Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent in Montreal

Image source, Getty Images

George Russell bounced back after a difficult recent run to beat Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli to sprint pole at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Briton, who is 20 points adrift of the Italian after four races this season, headed Antonelli by 0.068 seconds after being fastest on both runs in final qualifying.

Lando Norris headed an all-McLaren second row, 0.315secs off pole and 0.019secs in front of team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Ferrari and Red Bull completed a two-by-two top eight with Lewis Hamilton ahead of Charles Leclerc and then Max Verstappen in front of Isack Hadjar.

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George Russell is 1-0 up on Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli after taking pole for the sprint but both drivers know their race starts haven't been the best this season, so even with the upgrades, can they fend off any attack from the likes of Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton just behind?

Only the top eight drivers score points in the sprint, and there is a 20-point gap between the two Mercedes drivers on the front row in the championship.

It's Canada's first time hosting a sprint, so let's hope it's a good one.

We'll up and running from 16:30 BST tomorrow, with the sprint getting under way at 17:00.

Main qualifying goes green at 21:00.

See you on Saturday!

Title leader Kimi Antonelli failed to grab another pole but he's now has stepped up to the microphone over at Sky Sports to have a chat. The teenager says his sprint qualifying was quite scrappy - "not clean at all" - then adds: "I did a mistake in SQ2 and that threw me off a little bit.

"Still P2 and very close, so the potential is definitely there. we'll do better tomorrow."

Abbie Eaton
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

I think he's [George Russell] got that psychological advantage now.

I think that's him saying 'I'm back, I like this track, we went well here last year... let's see what we can do'.

Image source, Getty Images

Mercedes' George Russell, who secures pole position for the sprint race: "Obviously feels great after a tough Miami Grand Prix. Never doubted myself; I knew what I could do.

"Miami was a bit unique, and this is an amzing circuit here, high grip, feels like you're driving a proper Formula 1 car aroud here - that's how it should be. I'm glad today it came together."

On the upgrade tpackage his weekend: "I"t's defintiely feeling great. The team have done a great job to bring this forward. In Miami, McLaren were really close, Ferrari not too far behind and on a track like this, it's really excelling. Pleased to be back in P1. It's been a while but still, big focus for tomorrow."

On the team's race starts: "We're making progress, we're making baby steps in this regard, so I'm not going to stand her and say we're going to fly off the line from P1 and P2. Who was P3? Lando Norris. Well, they've been making good starts, so let's see tomorrow,. But good first day."

Abbie Eaton
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

He [George Russell] sounded pretty casual on the team radio, but he'll be chuffed to bits.

The two drivers just outside the points places are rookie Arvid Lindblad in ninth and the Williams of Carlos Sainz in 10th.

Oscar Piastri slots into fourth on the grid, as the last to challenge George Russell, who clocks a 1:12.965 on pole, is his team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

The teenager has one shot to claim pole position but it's P2 in the end for the Canadian Grand Prix sprint for the Italian.

There is still time left on the clock, so Lewis Hamilton fancies taking the fight to his former Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who is on provisional pole for the sprint.

Hamilton can't improve so stays second on the grid, Lando Norris comes through and takes that front-row spot away from the Ferrari driver! Norris was P9 but is now P2.

Isack Hadjar is the early leader with a 1:26.725 in the Red Bull followed by the Williams of Carlos Sainz and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion thinks he can find a bit more pace and he goes quickest with a 1:34.411.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are down the pecking order, as Kimi Antonelli can only manage P3 on the timesheets, with team-mate George Russell flying to the top with a 1:13.194.

Lando Norris broke the Mercedes run of pole positions this season when he took the front-row spot for the sprint in Miami, but what will Canada bring us tonight?

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time winner in Montreal, bails out of his first attempt, with Carlos Sainz also deciding to ditch his flyer after a bit of bother in the Williams.

Brit rookie Arvid Lindblad has made it through to SQ3 in Montreal for Racing Bulls, while Carlos Sainz praises his Williams team for their performance. "That run plan was as good as it gets," says the Spaniard.

Max Verstappen is taking part in the top 10 shootout but the Dutchman was not happy with the balance of his car in the previous session.

Soft tyres on and eight minutes on the clock now.

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

12. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

13. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

14. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

15. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

16. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen is heading back into the pits instead of trying to improve on his P9 lap time. The Dutchma vents his frustrations with the car on the radio, as Nico Hulkenberg dlots in behind in P10.

Verstappen seems to be safe in this session, with the final drivers on track failing to challenge for a spot in tthe shootout.

Carlos Sainz just sneaks through at the end in 10th spot, knocking out Hulkenberg.

Abbie Eaton
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Leclerc just doesn't look like he's gelling with the car as well as Hamilton. When we see Hamilton on track he just looks alive with the car - he looks like he's having fun with it.

Max Verstappen was late out in the Red Bull and after a second go at a lap time, his effort only places him ninth on the timesheets.

Lewis Hamilton jumps up to second, as the two Audis, both Haas driver and Franco Colapinto are in danger.

Oscar Piastri's opening attempt puts him above McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in fourth, with the Australian just under four tenths off the pace of George Russell.

Charles Leclerc has had a quiet Friday so far and the Monegasque driver is sixth on the timesheets in SQ2.

Max Verstappen, meanwhile, has just had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits.

George Russell goes quickest from Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli but Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad can do better.

World champion Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton in the 1:13s are near the top but after another flyer around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Russell fastest again with a 1:13.466.

Antonelli is just behind by 0.085 seconds.

The Mercedes boys have gone our early in this second sprint qualifying session, but Max Verstappen is hanging back in the Red Bull garage.

George Russell has finished his preparation laps, battery topped up, tyres toasty and off he's to go.