Formula 1: Christian Horner Claims McLaren Missed Opportunity to Win Canadian Grand Prix After Late Slick Tyre Switch
In a post-race analysis, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has suggested that McLaren let slip a golden opportunity to win the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, citing the team’s decision to switch to slick tyres one lap too late as the turning point.
Lando Norris had expertly preserved his intermediate tyres, allowing him to pass both Max Verstappen and polesitter George Russell once DRS was activated. However, Horner believes the Briton’s chances of victory were ultimately undone by McLaren’s tardiness in switching to dry weather tyres.
As the track began to dry, Norris and his team opted to prolong their intermediate tyres, hoping to capitalize on their rivals’ struggles to generate temperature on slick rubber. Although Norris had built a sufficient gap to emerge ahead of Verstappen after pitting, he lost ground on the wet pit exit, allowing the Red Bull to reclaim the lead.
“I thought we were in a much better window as the circuit dried out,” Horner told Autosport. “We were able to hold a consistent gap and then it was all about getting the crossover at the right time, because the first sector was pretty damp.”
Horner also emphasized the importance of tyre temperature, noting that losing heat on pit exit cost Norris dearly. “When you drive out of the pitlane, you lose a huge amount of temperature. I felt like we timed that about right, going onto the medium tyre. Whilst Lando was able to capitalise enough to hit the 20-second mark, and it hovered around that, with each lap we did, the tyres were getting warmer and I was surprised they didn’t cover after one lap.”
The Red Bull team principal conceded that McLaren had looked dominant early on, with Norris streaking seven seconds clear as the track dried. “In the first stint, we looked very competitive at the beginning of the race, pushing George very hard and pulled out seven seconds very quickly on the cars behind,” Horner admitted. “So the wetter conditions we were set-up pretty well for.”
However, Horner believes that McLaren’s inability to respond quickly to changing track conditions ultimately cost them the win. With the Formula 1 calendar moving forward, teams will be keen to learn from their mistakes and adapt to the challenges that each race brings. As fans, we can expect more thrilling battles and strategic decisions to come in the world of Formula 1 today.
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