McLaren explain Norris' bizarre Canada DNF

McLaren have confirmed that searing brake temperatures melted the rear suspension on Lando Norris's car at the Canadian Grand Prix, causing an eye-catching retirement for the rookie driver. Norris lasted just eight laps in Montreal, before he suffered the failure.

Norris had qualified eighth in Canada and held his own in an early-race battle with the displaced Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

However, the teenager's race was soon run as he trundled down the pit straight with his right-rear tyre at an unnatural angle, prompting immediate suspicion of contact with the 'Wall of Champions' at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

It was swiftly revealed that Norris had made no contact with the barriers, instead his DNF was put down to an altogether more bizarre occurrence.

"We had high temperatures in the brakes," a team spokesman told Motorsport.com. "That caused a component failure, which basically created a localised fire.

"Because it was in an area where there isn't any air flow, it didn't get extinguished, and basically we exceeded the temperatures that carbon can withstand, and effectively that led to the suspension giving way.

"We're clear about what happened, so it's not an ongoing issue – it was a singular event."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

British wonderkid tipped for F1 stardom handed golden opportunity

• 3 hours ago

F1 star issues Zak Brown apology after getting it badly wrong about Oscar Piastri

• 3 hours ago

Horner hailed as 'Hamilton wants changes' - Italian media's behind-the-scenes Ferrari exposé

• Yesterday 20:57

Fire saviour stripped of driving permit after being caught speeding

• Yesterday 19:45

Norris nightmare as ex Magui Corceiro watches Spanish Grand Prix debacle

• Yesterday 18:45

Next F1 race now has a new date as Azerbaijan Grand Prix moved

• Yesterday 17:57