McLaren left the Canadian Grand Prix of Formula 1 frustrated, after a strategic bet that did not work in the early laps of the race. The team chose intermediate tires for Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, but the rapid improvement of track conditions completely compromised the chances of a good result in Montreal.
Read more F1: Mercedes dominates in Canada, but Russell retires
While Norris retired due to mechanical problems, Piastri finished only in 11th position after also suffering damage in a touch with Alex Albon. Despite the disappointing result, the team highlighted that there were positive signs of performance throughout the weekend.
Piastri explained that the choice of intermediates happened because the track was still quite wet moments before the start: “We made the decision to start on intermediates because the asphalt was quite wet between the anthem and getting into the car, but in the end it was the wrong decision,” said the Australian.
The McLaren driver also revealed that he suffered damage after the collision with Albon during the race: “I apologize to him and to Williams. After that, we did what we could to try to recover ground, but it was very difficult,” he said. Even outside the points zone, Piastri highlighted the team’s progress: “I feel that I have improved in some areas and we took a step to reduce the gap to Mercedes.”
Norris also acknowledged responsibility for the strategy adopted before the start. According to the Briton, it was still raining on the grid, which motivated the choice of intermediates: “Sometimes these decisions win races, sometimes they don’t. I take my share of the responsibility,” he said.
Read more NASCAR: Tributes to Kyle Busch mark the start of the Charlotte 600
Piastri’s teammate had a good start to the race but saw the situation change quickly as the track dried. Besides the extra stops, Norris faced a mechanical problem that resulted in retirement: “I also had a mechanical failure at the end of the race. In the cold conditions, we couldn’t get temperature into the front tires and the car became very difficult to drive,” he added.
Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, described the weekend as divided between good moments and a frustrating Sunday. The manager explained that the team opted for intermediates a few minutes before the start, due to the slippery track and persistent rain at that moment.
The Italian also detailed the problems faced by both drivers during the race: “With Lando we had a problem with the car, we stopped to clean the radiators and then suffered a terminal failure in the gearbox. On Oscar’s side, the touch with Albon damaged the car and generated a penalty,” he said. Stella concluded by saying that the team intends to learn from the mistakes before the next round in Monaco.
Read more F1: Russell is investigated by the commissioners after retirement in Canada
