Canadian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen dominates, Pole In Rain-Drenched Qualifying

 

It was another pole finish for Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix as Nico Hulkenberg seized a rain-drenched qualifying session to make a surprise front roll finish for Haas in P2 behind Red Bull. 

The rain spell caused some dramatic moments with drivers like Sergio Perez crashing out. Alonso nearly pulled a stunt by edging Verstappen out of the front role in Q3 but missed out by two-tenth of a second before he was early dropped to third by Hulkenberg who delivered a surprissd lap in the last minutes before the red flag. 

Besides interrupting weather condition, the session was called off early with seven minutes remaining after Carlos Piastri spun into the walls and yellow flag was out twice before the race was red flagged. Verstappen was able to keep his pole position as he had taken his car across the line before the red flag.

In the last minutes of the Q3, Aston Martin's Fernandes Alonso and Lewis Hamilton were sitting in P2 and P3 respectively but lucky shone on Hulkenberg as he had already posted quicker lap before the red flagged. Alonso and Hamilton now dropped one place down the ranks - to P3 and P4 respectively. Mercedes' George Russell was also affected and will start in P5.

There was an atmosphere of frustration amongst the Red Bull team after Sergio Perez failed to progressed past Q2 while Verstappen second behind William's Alex Albion who in the final section finished bottom of the stats and will start in P10.  

Getting to pole would have been a big one for Alonso who has not clinched the spot since 2012. Meanwhile, Verstappen extended his career pole to 25th and leads driver's standings with 53 points clear.