* Hülkenberg second, Alonso third; Pérez and Leclerc miss Q3 * Hamilton and Russell fourth and fifth for Mercedes Max Verstappen and Red Bull, once more utterly unperturbed by the rain, delivered through the spray for pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix. If the final shootout proved to be a damp squib, nullified by the looming grey clouds and the downpour they delivered in the final moments, Mercedes at least will take heart in the blue skies ahead indicated by their performance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Verstappen, somewhat inevitably, had the best pace in a qualifying session that had opened shortly after rain had hit the circuit and then returned again as it progressed. Whether he might have been challenged remains moot as the final running was scuppered by the conditions but realistically, on every lap he put in, the world champion still looked to enjoy a comfortable advantage over the rest of the field. Continue reading...