.

Read more Leclerc: “Horrible weekend, zero feeling with the car”

Much less well instead goes to Charles Leclerc: the Monegasque continues his somewhat anonymous weekend, complaining about the car’s balance without managing to go beyond eighth place overall. Certainly, it must be said that, contrary to what has been seen many other times this season, the gaps are very tight: Leclerc is indeed in the fourth row, but only 398 thousandths behind Russell. Ahead of him are the two Red Bulls, with Max Verstappen managing to beat Isack Hadjar in the very last attempt, who seemed to be starting to believe in the possibility of beating the four-time world champion. Closing the fifth row on the starting grid, as the last to qualify for Q3, are Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto.

F1 GP Canada 2026, live and qualifying standings

You can relive the emotions of the official practice in Canada with our live report.

The weekend schedule

F1 returns to the track on the Italian evening of Sunday, May 24, with the main event of the entire weekend, the race that closes the 2026 Canada GP weekend. The fifth round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship starts at 22:00, at a somewhat unusual hour to avoid (or minimize) any clashes with the Indianapolis 500 (which starts instead at 18:45). Here are all the weekend times with details of the TV coverage.

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