'Surprised' Wolff reacts to Russell's 'mega lap' in Canadian GP qualifying

00:04, 15 Jun

Updated: 00:36, 15 Jun

byTobia Elia

Toto Wolff was also thoroughly impressed by George Russell’s fantastic pole position in Canadian GP qualifying.

For the first time this season, a driver other than Red Bull or McLaren will start from pole. The mastermind behind this feat is George Russell, who stopped the clock at 1:10.899, edging out Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in the very last available attempt.

The British driver’s performance left Toto Wolff speechless, who reacted with great admiration to Mercedes’ first pole position of the 2025 season: ''It was good. And it's encouraging because here it's windy and it's cold but on the track it's really hot. The track temperature was hot and we still managed it,'' the Austrian team principal began to Sky Sports.

Toto Wolff

Wolff surprised by Russell's pole

''We were so competitive in the free practice sessions that we were almost a bit surprised that at the beginning of qualifying it wasn't coming easy. And then on the last two runs, also on the soft, the time just kept coming''.

''And on the medium, you could see, I guess as a driver, you almost come into this buzz within yourself. The delta time was going quicker and quicker and quicker and quicker and so it was a mega lap''.

Can this pole be compared to one of the greatests in Mercedes history?

''Yeah, right up there'', - Wolff replied - ''because if you look at the competitive field and Max on the medium as well and The McLaren's and the Ferrari were strong and then he was able to pull a pull a lap off. I think he was the only one In the tents no in the 1.10s. Very very very strong lap from him,'' he concluded in Montreal.