Russell snatches pole position from Verstappen

The Independent and AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 15, 2025, p. a11

After snatching pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix, George Russell threw down the gauntlet to Max Verstappen.

Russell put in a brilliant final lap of qualifying to take his first pole of the season, beating Verstappen by 0.160 seconds, while championship leader Oscar Piastri sits in third.

Russell and Verstappen, arch-rivals after their dispute last year, clashed on track last time out in Spain. The Dutchman was penalized for causing a collision, dropping him from fifth to tenth and earning him three F1 penalty points.

Verstappen is now one penalty point away from a suspension and Russell couldn't help but provoke the Red Bull driver before the grand prix and the first corner on Sunday.

The Dutchman, however, was satisfied with his performance, overtaking the two McLaren drivers and reaching the front row. He has a total of 11 penalty points over a consecutive 12-month period, leaving him one point shy of a one-race ban. He will be out of danger after the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of the month, when he will be docked two points. Until then, he faces a suspension.

Russell's teammate, Kimi Antonelli, will start fourth. Lewis Hamilton will start fifth, Fernando Alonso sixth, and Lando Norris seventh.

Meanwhile, Mexican Pato O'Ward (Arrow McLaren) qualified third for the Bommarito IndyCar race, to be held today in Madison, Illinois.