McLaren's tyre gamble at Canadian Grand Prix sparks driver criticism

McLaren started both of its cars on intermediate tyres for the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, betting that the damp track would favour the compound. The rain stopped just before the formation laps and the circuit dried quickly, especially after two extra formation laps were run. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were forced to pit within the first two laps for slick tyres, dropping them into traffic. Norris briefly led the race but later retired with a mechanical issue, while Piastri finished 11th after serving a ten‑second penalty for a collision with Alex Albon.

Piastri described the outcome bluntly, saying: “If it had rained a little more, we would have looked like heroes… we looked like idiots.” Team principal Andrea Stella defended the decision, noting that the track was “greasy” and “raining” when the tyres were fitted, and that the choice was “the right tyre for the moment.” Despite their justification, the strategy left McLaren with zero points, while other teams capitalised on the changing conditions.

The episode highlighted the risks of weather‑dependent tyre choices in Formula 1 and sparked debate within the sport about split‑strategy approaches for future races.