Max Verstappen and George Russell achieved the same lap time during the best lap of Q3.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko identified the reason behind Verstappen’s inability to secure pole position in the Montreal qualifying. Verstappen matched Mercedes’ lap time exactly, but Russell claimed pole position as he set the time first.
Red Bull faced difficulties in the FP1 and FP2 free practice sessions of the Canadian Grand Prix. Wet weather conditions made it challenging for the RB20 to find grip in the corners. Verstappen also had issues with his ERS system, affecting his pace on track.
According to Helmut Marko, Red Bull struggled with fast tire warm-up during Q3, initially compromising their grip in the final session. Marko stated that Verstappen lost most of his pace in the final sector to George Russell.
Verstappen has been on pole position in seven out of the nine races this season and won five of them. He aims to further extend his lead at the top of the standings as he starts on the front row in Montreal, hoping to return to winning form.
Sergio Perez’s struggles in 2024 continued as he failed to advance from Q1 in the Canadian GP qualifying. This marks the third consecutive race where Perez has not made it to Q3.
Despite signing a new contract with Red Bull, Perez failed to deliver in the qualifying session. The 34-year-old driver has been inconsistent for the team since last season, although he showed some promising performances earlier in 2024. Starting from P16, Perez will do everything in his power to achieve the best possible result in the next race. Many will be closely watching to see how Perez performs in the 70-lap race.
