Championship leader Oscar Piastri stayed hopeful after a qualifying session that had McLaren team principal Andrea Stella talking of damage limitation in this morning’s Canadian Grand Prix.

The Australian will start from third on the grid with teammate Lando Norris, 10 points behind in the standings after nine of 24 races, back in seventh.

Mercedes’ George Russell took pole position and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, winner in Canada for the past three years, joined him on the front row in a repeat of 2024’s qualifying top two at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal.

“Our pace on race days is generally where we’re strong,” Piastri, winner of five races this season and bidding to become the first Australian to take six in a single campaign, said in a press conference.

“These two next to me were very quick in the race runs yesterday, so it’s certainly not going to be a slam dunk win, but I think we’re definitely in the fight.”

The scrappy qualifying session, a gift for those talking up bad blood between Russell and Verstappen after a headline clash in Spain between the pair, left McLaren off the pace for once.

It was the first time Mercedes had taken pole this season.

“The picture changes completely for the race – that’s what we have to focus on,” Stella told Sky Sports.

“I think in terms of race pace we should be a bit more comfortable, but let’s see. This weekend could be one of damage limitation.”

Norris will certainly have a battle on his hands to get onto the podium.

“[I made] a couple of big mistakes, one hitting the wall on the last lap on the exit of turn seven and also the first lap at the final corner – mistakes that cost me,” he said.

“We have not been as quick as usual, and it was maybe not the car to take pole position, but it should have been enough for the top three.

“It is a very easy track to push 1% too much and pay the price, and that’s what happened today. A podium will be tough because we don’t have the pace we have had of the past few races.”

Reuters