Oscar Piastri has turned down McLaren’s latest update. Here’s why he opted for a different setup than teammate Lando Norris.
The Australian driver secured third place on the grid for the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, behind George Russell and Max Verstappen, but made a surprising technical choice by deciding not to use the new update introduced by McLaren in Montréal.
The McLaren update included a new front wing geometry, an updated medium-downforce rear wing, and a revised front suspension aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical balance. Although these specifications were tailored for the Canadian track, Oscar Piastri chose not to install the new suspension.
“I could have tried it if I wanted to, but I decided not to,” Oscar Piastri explained during the post-qualifying press conference.
“The new McLaren suspension changes a few things—some for the better, some for the worse. It’s not exactly an upgrade: it’s just a different part. I’ve been happy with how the car has performed so far this year, and I wanted to maintain consistency.”
A suspension not worth pole position for McLaren in Canada
Oscar Piastri elaborated that after a difficult Friday and a tricky FP3 session, his main goal was to stick with a known package to avoid introducing new variables. The decision, especially when compared with Norris’ choice to run the update, proved effective: Oscar Piastri will still start from the second row and expressed confidence ahead of the race.
“After practice I was struggling. I just wanted a clean qualifying without complications. Maybe we could’ve taken pole with the medium tyres, but there was a risk of messing everything up,” he added, commenting on Russell’s rare tyre gamble.
Given McLaren’s race pace in recent rounds, another strong fight for the win is expected in Montréal. Oscar Piastri made it clear that he’s ready: “We’re in the battle. It’s going to be tough, but we’re in it too.”
Andrea Stella confirms: future setup splits remain possible
Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that Norris and Piastri may continue to run different suspension setups throughout the season. “These are minor changes in geometry—they don’t significantly impact outright performance, but they do affect steering feel and response,” Andrea Stella said.
According to the Italian engineer, it’s not a conventional upgrade, but rather a variation that can suit different driving styles: “Some parameters are already slightly different between Oscar and Lando. These are things tied more to driver preferences than outright grip.”
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