Canadian GP, F1 Qualifying Highlights: Max Verstappen secured his fifth pole position of the 2023 and 25th overall as heavy rain forced an early end to Qualifying in Montreal. The Red Bull driver set the fastest lap with a 1:27.059. In a surprising turn of events, Haas achieves their first-ever front-row start, courtesy of Nico Hulkenberg’s second-place finish. Fernando Alonso claims the third spot on the grid, sharing the second row with Lewis Hamilton, while George Russell secures fifth place.
Lando Norris led McLaren’s charge in seventh, while Carlos Sainz was the fastest of the Ferraris after team mate Charles Leclerc – along with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll – dropped out in a dry/wet Q2 phase.
Alex Albon used the changeable conditions in the second segment to his advantage, being the first to bolt on softs and rising to P1 before more rainfall arrived, and then completing the top 10 behind Piastri in the pole shootout.
Leclerc and Perez had to settle for P11 and P12 on the grid respectively, having missed the cut when conditions were at their most precarious in Q2, leading to an angry radio message from the Monegasque when his fate was sealed.
Stroll was another big name to miss out on Q3 after a scruffy session that included a wild spin, the home favourite ending up 13th from the other Haas machine of Kevin Magnussen and the lead Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas.
AlphaTauri lost both drivers in the opening Q1 phase, with Yuki Tsunoda in 16th and Nyck de Vries in 18th, as Pierre Gasly suffered a painful elimination in 17th after approaching a slow-moving Sainz at the final chicane on his final lap – an incident that will be looked at by the stewards.
Logan Sargeant was unable to emulate Albon’s heroics as he piloted his upgrade-free Williams to 19th position, while Zhou Guanyu brought up the rear in the other Alfa Romeo after technical gremlins hindered his efforts.
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