Max Verstappen has admitted he was taken aback by McLaren’s decision to start the Canadian Grand Prix on intermediate tyres.
Rain fell at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the build-up to the race, although the track had already begun to dry by the time the cars headed to the grid.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lined up on the second row and quickly voiced concerns over team radio during the formation lap that they were on the wrong tyre.
Norris briefly moved into the lead on the opening lap, but it soon became clear McLaren had made the incorrect call, with both drivers pitting early to switch to the medium compound.
As the strategy error reshuffled the front of the field, Verstappen revealed his reaction to McLaren’s decision.
“That was a great call,” Verstappen told media including ApexF1News. “I was like, ‘Thank you’.
McLaren was not the only team to opt for intermediates, as Audi, Cadillac and Williams’ Carlos Sainz also stuck on the wet weather tyre.
But as McLaren was in a strong place to bring home a noteworthy result, race-winner Kimi Antonelli also voiced surprise over McLaren’s decision.
“It’s not easy situation because it started to drizzle a little bit harder,” Antonelli said.
“You could see it was starting to get a little bit wet but we knew, at least we were quite confident that it wouldn’t have lasted that long and that you could survive.
“So obviously went for slicks. And of course I was surprised to see the McLarens on inters.
“It was a massive gamble, and of course, if it would have started raining it was very good for them, but it didn’t.
“It was not the best. But the start was not easy, especially very easy to lock up, kerbs were a little bit sketchy in the first, at least first couple of laps.
“So it was not easy condition but then once the car started running, the track was fully dry after a few laps and was fine to race.”
