SENT TO MONTREAL. «This track is fun, it gives back the sensations of go-kart racing». Max Verstappen can enjoy the pole position in the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix in peace. The rivals are far away: Charles Leclerc has been relegated to 19th position because the power unit has been replaced on his Ferrari, teammate Sergio Perez has obtained the 13th fastest time and then went straight into a protective barrier, Carlos Sainz with the other Ferrari is third behind a Fernando Alonso in great shape with the Alpine.
But what strikes above all on Saturday in Montreal are the opposite fates of the two protagonists of this championship: for Verstappen it is the second pole position of the season, the 15th in his career (he reaches Leclerc himself), obtained on a wet track that has gradually dried up. «I don’t expect a linear race – the Dutch driver comments -. In the complicated situations of Q2 we kept our cool and made the right decisions ».
In the last row is Leclerc. From there, the start traffic lights are hard to see. He has replaced five of the six parts that make up a power unit. Only the batteries are used: heat engine (the traditional 6-cylinder V), Mgu-H and K (electrical components), electronic control unit and turbo are new. A single substitution beyond the three allowed causes you to lose ten positions on the starting grid, from two upwards you are relegated to the end of the grid.
Ferrari has determined that it is better this way. It is not an ideal situation, but the only viable one after the reliability problems that cost the retirement in Spain (turbo and Mgu-H) and Azerbaijan (engine). «Gaining a position on Tsunoda was useful, in a weekend like this we can not neglect anything – comments his brief qualifying in which he preceded the Japanese driver of the AlphaTauri, who was also penalized by reliability problems -. I rode without taking risks, having a little more information on the track and for the race always helps. In the morning in free practice I had not even done a lap. The feeling is good. The comeback? Points are important, but I have noticed that overtaking is a little more difficult than I thought. However, we had to make this decision. I will give everything as always ».
Leclerc hopes in the rain, in the unexpected, in the safety cars. And he is relying on a Sainz still chasing his first victory in Formula 1: he alone can slow down Verstappen’s race in the most difficult moment of the championship.
In the top ten, the best career qualification for Mick Schumacher (6th) and Guanyu Zhou (10th) should be noted.
This is the starting grid for the Canadian GP:
1 Verstappen, 2 Alonso, 3 Sainz, 4 Hamilton, 5 Magnussen, 6 Schumacher, 7 Ocon, 8 Russell, 9 Ricciardo, 10 Zhou, 11 Bottas, 12 Albon, 13 Perez, 14 Norris, 15 Gasly, 16 Stroll, 17 Albon , 18 Latifi, 19 Leclerc, 20 Tsunoda.
The race starts at 8pm (live Sky sport F1, postponed on Tv8 from 9.30pm).