George Russell took an extraordinary pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix – tied on 1min 12.000sec with Max Verstappen.

The Brit takes the honor of leading the race off, having set his time first.

So, a breakthrough for the beleaguered Mercedes team, and now the possibility of victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve tomorrow. ‘There’s no reason I can’t keep Max behind,’ declared a delighted Russell after stepping out of his car to huge cheers.

It was a dramatic qualifying session with the threat of rain lingering and occasionally falling. Everyone had to be right on their toes – a point underlined to Russell when he just hung on to his sliding car at Turn 4 during Q2.

Lando Norris will start third, an agonising.021sec off the pace, a place ahead of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

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George Russell took pole at the Canadian Grand Prix in extraordinary scenes on Saturday

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Max Verstappen posted the same time as Russell but the Brit takes pole as he set his first

Russell vowed to keep Verstappen behind him during the race itself on Sunday in Montreal

A delighted Russell has now out-qualified Lewis Hamilton – who qualified only seventh, fading after a promising session – 8-1 this season.

It was so tight as Verstappen’s Red Bull closed in on Russell’s time. He matched it. Russell, following behind could not beat his previous best, but it didn’t matter. It was his second career pole, and only the second dead head in qualifying in Formula One history, the other in Jerez in 1997 with Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jacques Villeneuve.

A disastrous day for Ferrari unfolded in Q2, with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz bowing out, in 11th and 12the places. ‘I guess we are f*****,’ said Leclerc. He was told ‘yes’, and said he wouldn’t comment on the radio, his fury too ripe for broadcast.

What a come down for the Monegasque after winning his home race a fortnight ago.

Sergio Perez was the big faller during a dramatic opening session, during which rain spat early on before temporarily blowing away. He managed only the 17th best time, just as his team-mate Verstappen, who had fallen below the line, vaulted to the top of the timing screens.

It is the third race in succession that the Mexican has bombed out in Q1 – a statistic made more embarrassing by the fact that he signed a two-year extension only in the last few days. He will be pleased the ink is dry on that one.

A better day for the perennially struggling Logan Sargeant of Williams, who managed to escape Q1. However, he managed only 13th best compared to Alex Albon’s 10th.