McLaren left the Canadian Formula 1 GP without points, after a strategic gamble that could have made the team a highlight of the race. Oscar Piastri summed up the scenario in a direct and ironic way after finishing only in 11th place in Montreal.
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The British team decided to start on intermediate tires in extremely unstable weather conditions, betting that the rain would continue in the first laps. The choice seemed logical at the time, but the track dried quickly and ended up favoring the drivers who opted for slick tires.
Piastri explained that the scenario before the start really indicated a concrete chance of heavier rain: “It was raining and between the anthem and getting into the car the track was quite wet. It was possible to clearly see where it was wet and where it was dry,” said the Australian.
According to the McLaren driver, even lining up on the grid with slick tires seemed complicated at that moment: “Getting to the grid with slicks was not easy and accelerating fully was also difficult. Unfortunately for us, the rain stopped,” he lamented.
With the asphalt drying quickly, the intermediate tires lost performance in a few laps and left the McLaren cars at a disadvantage. While the drivers on slicks managed to warm up the tires and find grip, Piastri had to deal with compounds unsuitable for the new track conditions.
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The Australian defined the team’s situation with a phrase that quickly caught attention after the race: “If it had rained a little more, we would look like heroes. Since that didn’t happen, we look like idiots,” Piastri told Sky Sports.
McLaren arrived in Canada showing competitiveness throughout the weekend, but the strategic gamble completely compromised the race result. Besides Piastri’s 11th place, Lando Norris also faced problems and finished the GP without scoring points, after retiring from the race with mechanical issues.
The result increased the team’s frustration at an important moment of the season. According to the analysis after the race, McLaren had enough pace to fight for a solid position in the points zone, but ended up leaving Montreal without reward after one of the riskiest bets of the championship so far.
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