Overview

• George Russell claimed pole position in Saturday’s qualifying at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit, positioning him at the front of the grid.
• McLaren introduced significant front wing geometry changes and a mid-load rear wing upgrade that boosted Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri during practice sessions.
• Max Verstappen led the opening free practice on Friday while Charles Leclerc crashed in FP1, sidelining his SF-25 for the rest of the day.
• High levels of air pollution and smoke from nearby forest fires have raised concerns about race-day air quality and potential health impacts.
• Lance Stroll exited FP2 early after colliding with the barriers on his return from hand surgery and both Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz are still searching for stronger results.