Russell reveals wet-weather setup gamble after Canadian GP pole: 'We made some changes'

George Russell delivered when it mattered most by snatching pole position away from teammate Kimi Antonelli at the very last moment ahead of tomorrow's Canadian Grand Prix, despite looking off the pace throughout qualifying.

Speaking after the session, the Briton admitted the result came somewhat unexpectedly after a challenging session where Mercedes made setup changes based on Sunday's wet forecast, potentially compromising the car's balance in the short term.

Why it matters:

Russell's pole could prove invaluable in a race that offers him the chance to close the gap to his teammate in the championship fight. It also demonstrates Mercedes' strategic thinking, prioritizing race setup over raw qualifying pace.

The details:

• Russell described the final lap as something that almost came out of nowhere: "That last lap came from nowhere. It was such a great feeling when it was such a challenging session and you pull it altogether on that last lap to throw yourselves up the leaderboard is epic."
• Mercedes made setup changes based on the wet forecast for Sunday: "We made some changes based on the forecast for tomorrow. It may have hurt us a bit for now. It put the car out of sync a little bit."
• Antonelli looked more competitive throughout the session, and Mercedes no longer held the clear advantage they appeared to have on Friday.
• Russell managed to refocus and piece everything together when it mattered most on the final lap.

What's next:

With a wet race expected on Sunday, Russell's gamble on setup could pay off handsomely. The Mercedes driver will look to convert his pole into a victory and close the gap to Antonelli in the standings, while the team will review whether their strategic direction was the right one.