Not so fast: penalty kicks shook the grid in Montreal

Sports

It was fun while it lasted for Nico Hulkenberg. On Saturday afternoon, Hülkenberg was beaming after a surprising second place in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Hulkenberg’s Haas team doesn’t get many days like that. So when Hulkenberg found himself alongside Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso in an unlikely top three, he couldn’t stop smiling and waving.

Unfortunately, his joy was short-lived. Hours later, race stewards penalized Hulkenberg for speeding during a red flag in one of the qualifying sessions and imposed a three-place penalty. Second became fifth, and the front row suddenly looked a lot more familiar: Verstappen on pole for Red Bull, with Alonso, in an Aston Martin, right next to him.

How to watch

Time: The Canadian Grand Prix starts at 2 p.m. Eastern time. (Worldwide start times are here.)

TV: The race is broadcast on ABC in the United States. Streaming is available on ESPN+. Prerace coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. Not in the United States? A complete list of Formula 1 channels wherever you are can be found here.

Sunday starting grid

Verstappen is in pole position – try to be surprised – and Hulkenberg’s penalty propelled Alonso to second a week after vowing to he would not finish the stage again this season.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will start third, fourth and fifth, which should be encouraging for Mercedes after both finished on the podium last time. But Ferrari’s battle continued. Carlos Sainz dropped out of the top 10 after receiving a three-place penalty for impeding Pierre Gasly in qualifying, and Charles Leclerc exploded to the team on the radio after thinking it had botched a tire change. “We need to improve now”, Leclerc was furious.

Sunday’s storylines

momentum Red Bull has won all seven races this season, and 17 of the past 18 in total. There’s no reason to think that dominance will take a day off on Sunday, least of all with a chance to clinch the team’s 100th Formula 1 win.

Updates Lewis Hamilton likes the feel of what he sees from the Mercedes technicians. (Interesting.) Charles Leclerc suggested his Ferrari team was still in the dark, unable to figure out what was going on. (Not good.) But if some of these teams don’t start getting faster with their upgrades soon, Verstappen and Red Bull could have new trophies in their garage before your summer break is over.

Weather Heavy rain during Saturday’s sessions made it difficult for drivers to see and hold the track, and may have played a role in several penalties. The weather is expected to be slightly better on Sunday – cloudy, but not rainy – but if there’s even a hint of showers, tire choice will be critical.

What they say

“The end of the day isn’t as good as before, which is a shame of course and it’s a shame not to be staring in the front row. We must face the consequences.” — Nico Hulkenbergwho drove his Haas (briefly) into second place before a penalty dropped him onto the grid.
“Those are exactly the plans: to get two cars on the podium. I have a lot of confidence in it.” — Lawrence Walk, the owner of the Aston Martin team (and a proud Canadian), who predicts a big weekend in Montreal. Fernando Alonso has positioned himself to live up to that boast; Stroll’s son, Lance, has not. He starts 16th.
“The whole team has this new energy and feels like we have a North Star. We know where we’re going; we know how to get there.” — Lewis Hamiltonwho loved the Mercedes upgrades going into the weekend.
“I actually want a restart, to go again.” — Sergio Perez from Red Bull, whose disappointing performances in his past two races have made his two early season victories a distant memory. His 12th-place finish in qualifying on Saturday won’t help things change.
“He needs to stop thinking about the championship and just drive.” — Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Hornerafter hearing Pérez’s comments – and before his final dismal qualifying attempt.

Last timeout

Verstappen led from wire to wire at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago and won by 24 seconds.

Drivers’ Championship Standings

With his fifth victory in seven races – he was second in the other two – Verstappen extended his points lead to 53 over his teammate Pérez.