Qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve delivered a mixed outcome for the McLaren Formula 1 team. While Oscar Piastri secured a strong third-place grid slot, teammate Lando Norris found himself significantly further down the order in seventh, admitting that personal errors cost him dearly.
Norris Reflects on Costly Mistakes
For Lando Norris, Saturday`s qualifying session marked his second-lowest grid start of the current season. The pattern, unfortunately familiar to the British driver, involved a promising build-up through the earlier phases giving way to critical mistakes when the pressure peaked in Q3. Norris elaborated on his struggles, pointing directly to driving inaccuracies rather than car performance issues.
“Too many mistakes,” a candid Norris stated after the session. His final Q3 attempts were marred by running straight on at the final chicane on his first flying lap, followed by an unfortunate brush with the wall at Turn 7 on his last effort. Despite feeling confident in the car`s underlying pace, these errors proved decisive on the tight, wall-lined street circuit.
Norris acknowledged the unique characteristics of the Montreal track, noting that it demands exceptional ride quality and the ability to attack kerbs and bumps aggressively. He suggested that McLaren`s usual competitive advantage might be less pronounced here compared to circuits with different demands. While he believes the car`s race pace is competitive, starting from P7 presents a clear hurdle. “I`m a bit too far back again,” he conceded, recognizing the challenge of making up positions on Sunday.
Piastri`s Practice Troubles Precede Strong Qualifying
In contrast to Norris`s Q3 woes, Oscar Piastri enjoyed a considerable turnaround. The young Australian had endured a “pretty miserable” time in the preceding practice sessions, most notably tagging the notorious `Wall of Champions` during FP3 – an incident that initially raised concerns about potential damage to his car.
Despite this difficult preparation, Piastri delivered under pressure when it mattered in qualifying. His third-place grid position was a satisfying recovery. Reflecting on the session, Piastri mentioned the strategic deliberation between using the medium or soft compound tyres for Q3, ultimately opting for the soft to maintain consistency following his earlier struggles. He expressed contentment with P3, a position he noted is “a bit different this year” (referring to the battle for pole), but one he was happy to take after his challenging Friday and Saturday morning.
Piastri starts the race with a clear opportunity to extend his championship lead over Norris. He remains optimistic about his race prospects, stating, “Our pace on race days is generally where we`re strong.” However, he realistically assessed the situation, acknowledging that the front-row starters, George Russell (Pole) and Max Verstappen (P2), appeared very quick during Friday`s race simulations. He anticipates a fight rather than a guaranteed victory but is confident McLaren is “definitely in the fight.”
Team Focus: Damage Limitation?
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella provided the team`s perspective, shifting focus firmly to the race itself. “The picture changes completely for the race, that`s what we have to focus on,” he stated. While hopeful that their race pace would be “a bit more comfortable,” Stella`s assessment, particularly concerning Norris`s starting position and the track`s nature, hinted at a pragmatic approach.
Sunday`s race in Montreal could indeed become an exercise in “damage limitation” for the Woking-based squad, especially from Norris`s perspective. It also marks the first time this season, outside of the races won by Verstappen, that McLaren hasn`t managed to place a car on the front row of the grid, underscoring the unique challenge presented by the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend.
The Canadian Grand Prix grid is set, featuring Russell and Verstappen on the front row, followed by Piastri, Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, and Franco Colapinto in the top ten. All eyes will now be on Sunday to see how McLaren navigates the race from their contrasting starting positions.
Gilbert Pendleton