McLaren’s choice to start both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on intermediate tyres played a pivotal role in their Canadian Grand Prix, as drivers and team principal Andrea Stella explained the reasoning behind the call that momentarily put Norris in the lead before early pit stops unraveled their race.
The decision was made collectively, with Piastri admitting, “It was a group call. I was one of the people that said yes to the inters. The track had gotten significantly wetter just before the start, and considering how tough it was getting to the grid, we thought the inters would be faster—if we could get temperature into them. Then the rain stopped. We thought we were doing the safer thing, and it wasn’t.”
Norris emphasized that the initial grip advantage nearly paid off: “It shows how slippery it was for them in the beginning; I had a two-second gap after one lap. One per cent more rain, or just a bit more drizzle, and it really would have suited us. In hindsight, it was the wrong decision, but there were valid reasons for it. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, and we take it on the chin and learn from it.”
Andrea Stella detailed that the tyre choice was influenced by conditions just five minutes before lights out: “The track was greasy and raining at the time of the call. We thought the inters were right for that moment. But the rain soon stopped, and two additional formation laps helped the track dry further. At the time, it was the right call.”
A delayed start, caused by a Racing Bulls clutch issue and back-to-back formation laps, gave the track extra time to dry, making the intermediate tyres less effective. Piastri was already requesting to switch to slicks as the race finally began.
Stella concluded, “You have to judge the decision at the time it was made, not just from the outcome. If the rain had lasted longer or the race started on schedule, it could have turned out very differently.”
McLaren remain focused on learning from the experience as they continue their push in the championship.
