Canadian Grand Prix: Piastri Buoyant, Russell and Verstappen Lead the Pack
Montreal, Canada – Oscar Piastri remains optimistic about his prospects in the Canadian Grand Prix, asserting that McLaren is in contention, although the competition is fierce. George Russell secured pole position, flanked by Max Verstappen, marking the first instance this season without a McLaren on the front row. Piastri will start from third, while teammate Lando Norris will take the grid in seventh.
"Friday didn’t look great, but I feel more comfortable now than I did this morning and yesterday," Piastri commented after qualifying. "Our pace on race days is generally strong. However, Russell and Verstappen were quick in race runs yesterday, meaning a win is not guaranteed, but we’re definitely in the fight."
Piastri’s qualifying strategy involved running on soft tires while Russell and Verstappen opted for mediums, a decision he defended despite initial uncertainties. "Honestly, I’m quite happy here in P3. I didn’t have a smooth session this morning, but qualifying clicked. Going for a medium at the end could have been a question, yet sticking to the same compound worked well," he noted.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris expressed disappointment with his qualifying performance after two errors affected his strategy. "Just a couple of big mistakes—hitting the wall at Turn 7 and at the last corner on my first lap cost me," he said. He acknowledged the challenge presented by the circuit layout, indicating a lack of the usual pace. "We’ve clearly not been as quick as normal, but the car’s performance was decent overall. I think we can make progress, but it’s going to be more difficult."
With anticipation for potential on-track drama, Norris added, “Anything that can help us will be very welcome.” The stage is set for an exciting race day in Montreal, as McLaren looks to capitalize on its previous form amidst stiff competition.
