Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel takes 2018 Canadian Grand Prix pole

Qualifying for the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix threw a few surprises into the proceedings. How will Formula 1 teams and drivers react on Sunday?

In Monaco, one Red Bull Racing driver was on it and swept practice, took pole, and then won. It seemed to be that way again in Canada as Formula 1 teams were set to qualify for the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix. Could Max Verstappen emulate his teammate’s weekend sweep from the Principality in the Great White North after sweeping all three practice session.

Would Ferrari, whose drivers finished FP3 in P2 and P3, show their real speed once the engines were turned up? Could Lewis Hamilton, on a counter tire strategy and an old engine, take pole at one of his favorite tracks?

Qualifying 1

Before Q1, Haas driver Romain Grosjean encountered an oil leak and Haas recovered the car in the pits. On the hypersoft tire, Kevin Magnussen set the first time of the session. Haas confirmed that Grosjean would not take part in qualifying after an oil leak issue.

The Ferrari drivers took turns in P1 as they shaved the time into the 1:11 range. The two Ferrari drivers were separated by 0.018 seconds up front as Red Bull Racing and Mercedes struggled in sector three. Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson hit the wall at turn nine, damaging his car. He did not continue in Q1 and will start P19. McLaren’s two drivers made it into Q2 by finishing the session P14 and P15.

Eliminated in Q1: Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Sergey Sirotkin, Ericsson, Grosjean (no time)

Qualifying 2

More from Formula One

• Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
• Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
• Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
• Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
• Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points

The Ferrari and Mercedes drivers took ultrasoft tires for their first Q2 runs, as those tires are the preferred race tires. The Ferrari drivers took P1 and P2 in the 1:11 range. However, after the first runs, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was P1. Hamilton locked up on his probable race tire and finished P4 after the first runs. Verstappen took P1 on the hypersoft tire by 0.042 seconds. Ricciardo, also on the hypersoft tires, could only manage P6.

For the second runs in Q2, the Ferrari and Mercedes drivers took hypersoft tires. However, they will start the race on the ultrasoft tires after all four drivers aborted their runs. The McLaren drivers are set to start P14 and P15. Sauber’s Charles Leclerc improved on his second run and will start P13. Ricciardo took P1 after setting a new lap record on the hypersoft tires.

Eliminated in Q2: Magnussen, Brendon Hartley, Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Stoffel Vandoorne

Qualifying 3

Bottas took provisional pole with the first time in the 1:10 range of the weekend, only to be bested by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel by 0.081 seconds. Kimi Raikkonen was P3 and Hamilton only managed P5 after the first run. A half-second covered the top five after the first runs.

The second runs saw Raikkonen go wide in turn two, and he had to abort his run as a result of it. The Finnish driver will start P5. Hamilton improved on his final run but will start P4 after Verstappen took P3 from the Briton. Vettel and Bottas will start on the front row with Vettel improving on his provisional pole time to secure a pole position start.

Provisional Grid for 2018 Canadian Grand Prix

Next: Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time

With a mixed up grid at the front, can Vettel lead into turn one and hold back Bottas and a very fast Verstappen? Can Hamilton recover from P4? Can Ricciardo repeat his P6 win from 2014? How will the tire strategies play out with Verstappen on the hypersoft tires to start and Hamilton starting on flat-spotted ultrasoft tires? Tune in to find out on Sunday, June 10 at 2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN on ABC.