Stella explains McLaren's Canadian GP strategy call

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has explained the theory behind the decision to start the Canadian Grand Prix on intermediate tires after the team failed to score a point in Montreal.

Lando Norris lined up third and Oscar Piastri fourth after a competitive weekend prior to Sunday’s race, with Norris having been 0.15s off pole position and split the Mercedes drivers in the Sprint. With light rain falling throughout the hours before the race, the McLarens started on intermediates when the race finally got underway after two extra formation laps, but Norris’ initial lead didn’t last as both cars stopped for slicks within the first two laps.

“You have to consider the tires are fitted five mins before the start,” Stella said. “And at seven minutes, when we needed to operationally make a decision, in our view the track was greasy. Already there were troubles to keep temperatures in the tires on a dry track, but at the time it was greasy, it was raining, at the time we thought you have to make a decision as to what tyres, that was the right tire for the moment.

“After that the rain very rapidly stopped, and also there was a double formation lap which I think took the best out of this decision. Because I would have been pretty interested in seeing the cars with the dry tires had the race started at the time it should have started.

“So I think a bit unlucky with the fact the rain just stopped and the fact there was a double extra formation lap – which I’m not sure exactly when was the last time we saw it.

“In hindsight we were penalized by the decision, but at the time that the decision needed to be made, I think the conditions existed to fit an intermediate tire. It just changed very rapidly.

“In terms of making the decision, actually it was relatively shared by the people and the drivers. I even gave my input myself, [because] before a call needed to be made I just wanted to be sure we were on tires that could withstand the first lap.”

Despite only the Cadillac cars and Carlos Sainz – the Williams the highest of the three, starting from 15th place – also opting for intermediates, Stella also refuted that the choice appeared to be such a big gamble when it was made.

“At the time that you have to make a decision as to what tires to fit, and with not necessarily a clear idea as to when the rain would stop, the track was greasy and the right tire – at the time – was the intermediate tire. So I was really interested in seeing a race start at the time when the race should have started – because I’m not sure how long it took for an extra formation lap, but if you looked at the pit lane, it went from being dark grey to grey, like dry.

“I think we always have to be a bit careful judging decisions simply on the outcome. I think you have to judge the decisions at the time they needed to be made.

“Rain stopping pretty much after the five-minute single, and then the double extra formation lap added a clear penalty to starting on inters, but with the rain lasting for a few more minutes and the race start happening at the right time, we could have seen cars struggling on dry tires.”