MONTREAL, Canada -- Mercedes estimates it was losing 0.6s of lap time to Ferrari on the straights alone during qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel beat Lewis Hamilton to pole position by 0.206s in Montreal on Sunday, giving Ferrari its first P1 grid position since the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.
The Italian team has had a straight-line speed advantage all season and entered the Canadian Grand Prix as favourites thanks to the high-speed layout of the Montreal circuit. But Mercedes came to Canada armed with its latest engine upgrade as well as a distinct advantage in slow-speed corners and in the final moments of qualifying Hamilton looked as though he might snatch pole from Vettel.