Winners and losers from Canadian GP F1 qualifying 2026

Mercedes secured another 1-2 on the grid for the Canadian Grand Prix, but George Russell's path to pole was anything but smooth. After a tricky session, he delivered a stunning final lap to beat teammate Kimi Antonelli. Here are the biggest winners and losers from qualifying.

Why it matters:

Qualifying sets the stage for Sunday's race in Montreal, where weather and tire management could shake up the order. Mercedes' front-row lockout reinforces its early-season dominance, while struggles for Ferrari and Aston Martin highlight ongoing gaps.

The details:

• Winner: George Russell (1st) – Russell was off his game until the final 70 seconds, citing set-up changes and tire warm-up issues. His last-gasp pole lap was a huge morale boost after a tough run, including a poor Miami weekend. "That rush of adrenaline is what we all live for," he said.
• Loser: Lance Stroll (21st) – Stroll has been outqualified by Fernando Alonso in every session this season. The gap was nearly a second in Q1, with Stroll lacking confidence in his AMR26. Rain could reset things Sunday, but the margin is alarming.
• Winner: Lando Norris (3rd) – Norris was consistently sharp, splitting the Mercedes in the sprint and qualifying best of the rest. He's been on the right side of fine margins against Oscar Piastri, delivering a clean, effective weekend.
• Loser: Charles Leclerc (8th) – Leclerc struggled massively with tire warm-up, calling himself "on ice" in Q1 and Q2. His Q3 lap was "acceptable" but too late to salvage a poor starting spot. A cold, wet race doesn't bode well.
• Winner: Isack Hadjar (7th) – After a nightmare Miami weekend, Hadjar is back in form. He lamented mistakes in Q3, but his pace across qualifying shows he's regained the groove from the early rounds.
• Loser: Valtteri Bottas (22nd) – Bottas qualified last for Cadillac, but the bigger concern is the massive gap to teammate Sergio Perez, who has been producing heroics. Bottas's comeback isn't matching Perez's form.
• Winner: Arvid Lindblad (9th) – Lindblad was slightly disappointed with ninth, but it's the best possible for Racing Bulls when top teams don't falter. This performance is exactly what Red Bull needs from its junior.
• Loser: Pierre Gasly (14th) – Gasly has lost four consecutive qualifying sessions to Alpine teammate Franco Colapinto. He's baffled by a loss of grip since Miami, saying "fundamentally something is not clicking."

What's next:

Sunday's race in Montreal could be wet and cold, potentially reshuffling the grid. Mercedes looks strong, but Ferrari and Aston Martin hope for chaos. Gasly and Stroll need answers fast to avoid further damage.