Chadwick: Antonelli will be frustrated after Russell snatches Canadian GP pole

Three-time W Series champion and Sky Sports F1 pundit Jamie Chadwick believes Kimi Antonelli will be left feeling frustrated after being narrowly beaten to pole position by his teammate George Russell during qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix.

As the clock ticked down to zero in qualifying at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Antonelli looked set to take pole position for Sunday's race with a time of 1:12.646. But his experienced teammate, who had already won the sprint race earlier on Saturday, knocked him off the top spot at the last moment with a time of 1:12.578.

Why it matters:

The qualifying result sets up a Mercedes front-row lockout for the Canadian Grand Prix, with the team's young talent Antonelli showing strong pace throughout the session but ultimately falling short against the more experienced Russell. This dynamic highlights the internal battle brewing at Mercedes as Antonelli continues to challenge his veteran teammate.

The details:

• "I don't think George Russell was expecting pole position," Chadwick told Sky Sports F1. "That whole session was horrible for him. He seemed to have an issue, and Kimi Antonelli had a big advantage."
• "It was only really the last lap when it came to him, so I am sure there is a sense of relief and elation. Any time a sportsperson performs or bounces back under pressure it has double the effect."
• Chadwick noted that the session was unpredictable throughout, with Isack Hadjar briefly in contention before the order settled as expected.
• "Kimi will be a bit frustrated. He was so strong throughout the session. I think he has had more consistent pace than George throughout this weekend and that is going to be important for him in the race."

What's next:

While Mercedes' drivers will take up the front row on the Canadian Grand Prix starting grid, McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start from third and fourth, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top five. Antonelli's consistent pace could prove crucial in the race as he looks to convert his qualifying speed into a strong result.