The Canadian Grand Prix on the attractive Montreal circuit gave us an surprising however very welcome consequence. The Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved his first profession podium, and not less than we noticed a special final result than ordinary, even when influenced by circumstances.
Mercedes secured an important double podium that introduced them again to second place within the constructors’ standings because of a wonderful qualifying efficiency on Saturday and their means to copy the sturdy race tempo proven on Friday, matching Pink Bull and McLaren (learn right here). The Gentle C6, after exhibiting habits much like Imola, was nearly fully ignored in the course of 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 Laborious tires had been clearly the perfect compounds, particularly the white C4.
The recap
Earlier than analyzing the state of affairs 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 likelihood of success. We thought that if excessive degradation appeared, three stops may have been thought of (learn right here). This path was maybe initially adopted by Verstappen and those that copied his early first cease, however because the monitor rubbered in, degradation was extra managed and techniques aligned on two stops.
The most typical tactic was Medium-Laborious-Laborious, utilized by Russell, Verstappen, Antonelli, Piastri, Hamilton, and Alonso. Then there was Laborious-Laborious-Medium by Leclerc and Stroll, alongside Laborious-Medium-Laborious which Norris was on earlier than his crash. Behind the Security Automotive, Piastri, given his giant hole on Leclerc, selected Gentle tires in case the race resumed, however in the long run, there was no time to restart, and the race completed behind the security automobile.
Others on the again all went for a one-stop technique. Medium-Laborious for Hulkenberg (factors scorer), Bearman, Colapinto, and Hadjar; Laborious-Medium for Ocon and Sainz (factors scorers), Tsunoda, Bortoleto, and Gasly. Retirements: Norris, Lawson, and Albon.
Closing remark from Mario Isola (Pirelli Motorsport Director): “The 2-stop technique confirmed itself because the quickest, and Laborious 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 may push in each stint, leading to an intense race with important variations in stint size.”
“This was the third weekend of the yr with the C6. We’ll rigorously analyze the collected information to judge if and use it later within the season after the summer season break. Having a wider vary allowed us to supply groups extra strategic choices. Actually, with out the C6, in Montreal we’d have introduced the identical trio as in 2024 (C3, C4, and C5) and sure witnessed a way more simple race with just one pit cease,” Isola concluded, defending the weekend’s alternative.
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. Crucial for Kimi was passing Oscar Piastri initially. Was McLaren’s race lackluster? Not solely. Oscar Piastri completed fourth, comfortably so. With a major 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 foul begin. In the event that they hadn’t been quick, they wouldn’t have saved near the automobiles 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 complete time. Hamilton was unfortunate hitting a marmot within the first stint, inflicting important 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 reality: 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 Laborious tires, when Charles Leclerc noticed everybody stopping early for the primary pit cease and seen he was solely 4-5 tenths slower per lap than those that stopped, he requested the crew for a one-stop technique. Ferrari’s engineers, nonetheless, ignored him, and Charles Leclerc instantly confirmed his disagreement.
On the microphones, the quantity 16 driver saved repeating his viewpoint, 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 under competitors degree.
Round laps 24-26, Charles requested to attempt to end the race with a one-stop technique. Even then, Russell was 4-5 tenths sooner per lap, and at lap 27 George overtook the Ferrari. Most likely the Monegasque thought he may 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 slightly humiliating method. We imagine Ferrari made the correct name, not less than permitting him to ‘save face’.
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