McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri began the Canadian Grand Prix on May 24 in strong positions, starting third and fourth respectively at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, but both chose intermediate tyres while most competitors ran slicks [1, 2]. The gamble initially paid off as Norris briefly took the lead, but the rain ceased just before the start, forcing both cars to pit early as the track dried [1, 2].
Norris’s race ended on lap 38 when he retired due to a gearbox problem, following an earlier stop to clean overheating radiators [1, 2]. Piastri finished 11th after locking up on lap 15 and colliding with Alex Albon, who was forced out of the race. The incident earned Piastri a 10-second penalty, which McLaren team principal Andrea Stella called a "misjudgement" [1, 2]. Piastri said, "I wasn’t trying to overtake him. I just locked up, and that was it" [1].
Andrea Stella reflected on the team’s tyre gamble: "The rain stopping pretty much after the five-minute signal, and then the double formation lap handed a clear penalty to starting on inters. With the rain lasting for a few more minutes, and the race start happening at the right time, we could have seen a big cut starting on the right tyres." He added simply, "Today was not our day" [1].
Piastri echoed the frustration, stating, "Unfortunately for us, it stopped raining as the formation lap started, basically. So, yeah, just one of those things where had it rained a little bit more, we would have looked like heroes. But it didn’t, so we looked like idiots" [1].
McLaren, the reigning constructors' champions, failed to score any points at the race [1, 2]. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli won his fourth straight race [1, 2]. Norris sits fifth in the drivers’ standings, 73 points behind Antonelli, with Piastri sixth, another 10 points back [1, 2].