McLaren's tyre gamble unravelled in Canada

It was supposed to be a day for McLaren to shine, but a gamble on intermediate tyres turned their Canadian Grand Prix into a disaster. Everything started with such promise; Lando Norris launched from third on the grid with a perfect start, jumping the Mercedes drivers to take the lead. It was a beautiful moment, but that lead was never going to last once the reality of the dry race settled in.

Everything looked so right for the team after Miami, and the progress was clear to see. With fresh upgrades in Montreal, Norris was right there in the mix, splitting George Russell and Kimi Antonelli during the Sprint. He even pushed to within 0.151s of pole position during Qualifying—his smallest gap of the season—making it seem like he was finally ready to be a true protagonist. Unfortunately, the tyre strategy meant it all unravelled far too quickly.