The Canadian Grand Prix on the gorgeous Montreal circuit gave us an sudden however very welcome end result. The Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved his first profession podium, and not less than we noticed a distinct consequence than traditional, even when influenced by circumstances.
Mercedes secured a vital double podium that introduced them again to second place within the constructors’ standings due to a superb qualifying efficiency on Saturday and their potential to duplicate the robust race tempo proven on Friday, matching Crimson Bull and McLaren (learn right here). The Comfortable C6, after displaying conduct just like Imola, was nearly utterly ignored throughout the race. Piastri, Bearman, Stroll, and Hadjar used it behind the Security Automotive solely hoping the race would resume for even a single lap. Medium and Exhausting tires had been clearly the perfect compounds, particularly the white C4.
The recap
Earlier than analyzing the scenario intimately, let’s recap the methods seen within the race. As we talked about on Sunday morning, we knew {that a} two-stop technique would assure the perfect probability of success. We thought that if excessive degradation appeared, three stops might have been thought-about (learn right here). This path was maybe initially adopted by Verstappen and people who copied his early first cease, however because the observe rubbered in, degradation was extra managed and methods aligned on two stops.
The commonest tactic was Medium-Exhausting-Exhausting, utilized by Russell, Verstappen, Antonelli, Piastri, Hamilton, and Alonso. Then there was Exhausting-Exhausting-Medium by Leclerc and Stroll, alongside Exhausting-Medium-Exhausting which Norris was on earlier than his crash. Behind the Security Automotive, Piastri, given his massive hole on Leclerc, selected Comfortable tires in case the race resumed, however ultimately, there was no time to restart, and the race completed behind the security automotive.
Others on the again all went for a one-stop technique. Medium-Exhausting for Hulkenberg (factors scorer), Bearman, Colapinto, and Hadjar; Exhausting-Medium for Ocon and Sainz (factors scorers), Tsunoda, Bortoleto, and Gasly. Retirements: Norris, Lawson, and Albon.
Ultimate remark from Mario Isola (Pirelli Motorsport Director): “The 2-stop technique confirmed itself because the quickest, and Exhausting was essentially the most performing compound. A single cease was doable however just for these ranging from the again with much less to lose. Entrance runners might push in each stint, leading to an intense race with vital variations in stint size.”
“This was the third weekend of the yr with the C6. We are going to fastidiously analyze the collected knowledge to guage if and tips on how to use it later within the season after the summer time break. Having a wider vary allowed us to supply groups extra strategic choices. Truthfully, with out the C6, in Montreal we’d have introduced the identical trio as in 2024 (C3, C4, and C5) and certain witnessed a way more easy race with just one pit cease,” Isola concluded, defending the weekend’s selection.
Three Groups Inside Six Seconds, Ferrari Off the Radar
The GP unfolded alongside the strains seen in FP2 (learn right here). George led, however solely by a handful of thousandths forward of Verstappen and McLaren. Essential for Kimi was passing Oscar Piastri in the beginning. Was McLaren’s race lackluster? Not solely. Oscar Piastri completed fourth, comfortably so. With a big lead over Max Verstappen within the championship, there was no purpose to take dangers, particularly with Norris behind. If anybody needed to take dangers, it was Lando, and we noticed how that ended.
McLaren had tempo however paid for poor qualifying and a nasty begin. In the event that they hadn’t been quick, they wouldn’t have saved near the vehicles forward all race. Simply earlier than Norris’s crash, there have been barely six seconds separating chief Russell from Lando in P5.
Ferrari, alternatively, was off the radar your entire time. Hamilton was unfortunate hitting a marmot within the first stint, inflicting vital downforce loss after which brake issues. Leclerc rapidly recovered from P8 on the grid to succeed in the McLarens however then needed to concede a disheartening fact: he didn’t have the tempo to maintain up. That is proven by the roughly 12-second hole he needed to Norris shortly earlier than the crash. There’s no sugarcoating it— the SF-25 lacks tempo, and on this situation, ending behind the three groups forward was all they might do.
Two Stops ‘Save Face’ for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc
Beginning on Exhausting tires, when Charles Leclerc noticed everybody stopping early for the primary pit cease and observed he was solely 4-5 tenths slower per lap than those that stopped, he requested the group for a one-stop technique. Ferrari’s engineers, nevertheless, ignored him, and Charles Leclerc instantly confirmed his disagreement.
On the microphones, the quantity 16 driver saved repeating his perspective, however we agree that if he had tried the one-stop path, the Ferrari driver would have primarily confronted a humiliation. Ferrari lacked tempo, and even matching rivals’ methods confirmed a tempo beneath competitors stage.
Round laps 24-26, Charles requested to attempt to end the race with a one-stop technique. Even then, Russell was 4-5 tenths quicker per lap, and at lap 27 George overtook the Ferrari. In all probability the Monegasque thought he might resist the drivers behind, which is questionable, however when others placed on a 3rd set of tires and Charles needed to end on Mediums, the tempo distinction would have been a lot larger, and he would have been simply overtaken by the primary 5, in a quite humiliating approach. We imagine Ferrari made the correct name, not less than permitting him to ‘save face’.
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