McLaren staring down the barrel of alarming F1 issue

McLaren

McLaren staring down the barrel of alarming F1 issue

Was McLaren's strategy blunder in Canada symptomatic of a wider issue?

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 31 May 2026 21:12

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F1 pundit Will Buxton has suggested a wider issue is at play within the McLaren garage after their strategy blunder at the Canadian Grand Prix.

At the race start in Montreal, McLaren gambled with both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris' cars and started them on intermediate tyres, despite the circuit drying and no further rain forecast.

Piastri warned the team to put them on slicks, but both McLarens ran the first few laps on the intermediates before pitting and tumbling down the order. In the end Piastri finished P11 after a collision with Alex Albon, and Norris retired due to a gearbox failure.

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Speaking after the race, Piastri said on the decision: "It was a group call. I was one of the people that said yes to the inters.

"Between the anthem and getting in the car, it had gotten significantly wetter on the ground, and given how difficult getting to the grid was, I thought that the inters, if you could get temperature into them, would be faster.

“That was our whole thinking and then the rain stopped. So yeah, it was a bit of a shame. We thought we were doing the safer thing, and the right thing, and it wasn't.”

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Buxton: McLaren decision baffling

The recent McLaren blunder was a topic of discussion on the Up to Speed podcast, where Buxton implied the papaya squad could be facing a major issue if they don't show signs of improved strategy anytime soon.

"Starting the original formation lap on the inters, I have no issue with. Not reacting, and this is the inherent problem with McLaren and their strategy," said Buxton.

"I've said it before, they either don't react when they should or they panic and they do something they don't need to do.

“In this case it was a total lack of action when they needed to make that action. And I do not understand how this keeps on happening at McLaren.

“Like it's almost every single race weekend now where it is staring you in the face and inaction or indecision is still a decision like you decide not to do anything and it's just baffling."

Co-host Naomi Schiff later added that she felt McLaren’s Canadian GP strategy slip-up signified a lack of confidence.

“It looked like they were looking for an advantage because they didn't feel they could necessarily win this race conventionally, so, they were trying to pull a blinder with this decision,” she said.

F1 McLaren Canadian Grand Prix