Canadian GP: Lando Norris expects Mercedes battle in Montreal after ‘worst’ McLaren Friday of 2025 F1 season | F1 News
Lando Norris says that McLaren suffered their “worse Friday” from the Formula 1 2025 season and expects to fight Mercedes for pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Norris was only 0.028 behind the George Russell rhythm on the second try, but established his best time after three flights on the soft tire.
The championship manager, Oscar Piastri, was only sixth and 0.439 on Russell, who used the average tires.
“We have to put the car in a better place. It is difficult. It was our worst Friday of the year so far, perhaps not the worst in terms of rhythm but the most difficult to assemble and the most delicate,” said Norris.
“We are not miles away, but we have to make things a little easier to drive. We are still in good position. It’s near and other teams are up there. Mercedes now seems very fast, just like last year here. They were quite easily the best here last year.
“We expected them to be fast, they proved it on Friday. But I complain not to be fast. We are still there or roughly. In the minute, we are not the fastest but we never know.”
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The drivers of McLaren Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris reflect on a “delicate” practice session at the Grand Prix of Canada
McLaren brought a new front suspension and a new front wing in Montreal, but directed the old front wing in the second training on the two cars after having experienced the new wing during the first session.
Piastri said upgrades were working “as expected”, but Norris said the car was “quite similar”.
“It is difficult to say just from a track, you have to go to many others and here is unique with the borders and the weak handle,” said the British pilot.
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Lando Norris is thinking about a fun rivalry with Oscar Piastri and admits that a teammate confrontation is “ inevitable ” ‘
“A little too early to say, but all things aim to move the car in the right direction and give me more feeling, which is a good thing.”
Piastri added: “We made a good step of FP1 to FP2 and we just need to try to do the same step again.
“No alarm rings. Just put the car in a better window and I in a better window.”
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Aston Martin driver launches Stroll hits the wall during P2 at the Canadian Grand Prix
Russell: Only only in the tank remains
Russell was the fastest during a training session for the first time this year while Mercedes continued their tendency to fly in cool conditions.
The air temperature should stay at the bottom of the 20s for qualifying and the race, so Russell seems to be a real competitor of pole, but he played on his Friday pace.
“We had higher expectations in this weekend due to the cooler conditions, the track is quite fluid, so the tires are quite cold,” he said.
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Red Bull’s director of the Red Bull team Christian Horner said Max Verstappen apologized to the team after facing Mercedes Pilot George Russell in the Spanish GP
“We know our weakness, it is when it is hot, we are difficult. When it is cold, the tires are cold and that we are competitive. It is validation today. We will try to maximize this weekend.
“My turn was strong. It was optimized. There was no longer in the tank. We had everything on the table, the full beans, the power and everything else.
“You must be realistic. A number of teams think of the average tire. Come qualify, go on the sweet or the medium, this is one of the challenges with this C6 compound.”
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George Russell said Mercedes should remain realistic before qualifying after finishing the fastest during the second training session at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit
The reigning world champion Max Verstappen exceeded the first training, but was only ninth in the second session.
Verstappen, who won the last three races in Montreal, is not sure that Red Bull can challenge before.
“The day was good. I felt very happy with the car. FP2 was a little more difficult for other reasons,” he said.
“We have lost something with the automotive, clin balance, that we have to investigate, but overall, it was a positive day.
“The car in general in FP2 was a little more difficult, but if we can bring it back to the way it was in FP1, we look quite correct.”
Canadian Sky Sports F1 schedule
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A look at some of the most dramatic moments in the Canada Grand Prix
Saturday June 14
2:10 p.m.: F1 Academy Race One
5:15 p.m.: Practice of Canadian GP three (the session starts at 5.30 p.m.)
7:30 p.m.: F1 Academy Race Two
8:30 p.m.: Canadian GP qualification accumulation
9 p.m.: Canadian GP qualification
11 p.m.: TED’s qualification book
Sunday June 15
3:50 p.m.: F1 Academy Race three
5.30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday: Canadian GP Build-Up *
7 p.m.: The Canadian Grand Prix *
9 p.m.: Damy flag: GP Canadian reaction
10 p.m.: Ted’s notebook
* Also on the main event of Sky Sports
The Formula 1 2025 season resumes live Sky Sports F1 With the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time.
