George Russell savoured a “special feeling” after pulling a pole lap out on his final run to land a double blow on title rival Kimi Antonelli at the Canadian Grand Prix.
The 28-year-old continued Mercedes’ run of claiming pole at every race this season and will line up at the front of the grid for the third time in a row in Montreal.
Mercedes had looked a little off the pace for much of the session but, at the death, Antonelli moved to the top of the standings only to be usurped on his final attempt by Russell.
The pair had earlier banged wheels during the sprint race as Antonelli accused Russell of pushing him off the track.
The British driver whooped in delight over the radio, before later saying: “It is such a special feeling.
“It (the lap) was incredibly strong, all the sweeter because it was so challenging before then.
“I never had it hooked up until that last lap in Q3. The times when you are fighting for it, are never up there and it comes together on that final lap to be the one is the best feeling in the world.”
Antonelli’s move around the outside of turn six during the sprint sparked the first flashpoint of the season between the title-chasing pair.
He raged over the radio after taking to the grass, with team principal Toto Wolff intervening to tell the 19-year-old to “stop the radio moaning”.
Antonelli was still angry after the sprint, where he lost out on second to Lando Norris after running across the grass again mid-fury, but Mercedes said they had debriefed before qualifying.
The Italian said: “We had a discussion, we clarified and now it is all good. We reviewed, we had a chat with Toto and all good.”
Russell echoed that view, saying: “We are not going to wave anybody by, whether it is a competitor or a team-mate.
“It is all good now, we know what we need to do and how we are going to race each other.
“We are team-mates, we have a good bond and it was obvious we needed to have a chat.
“We are both professionals and it was no real big deal afterwards. Nothing is personal when it is on track, it is history and now we look forward.
“We are racers, we are fighters, we wear our heart on our sleeve.
“Everything we think and feel is broadcast to the world. We are here to fight.”
The FIA has declared a rain hazard for Sunday’s race, with over a 40 per cent chance of wet weather.
The vast majority of drivers have not driven this generation of cars, which are heavily electrified and have less grip and downforce than the previous era – with getting heat into the tyres a major factor.
There is a lot of caution about how they might perform.
Norris said: “We have never driven in the rain. I don’t think anyone knows how difficult it is going to be to drive these cars around here in the wet.
“It is our job at the end of the day, but I think it could be an insanely tricky race.”
