FACTS AND STATS: Russell bags consecutive Montreal poles while Verstappen starts P2

George Russell grabbed his first pole of the season in Montreal with a stunning last lap in Qualifying to beat Max Verstappen to the P1 grid slot. It was advantage Mercedes in Canada, with McLaren only managing P3 for Oscar Piastri and P7 for Lando Norris. But there was plenty happening up and down the grid, so here are the best facts and stats from Qualifying at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve…

• Q3 saw the fastest laps set in Montreal since 2019.

• This is the first time Russell has taken multiple pole positions at the same venue, having started on pole here last year.

• It was Russell’s sixth career pole and means there is the same front row for the race as last season.

READ MORE: Russell beats Verstappen and Piastri to pole in thrilling Qualifying for Canadian GP

• Verstappen was second, for his fifth front row start of the season. He won from P2 on the grid here last year.

• Piastri grabbed third, but he has never won from that position in his career – he has tasted victory from 1st, 2nd and 4th on the grid.

• Kimi Antonelli was fourth, having only started higher in a Grand Prix once before this season when he was P3 in Miami.

• Lewis Hamilton bagged P5, tying his highest Grand Prix start for Ferrari. It was also Ferrari’s best start in Montreal since 2022.

• Fernando Alonso starts in the top six in Montreal for the fourth consecutive year. It is his third top-six start in the last four Grands Prix.

• Norris was seventh, but drivers starting P7 here have won more times in Montreal this century (twice) than drivers starting third, fourth and fifth combined.

• Norris has only finished on the podium twice when starting outside the top six – at Imola in 2021, and in Qatar in 2023.

READ MORE: Tsunoda handed 10-place grid drop for Canadian GP after red flag infringement in final practice

• Charles Leclerc was out-qualified by Hamilton in consecutive races for the first time.

• Eighth was Leclerc’s highest Montreal start since 2022.

• Isack Hadjar was ninth, which is where he has started three times in the last four Grands Prix.

• Alex Albon was 10th, the same position here as last year.

• Yuki Tsunoda qualified P11 but his grid penalty will drop him to last for the race.

• Franco Colapinto has his best start for Alpine with 11th, beating the P16 he managed in Imola.

• Nico Hulkenberg qualified 13th but starts 12th, his highest starting slot since China.

• Ollie Bearman grabbed P14, as he out-qualifies Esteban Ocon for the fourth time this season.

• Gabriel Bortoleto dropped out in Q1, and has been out-qualified by his team mate 6-4 this year. He missed out in Q2 by 0.007s.

• Carlos Sainz suffered consecutive Q1 eliminations after never being knocked out in Q1 since Abu Dhabi 2023.

WATCH: Albon brings out red flags in Canada Qualifying as engine cover flies off

• Lance Stroll suffered his sixth Q1 exit in 10 race weekends this season. But he has scored points in three Canadian Grands Prix following a Q1 elimination.

• Liam Lawson suffered his worst qualifying performance since China, his last race for Red Bull.

• Pierre Gasly qualified last, meaning Alpine have the slowest qualifier for the second time in the last three races after Colapinto was P20 in Monaco.

• Just 0.841s separated the field in Q1, only slightly more that the 0.834s in Spain.