Verstappen takes pole position heading into the final race at the Montreal Grand Prix | CBC Sports

Rising young star Max Verstappen will line up alongside celebrated veteran Fernando Alonso on the front row of Sunday’s Montreal Grand Prix, a fitting end to Formula One’s return to Canada.

Verstappen, 24, the championship points leader and reigning world champion, overcame the wet conditions to earn his second pole position of the season. Alonso secured his first front-row start in a decade with a final fastest lap.

“I used to watch F1 when I was a kid, and see Fernando being up there and winning his races and championships and getting pole positions. So sharing the front row is a nice thing,” Verstappen said.

“Of course, Fernando is getting a bit old, but he’s still very fast,” he added with a laugh. “I know it starts very well, so I have to be ready.”

Verstappen, who won last weekend in Baku, Azerbaijan, posted a time of 1 minute 21.299 seconds as he battled the elements.

“It was very difficult,” Verstappen said after securing his second pole position of the season and the 15th of his career. “Especially [in the first session], visibility . . . and you were really at the limit with the grip. But then it started to get more and more enjoyable as the track started to dry out. And you started to get a little bit more grip in the wet.”

Alonso, 40, who won the Canadian Grand Prix in 2006, posted a time of 1m21.944s on his final lap.

Alonso was fastest in a soggy morning practice session. His last front row start was in Germany in 2012. His last win was in 2013 at his home race in Spain.

“I think we will attack Max in the first corner,” Alonso said with a laugh. “[Red Bull] They are in a different league for sure. And it wasn’t in our wildest dreams to be on pole position, so we’re confident on the front row, and that’s perhaps better than any expectation.”

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third (1:22.096).

‘Anything can happen’

The Montreal Grand Prix hasn’t been won from outside the front row in nearly a decade.

“I think anything can happen in Formula One racing. It doesn’t really matter about the positions today. It’s about the race.” [Sunday]Sainz said. “I think if we get a good start and push the guys up front, then anything can happen.”

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton moved up to fourth place on his final lap.

His Mercedes team-mate George Russell paid the price for switching to soft tires when he went off track and into the grass at Turn 2, which was one of the slipperiest areas of the track. Russell finished eighth.

Verstappen said he never considered switching to slick tyres.

“It was too wet in places… you can’t take any chances in qualifying,” he said.

miserable conditions

Soggy conditions also proved costly for Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who ended the day when he locked up and sailed straight into the wall between Turns 2 and 3.

Perez, who starts 13th on Sunday, had to climb through brush while walking back to the pits outside the track walls.

Williams’ Alex Obon similarly skidded into the wall at Turn 6, but still made the cut in the second session.

The conditions were miserable, with torrential rain, strong winds and a cold of 12 C at the start time. Tires with a lot of spraying made visibility difficult. It was hard to even tell one driver from another as they passed the finish line.

“I can’t see much in front of me,” said Hamilton at the start of qualifying.

The rain eased and conditions improved markedly at the end of the second of three qualifying sessions. A dry stretch of track appeared for the drivers to follow.

Sunday’s race will see Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who captured his fourth consecutive pole last week in Baku, start at the back of the grid despite finishing 15th overall. He is serving a grid penalty after an engine change, as is Yuki Tsunoda.

Sun and 20 C are forecast for Sunday’s race.

Canadian finishes

Montreal’s Lance Stroll, known for his performance in inclement weather, was 18th in his Aston Martin, one place better than last week. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) of Toronto was 19th.

CLOCK | Lafiti awaits his first Canadian Grand Prix:

Montreal-born Nicholas Latifi hopes to compete in his first Canadian Grand Prix

Williams driver Nicholas Latifi will finally compete in Montreal when the Grand Prix makes its triumphant return after the pandemic forced the race to be canceled in both 2020 and 2021.

“We were quite competitive in [practice] this morning, so it was disappointing not to follow that up in qualifying,” Stroll said. “It will be difficult to start from the back of the grid, but free practice showed that our car has good pace, and we will do our best to get points [Sunday].”

The Montreal Grand Prix makes its triumphant return to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after COVID-19 forced its cancellation in both 2020 and 2021.

Unfortunately for the sea of ​​fans who donned raincoats and huddled under umbrellas on Saturday, the weather hasn’t been quite as festive this week.

A storm blew up moments after Friday’s practice session, prompting fans to seek shelter.