McLaren’s Bold Tyre Choice Backfires in Montreal
McLaren made a bold and risky decision during the Canadian Grand Prix, which ultimately backfired for both of its drivers. The team opted to fit intermediate tyres on the cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the start of the race, despite forecasts predicting rain. However, the rain never materialized, leaving the British team looking out of sync with the rest of the grid.
The race took place in Montreal under cold and windy conditions, with some drizzle falling just before the start. While many teams chose to stick with dry tyres, McLaren decided to take a different approach. This decision was particularly unusual given that both Norris and Piastri were starting from the second row of the grid. They were the only drivers in the top 10 who had not chosen dry tyres, highlighting the bold nature of the strategy.
Despite Piastri’s suggestion to pit at the end of the formation lap, McLaren proceeded with their plan. This gamble proved costly as the predicted rain did not arrive. Piastri pitted at the end of the first lap, while Norris, who managed to move up from third to take the lead on the opening lap, pitted at the end of lap two. Unfortunately, Norris’s race ended prematurely due to a gearbox failure on lap 40, while Piastri finished 11th, outside of the points.
Piastri’s Struggles and Mistake
Speaking after the race, Piastri acknowledged that there was some logic behind the tyre choice, but it quickly fell apart when the rain failed to arrive. He explained the conditions on the track, noting that while there was no standing water, the track was clearly wet in some areas and dry in others. Getting to full throttle on slicks was challenging, and the situation worsened as the formation lap began.
“Unfortunately for us, it stopped raining as the formation lap started,” Piastri said. “Just one of those things where if it rained a little bit more we would have looked like heroes. But it didn’t, so we looked like idiots.”
Piastri’s race became even more complicated as he tried to make progress through the field. On lap 12, he attempted an overtake on Haas driver Oliver Bearman at the hairpin, but his car was too fast to slow down, resulting in a collision with Alex Albon’s Williams. Piastri received a 10-second penalty and had to pit for a new front wing, while Albon retired from the race due to the damage.
“I felt like I was going into the corner pretty carefully, and locked the front [wheels],” Piastri admitted. “Obviously not my finest moment and apologies to Alex and Williams. It was unnecessary damage for both of us, especially for them.”
George Russell’s Disappointment
Mercedes driver George Russell found himself in a similar position of frustration after suffering a suspected power unit failure while leading the Canadian Grand Prix. His retirement allowed his teenage teammate, Kimi Antonelli, to claim a fourth consecutive grand prix win.
Mercedes entered the 2026 season as favorites, and they have lived up to that expectation by winning all five grands prix and two of the three sprint races. However, Antonelli, a 19-year-old in his second season of F1, now holds a 43-point lead over his more experienced teammate.
Russell appeared to be gaining momentum this weekend, qualifying on pole for both the sprint race and the grand prix, winning the sprint race, and leading the grand prix until the pit stop phase. However, his race came to an abrupt end on lap 30 when his car spluttered to a halt.
Russell expressed his disbelief and frustration, saying, “It feels like somebody doesn’t want me to fight or compete for this championship.” He also mentioned that three out of the last five races have seen issues working against him.
Despite the disappointment, Russell reflected on the positives from the weekend. He was the leading driver for much of the time and was felled by a mechanical failure. He also highlighted his strong performance in Montreal, following a difficult weekend in Miami.
“I was happy with how I handled it, how I drove and I’m just pleased with the weekend in terms of my own personal performance,” Russell said. “Hard battles, I really loved the battle and I wanted to continue for 30 more laps. I would have loved to see how it would have panned out.”
Looking Ahead
With the Canadian Grand Prix behind them, the F1 season now heads to Europe for the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, June 7. Drivers will be looking to recover from the challenges faced in Montreal and build momentum for the upcoming races.
