After a brief respite, Formula 1 is heading to Montreal this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix. McLaren can look back on a successful triple header in Europe, where the team secured an impressive six podium finishes and two victories. As they prepare for the race weekend in Canada, drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri remain optimistic. The team hopes to maintain the momentum from Spain, where they achieved another one-two finish.
Lando Norris, refreshed after a weekend off, is ready for another Grand Prix: “I’m excited to get back on track,” he said in an official McLaren press release. “It was great to spend some time with the team in Woking last week. We reflected on the season so far and worked hard on preparing for Canada.” The British driver is looking forward to the street circuit on Île Notre-Dame. “Montreal is a fantastic city and I love racing there,” he concluded. “We will do everything we can to fight for the win and secure important points.”
Teammate Oscar Piastri, who still leads the drivers’ championship, is equally motivated. “I’m feeling very positive and focused heading to Montreal,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity to maintain our strong momentum – I’m looking forward to this fast circuit, which also has low downforce.” The Australian McLaren driver hopes to build on the success of his last race. “The victory in Barcelona capped off a good weekend for me and I’m glad we get to race again after a week off,” said Piastri. “The team is doing a great job – we continue to push together.”
Not Resting on Laurels
Team boss Andrea Stella also emphasized that McLaren does not want to rest on its laurels. “It was a productive week off the track,” he explained. “We were able to evaluate our season well. Despite the strong start, our competitors are still hot on our heels. We need to be focused on performance every weekend.” Stella knows that the Montreal circuit has its own challenges: “It’s an exciting and demanding circuit, often with unpredictable weather. As always, our focus is on ourselves and how we can improve as a team.”
Heading into Canada, McLaren is in first place in both championships. The papayas are building an almost insurmountable lead in the constructors’ championship. And with success; the team has already collected more points than Ferrari (second place) and Mercedes (third place) combined. In the drivers’ championship, Oscar Piastri has built a lead of ten points over teammate Lando Norris. Max Verstappen is 39 points behind the Brit.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris with the ‘spoils’ of the European triple header:
