So far, 2025 has seen McLaren consistently shine on Fridays, topping the time sheets thanks to a combination of versatility and effectiveness that made them a benchmark across circuits. In Canada, however, the Woking team wrapped up the first day with more uncertainty—not because of final positions, but due to how the car behaved.
While not an easy car to push to the limit, the MCL39 generally offers a solid base balance, allowing the team to focus on fine details from the outset. In Montreal, though, the scenario looked a bit different.
The British squad dedicated most of FP1 to a series of aerodynamic tests aimed at evaluating the latest technical updates. Even as the day progressed, both drivers continued experimenting with different configurations. One point of agreement between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris is clear: the MCL39 is not yet at its best.
While McLaren will need to work overnight to unlock the full potential of a car that appeared nervous at times, another team can look to Saturday with more confidence: Mercedes. “It was a very positive day. We had high expectations going in,” said George Russell after setting the fastest time in FP2.
Mercedes excels in traction, aided by conditions
Several factors have favored Mercedes so far, starting with the track layout and asphalt characteristics. Montreal is almost a “stop-and-go” circuit where traction plays a key role, an area where the German car has often excelled.
However, the reasons don’t seem limited to track traits alone. It’s true Pirelli opted for the softest compounds in the range, including the C6, but Canada has few corners that stress the tires, and the asphalt is relatively smooth in composition—not to be confused with its bumps.
This setup results in relatively low tire stress, to the point that graining, especially on the front-left, became a notable issue during free practice, amplified by the still-dirty track conditions. In this context, and with relatively low temperatures, Mercedes seems to have found—at least on Friday—the ideal window to get the most out of the W16.
A sign of Mercedes’ strong competitiveness also came from Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s solid Friday, a driver who has often struggled to maximize the soft compound on low-fuel runs. Looking closer, even though the W16 didn’t excel in medium- and low-speed corners—historically not its strengths—its traction on corner exit made a real difference.
Interestingly, like many other drivers, Russell ran a reverse program in FP2, starting on softs and switching to mediums, with which he set the fastest time—taking advantage of the track’s significant improvement during the session.
Although the C6 remains the outright fastest compound, the gap to the medium is less significant than expected, and surprises could come—especially later in the weekend when temperatures are forecasted to rise significantly. That could change the competitive picture, potentially to the detriment of the W16, which still operates within a fragile performance window.
The MCL39 appeared too nervous
Speaking of windows, McLaren is among the teams hoping to take a step forward—even if Friday left them split in focus. Much of the day was spent comparing different wing configurations. Beyond that, though, the MCL39 seemed more nervous than usual—an unusual trait for a car that typically stands out for its stability.
It’s not a compound-related issue, as this behavior showed up with both mediums and softs. The fact that the best time was set on used tires isn’t that telling either, since the C6 can regain performance if given time to “breathe,” and part of the degradation was offset by improving track conditions.
There’s one interesting aspect: with brand-new C6s, it doesn’t seem easy to extract peak grip—a trait also seen at Imola and Monaco. McLaren was among the teams that opted to make two attempts on the same set, believing the used rubber to be more performant and easier to manage—something to watch for in qualifying.
Behind them, a large group of teams is closing in. Williams is aiming to return to the top 10 on a circuit that suits the FW47’s strengths—particularly its aerodynamic efficiency. Not coincidentally, the Grove team has often performed well here in the past. It’ll be interesting to see how they manage the tires, as rising temperatures may pose problems for the FW47, despite improvements in balance.
Red Bull got the setup wrong in FP2, working on ride height
Red Bull and Ferrari are chasing from further back. The Milton Keynes team didn’t get beyond ninth place, suffering from some small setup tweaks in FP2 that didn’t produce the expected results. Though marginal, these changes had a major impact—confirming how tight the RB21’s operating window still is.
While the car showed much better balance in FP1, changes made in FP2 caused increased bouncing and instability, even over the curbs. This suggests Red Bull was working on ride heights and suspension stiffness. Initial impressions weren’t entirely negative, and the car still benefits from a strong DRS effect on single laps—but it’s clear that progress is needed.
Ferrari’s situation was different, having lost Charles Leclerc due to a mistake just minutes into FP1 that forced him to miss the entire day, robbing the team of a key reference point. With Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel, the SF-25 seemed generally well balanced—apart from some difficulties entering the final corner, which were related to other factors.
Throughout Friday, the Briton complained about inconsistent braking—a recurring issue this season that was particularly evident here due to the many heavy braking zones requiring confidence on the pedal. This led to several mistakes in the final corner during turn-in.
Beyond that, Ferrari seemed to lack some grip—especially in race trim—where Hamilton was among the first to visibly suffer from graining. Still, this issue is expected to lessen over the weekend: improved track grip could end up benefiting the Scuderia.
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