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McLaren walked into the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix looking for a major result. Instead, they walked away with a total strategy nightmare. While the rest of the front-runners decided to start the race on dry slick tyres, McLaren put both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on green-walled intermediates.
The call looked incredibly risky right from the start. But Team Principal Andrea Stella is now defending the move, explaining exactly why the papaya garage made that call.
The weather in Montreal was completely unpredictable on Sunday. Rain started falling between the national anthem and the drivers getting into their cars. The track temperature dropped quickly, and the asphalt looked incredibly greasy.
Stella explained that the team was forced to make a very fast choice. “We only had about seven minutes operationally to make a decision,” Stella stated (via Total Motorsport). Because the track was still wet and cold, both the drivers and the pit wall agreed that slick tyres would struggle to survive the opening lap. So, they strapped on the intermediates.
The plan actually worked perfectly at first. Norris got a massive launch off the line, jumping from P3 to the race lead immediately. He even pulled a two-second gap by the end of the first lap. But a bizarre delay completely ruined their strategy.
Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) reacts after qualifying pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Before the lights went out, Arvid Lindblad’s Racing Bulls car broke down on the starting grid. This forced the entire pack to run two extra formation laps. During those extra six minutes, the rain completely stopped, and the racing line started to dry out. By the time the race finally started, the intermediate tyres were practically useless.
“After that, the rain stopped very rapidly, and there was also a double formation lap,” Stella explained. He admitted to Total Motorsport that the unexpected delay completely killed their tyre advantage.
Because the track dried so fast, the intermediate rubber quickly overheated. Both McLaren drivers were forced into the pits early, completely wrecking their race. Piastri ended up finishing way down in 11th after crashing into Alex Albon, while Norris suffered a gearbox failure on lap 40.
Even though the gamble failed, Norris refused to call it a bad idea. He pointed out his massive early lead as proof that the tyres worked.
“It wasn’t like it was stupid to be on that tyre,” Norris argued to Formula 1. “One percent more rain or a few little bits of drizzle here or there, and it really would have suited us a lot more”.
The strategy might have looked foolish on television, but the team firmly believes they just got unlucky with the weather.
Continue reading...
The call looked incredibly risky right from the start. But Team Principal Andrea Stella is now defending the move, explaining exactly why the papaya garage made that call.
The Seven-Minute Window For McLaren
The weather in Montreal was completely unpredictable on Sunday. Rain started falling between the national anthem and the drivers getting into their cars. The track temperature dropped quickly, and the asphalt looked incredibly greasy.
Stella explained that the team was forced to make a very fast choice. “We only had about seven minutes operationally to make a decision,” Stella stated (via Total Motorsport). Because the track was still wet and cold, both the drivers and the pit wall agreed that slick tyres would struggle to survive the opening lap. So, they strapped on the intermediates.
The plan actually worked perfectly at first. Norris got a massive launch off the line, jumping from P3 to the race lead immediately. He even pulled a two-second gap by the end of the first lap. But a bizarre delay completely ruined their strategy.
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Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) reacts after qualifying pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Before the lights went out, Arvid Lindblad’s Racing Bulls car broke down on the starting grid. This forced the entire pack to run two extra formation laps. During those extra six minutes, the rain completely stopped, and the racing line started to dry out. By the time the race finally started, the intermediate tyres were practically useless.
“After that, the rain stopped very rapidly, and there was also a double formation lap,” Stella explained. He admitted to Total Motorsport that the unexpected delay completely killed their tyre advantage.
No Regrets
Because the track dried so fast, the intermediate rubber quickly overheated. Both McLaren drivers were forced into the pits early, completely wrecking their race. Piastri ended up finishing way down in 11th after crashing into Alex Albon, while Norris suffered a gearbox failure on lap 40.
Even though the gamble failed, Norris refused to call it a bad idea. He pointed out his massive early lead as proof that the tyres worked.
“It wasn’t like it was stupid to be on that tyre,” Norris argued to Formula 1. “One percent more rain or a few little bits of drizzle here or there, and it really would have suited us a lot more”.
The strategy might have looked foolish on television, but the team firmly believes they just got unlucky with the weather.
Continue reading...
