The grid for today’s 2026 Canadian Grand Prix sprint race has been officially confirmed after an exciting sprint qualifying session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
George Russell claimed sprint pole position for Mercedes, leading a front-row lockout alongside team-mate Kimi Antonelli. The Silver Arrows showed impressive pace throughout qualifying, while McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured third and fourth on the grid.
Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will start from fifth and sixth respectively, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen begins seventh for Red Bull Racing.
Further down the order, rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed with ninth place for Racing Bulls, while Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10 for Williams Racing.
2026 Canadian Grand Prix Sprint Starting Grid
Position Driver Team
1 George Russell Mercedes
2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
3 Lando Norris McLaren
4 Oscar Piastri McLaren
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls
10 Carlos Sainz Williams
11 Nico Hulkenberg Audi
12 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi
13 Franco Colapinto Alpine
14 Esteban Ocon Haas
15 Ollie Bearman Haas
16 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
17 Sergio Perez Cadillac
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin
19 Pierre Gasly Alpine
20 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac
21 Alex Albon Williams
22 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
The sprint race gets underway at 12:00 local time in Montreal on Saturday, May 23. Fans in the UK can watch the action begin at 17:00 BST, while viewers in Central Europe can tune in at 18:00 CEST.
With Mercedes occupying the front row and strong competition from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull close behind, today’s sprint race promises another thrilling battle in the 2026 Formula 1 season.