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What McLaren’s Struggle at Canadian GP Reveals for Next F1 Races
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Highlights
- McLaren missed podium for first time in 2025 Canadian GP
- Norris qualified seventh after Q3 error; Piastri hit Wall of Champions
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s layout challenged McLaren’s car balance and grip
- McLaren struggled with single-lap pace but had strong race pace
- Mercedes showed improved competitiveness with new rear suspension
- McLaren testing new front suspension upgrades for better driveability
He pointed out differences between high-speed circuits like Imola, Jeddah, and Suzuka, and lower-speed venues like Miami. The Montreal circuit does not fit neatly into these categories.
It requires a predictable car for driver confidence, especially during tricky qualifying sessions, and that’s where the McLaren car showed its limits. The MCL39 has been quick during races but difficult to control on a single flying lap, a trend seen again in Canada.
Heavy braking, constant acceleration, and a lack of mid-corner flow exposed some weaknesses with the MCL39’s rear grip and balance.
Throughout the weekend, McLaren drivers struggled to find consistency. Several trips off track during practice and mistakes in qualifying told the story.
While the car’s strength usually comes from strong race pace and superior rear tyre wear, those factors did not provide their usual advantage in Montreal.
[pending]
In the race, McLaren was fast during the final stint, but the advantage appeared only when other teams’ tyres degraded. Oscar Piastri joked that the team really needed the race to last 100 laps instead of 70 to make the most of their tyre management.
Mercedes delivered an improved performance, matching McLaren’s pace and showing their new rear suspension could make them more competitive.
Red Bull, with Max Verstappen, still found enough speed to win, but both Red Bull and Mercedes are watching McLaren closely. Team bosses from both outfits saw some positive signs in their cars, hinting at tighter fights in the coming rounds.
While McLaren’s all-round package is still highly effective, qualifying remains a soft spot that rivals might continue to target. Looking ahead, McLaren remains among the favorites for most races.
McLaren will need to solve their single-lap issues and continue upgrading the car to stay ahead of determined rivals.
The car has worked well at a variety of circuits so far in 2025, and tyre degradation hasn’t been a major problem except in Montreal, where front-left graining was a factor. The team is continuing to work on new upgrades, such as a revised front suspension, to give drivers more confidence.
Lando Norris tested the new setup throughout the weekend, hoping for better driveability, while Oscar Piastri stuck with the older version. Both will be looking for progress to maintain McLaren’s edge as the season goes on.
The next races on the calendar will provide different challenges, with tracks that suit McLaren’s strengths in high-speed corners and strong tyre life. For fans, the results in Canada suggest that the battle at the front could get more competitive, especially if Mercedes and Red Bull can build on their progress.
McLaren, despite missing out on a podium in Montreal, is still well positioned to fight for wins. However, they will need to solve their single-lap issues and continue upgrading the car to stay ahead of determined rivals. For comparison, similar challenges with single-lap qualifying have been seen by top teams at Monaco, as noted in recent coverage of Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
