Will it rain during the 2024 F1 Canadian GP? Weather forecast for the race

After a rest week, the Formula 1 World Championship returns to action with the ninth race of the season. The Canadian GP will be staged at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with Charles Leclerc the winner of the last outing in Monaco.

The Ferrari driver finally won in the principality and was the third different driver after Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris, who managed to defeat to the RB20 with Verstappen behind the wheel.

But in Quebec it was George Russell who put Mercedes on pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix by the blink of an eye on Saturday after setting exactly the same time as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Triple Formula One world champion Verstappen missed out on pole because he set his time of one minute 12.000 seconds after his British rival in a drama-filled qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Mercedes signalled they were going to be a threat for pole earlier on Saturday when Lewis Hamilton, a seven-times winner in Canada, posted the top time in final practice with Russell close behind in third.

Rain, which had disrupted both practices on Friday, returned for the first two phases of qualifying but the skies cleared and the sun began to appear in time for the last-10 shootout that ended in a dead heat.

Russell will start on pole for the first time since Brazil 2022, joined on the front row by Verstappen who is chasing a Canadian Grand Prix hat-trick.

“I’ve missed this feeling,” Russell said. “Excited for tomorrow, first step done but now obviously we’ve got our eyes on that win. The car has been feeling amazing since we brought some upgrades to Monaco, we have really been in that fight now. So we’re going for it tomorrow.”

Russell’s pole provided yet another sign that Red Bull’s domination could be waning.

Forecast for Sunday’s Canadian GP

Rain has never been far away from the circuit in Laval over the past few days of practice and qualifying and it certainly looks like it will play a significant role in the race on Sunday.

The race is scheduled for a 2pm start (local) and just at that time, the Weather Network predicts a thunderstorm in the area with a 60% possibility of this occurring.

The thunderstorms only clear from the area atv 5pm (local) with the duration of the GP set to be impacted by thunderstorms.

Organisers may look to delay the start should there be any risk to either drivers or spectators should the inclement weather be accompanied by electrical activity.