Revealed: How medium tyres decided the front row at the Canadian Grand Prix
The front row of the Canadian Grand Prix was decided by medium tyres.
George Russell claimed his first pole position of the 2025 season at the Canadian Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen joined him at the front of the grid, ending McLaren’s dominant run of front-row starts for the first time this year.
Even more impressive? Both drivers managed this feat on medium tyres. The telemetry data reveals the subtle factors behind what turned out to be a thrilling qualifying session.
How George Russell snatched his first pole of 2025
From the very start of the race weekend on Friday, there were signs that Mercedes would be far more competitive here than during the early European leg. The short break between rounds seems to have paid off, with the team arriving in Canada well-prepared for a track that suits the W16’s characteristics.
The low-abrasion surface at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve often causes issues when it comes to tyre warm-up. Combined with slightly cooler conditions and a rear-limited layout, this made the Montreal track an ideal setting for Mercedes to unlock their full potential.
During qualifying, many teams experimented with the C5 medium compound, which delivered immediate performance. In contrast, the softer C6s required an extra lap or two to reach their optimal window – something we’ve seen consistently this year when teams have had access to Pirelli’s latest softest compound.
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In Canada, the decision to use mediums for the final push to the checkered flag proved correct, and both George Russell and Max Verstappen managed to outpace McLaren – a team that has dominated recent Saturdays.
Comparing the two drivers’ best Q3 laps reveals just how tight the battle really was, with the tiniest margins making all the difference.
Verstappen had the edge at the start of the lap, braking earlier into Turn 1 which allowed for a cleaner run through the opening complex. This early braking is visible in the telemetry and was a recurring trait throughout his lap – Verstappen was consistently earlier on both throttle and brake inputs at each corner.
Both drivers were closely matched in the first sector and the opening part of the second. As they approached Turn 8, both were virtually level – but this is where the advantage swung Russell’s way.
Once again, Verstappen was earlier on the brakes, but Russell was able to get on the throttle quicker through Turn 9, where Verstappen had a slight moment – just enough to lose around 0.2 seconds in that single corner. It’s minor, but in qualifying, it matters.
Red Bull’s strength throughout the weekend had been top speed, a clear advantage in all three DRS zones. Verstappen clawed back some of the deficit on the straights between Turns 11 and 13 and again on the pit straight, but it wasn’t quite enough.
Interestingly, Russell had been consistently strong in the final sector all weekend.
In the end, Russell finished 0.16s ahead – a sizable margin by 2025 qualifying standards.
What is also worth comparing is Russell’s own laps on soft and medium tyres in Q3, as he managed to find more than six-tenths of a second on the C5 compound alone.
The biggest differences came in Turns 7 and 9, where throttle trace data shows that Russell needed to modulate more on the softs due to rear instability. In contrast, on the mediums, he was able to apply throttle more confidently on corner exit.
Similarly, in the hairpin, his lift-off was later on the mediums, and his throttle reapplication was cleaner. These differences clearly illustrate how much more balanced the W16 felt on the C5 tyres.
So, what can we expect from Russell in the Canadian Grand Prix?
The Canadian Grand Prix result will depend largely on the start and who emerges first out of Turns 1 and 2. The car that leads into clean air will gain a massive strategic advantage – especially this year, where dirty air has played a bigger role in tyre degradation. Even on a track that isn’t especially harsh on tyres, clean air allows for a more aggressive and controlled race approach.
What works in Verstappen’s favour is the superior top speed of the Red Bull, which could help him off the line. Practice sessions showed that Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren all had strong race pace, with very little to separate them.
Russell and Verstappen are no strangers to one another, and we’ve seen how tense their on-track battles can get. What remains to be seen is how much the reigning champion is willing to risk, especially with a potential race ban looming if he picks up more penalty points, and whether the Mercedes driver has learned how to handle wheel-to-wheel combat against one of the most tenacious racers on the grid.
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