Lando Norris secured 3rd place in Sprint Qualifying for the Canadian GP. This grid position arrived after a rather complicated sole free practice session for McLaren, during which the team appeared to be struggling compared to Mercedes. Norris called P3 a pleasant surprise, highlighting the car’s rapid improvement.
In the first free practice session, McLaren showed a significant gap compared to Mercedes. Lando Norris finished 6th, over 1.3 seconds adrift of the leader, while Oscar Piastri placed 7th. The team expressed concern over a lack of confidence in the car and the sizable deficit to the German machinery.
The turnaround in Sprint Qualifying
In the Sprint Qualifying session, McLaren took a clear step forward. George Russell claimed pole position, followed by Kimi Antonelli in 2nd place. Lando Norris took 3rd, ending up just 3 tenths off pole, while Oscar Piastri secured 4th, finishing very close to his teammate. Thanks to this result, Norris and Piastri will line up ahead of the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Lando Norris commented on the result with satisfaction: “Very much so. It was a very good result, a nice surprise, actually. I think after this morning we were a bit worried, let’s say, about how far away we were and especially about the lack of confidence in the car.”
He continued by explaining the team’s efforts: “But we made some adjustments, we changed a few things, and it feels like we made a good improvement. I’m happy with third place. It wasn’t the best lap, I could have extracted more from it, but then when I saw the gap to the guys ahead, it wasn’t that much. A positive turnaround, and I’m proud of the team for managing to do such a good job.”
Regarding the upgrades brought to Montreal, he added: “I think it felt good. Some things were perhaps a bit more questionable, and we probably need more time to review and analyze them, especially since this is such a strange circuit. There’s so little grip, you’re bouncing off the curbs and things like that, so you don’t get a true representation of everything… We need a bit more time on certain aspects, and we will probably reintroduce some of them next weekend or in Barcelona.”
Concluding on his feeling with the car, he said: “At the same time, the rest of the car was clearly working well now and I felt confident in SQ3, especially with the soft tires, which is perhaps the first time this weekend I’ve felt that confidence. A good step forward.”
Statements from Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri analyzed the day: “It was a bit of a chaotic day for everyone, I think, but the Mercedes still look very strong, so I think that’s probably the main takeaway, unfortunately. But we’ll see what we can do, how we can optimize things a bit better, and try to give it our all again tomorrow.”
On the comparison with rival teams, he stated: “Our starts have been better than Ferrari‘s all year, so we are confident in ours. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before Mercedes makes theirs competitive too, but until then, we’ll try to make the most of it.”
Overall assessment
McLaren demonstrated a positive turnaround between free practice and Sprint Qualifying thanks to several targeted adjustments. Norris praised the team’s work, though he emphasized that certain upgrades require further validation due to the unique characteristics of the Montreal circuit, which features low grip and demanding curbs. The team remains optimistic for Saturday’s Sprint, while acknowledging Mercedes’ current upper hand.
McLaren’s impressive recovery on Friday highlights the tactical flexibility and underlying performance of the MCL40 platform. By securing the second row of the grid, Norris and Piastri have positioned themselves perfectly to capitalize on any mistakes from the front-running Mercedes cars. If the team can exploit their acknowledged launch advantage over Mercedes and keep pressure on the leaders, this Canadian Grand Prix weekend could transform into a major points-scoring opportunity in the constructors’ championship battle.
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