McLaren scraps new front wing at Canadian Grand Prix weekend
- McLaren removed its new front wing for sprint qualifying in Montreal on May 22 after Friday practice showed the part was not delivering expected performance. - Lando Norris said Canada’s “weird” low-grip layout made the package hard to judge, and McLaren reverted both cars to the previous wing. - Qualifying follows in Montreal on May 23, before the Canadian Grand Prix race at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on May 24.
McLaren pulled its new front wing from both cars before sprint qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal after a single practice session left the team unconvinced by the part’s performance. The team had brought the wing as part of the second phase of its Miami upgrade package, alongside other aerodynamic changes for the MCL40. Lando Norris ran the new wing through Friday’s only practice session, while Oscar Piastri began on the older version and switched during the hour, according to The Race. By sprint qualifying, both drivers were back on the previous-specification wing. ### Which part did McLaren remove, and when did it happen? Friday’s decision centered on a new front wing that McLaren had listed among its Canada upgrades. Formula1.com said McLaren arrived in Montreal with a new front wing and engine cover, plus smaller changes to rear suspension fairings, floor edge devices, a halo winglet and revised rear wing endplates. (the-race.com) The Race reported that McLaren removed the new wing for sprint qualifying on May 22 after its first on-track running. Norris used it throughout practice, while Piastri compared old and new specifications in the session before both reverted to the earlier version. ### Why did McLaren back away from the new wing so quickly? Neil Houldey, McLaren’s technical director for engineering, told The Race that “the front wing wasn’t quite delivering what we expected” and that the previous specification “gave the drivers more confidence and allowed them to unlock more performance.” Motorsport.com separately reported that both Norris and Piastri were uncomfortable with the new wing in practice, prompting the switch back. (the-race.com) (formula1.com) Montreal’s format increased the pressure on that call. Formula1.com noted that the Canadian Grand Prix was a sprint weekend with only one practice session before sprint qualifying, leaving teams little time to understand new parts on a circuit with very different demands from Miami. ### What did Norris say about the track and the upgrade? (the-race.com) Norris told The Race that “some things were maybe a bit more questionable” and that McLaren needed “more time to review things and look back” at the upgrade. He said Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve was “such a weird track,” citing low grip, kerb riding and the difficulty of matching track behavior with wind-tunnel expectations. (formula1.com) Montreal’s layout helps explain that concern. Formula1.com describes Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve as a fast, low-downforce, stop-start track with heavy-braking chicanes and a hairpin, a configuration that can complicate setup work when teams are trying to isolate the effect of new aerodynamic parts. That is an inference from the circuit description and Norris’s comments about grip and kerbs. (the-race.com) ### Did the rest of McLaren’s package still work? Norris said the rest of the car was “clearly working well” and that he felt confidence in Q3 after the change back to the older wing. The Race reported that McLaren believed the broader package had still helped, even though removing the new front wing clouded the full picture because the package had been designed around the airflow that wing was meant to generate. (formula1.com) Sprint qualifying suggested McLaren retained pace. Norris qualified third and Piastri fourth after the switch, while Formula1.com’s team reaction roundup showed Mercedes on the front row with George Russell on sprint pole and Kimi Antonelli second. ### When could the new wing return? Norris said the shelved parts would “probably” be reintroduced “next weekend - or in Barcelona,” according to The Race. (the-race.com) In the current calendar sequence, that points to Monaco after Canada and then Spain later in June, with Norris specifically indicating the wing should be better suited to a more conventional circuit. May 23 brings qualifying in Montreal, and the Canadian Grand Prix follows on May 24 at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, according to Formula1.com’s event schedule. McLaren will continue the weekend on the older front wing specification. (formula1.com) (the-race.com)
