OSCAR PIASTRI DELIVERS DAMNING MCLAREN F1 CANADIAN GP VERDICT: 'WE LOOK LIKE IDIOTS'

Oscar PIastri has slammed McLaren's decision to start the F1 Canadian GP on hard tyres

Oscar Piastri has lambasted McLaren’s decision to start the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix on intermediate tyres, resulting in a miserable afternoon.

McLaren attempted a radical strategy at the start of the F1 Canadian GP, opting to put Piastri and teammate Lando Norris on intermediate tyres.

The track, while not dry, also did not warrant intermediates, forcing both drivers to pit for dry tyres in the opening two laps.

Now back in the midfield, Piastri suffered a disastrous afternoon and finished outside the points after incurring a ten-second time penalty for crashing into Alex Albon.

Speaking after the race. Piastri revealed how the decision quickly unravelled as the formation lap began.

“There was definitely no standing water, but you could clearly tell where it was wet and where it was dry, and getting to the grid was not easy on slicks; getting to full throttle was pretty tough.

“Unfortunately for us, it stopped raining as the formation lap started, basically. Just one of those things where if it had rained a little bit more, we would have looked like heroes, but it didn’t, so we looked like idiots. So just one of those things.”

Oscar Piastri apologises for Alex Albon crash

Apologising for his crash with Albon, Piastri admitted to driver error, describing the incident as “not my finest moment”.

“It was just so, so difficult out there.

“I felt like I was going into the corner pretty carefully, but locked the front, and that was it. It was not my finest moment.

“Apologies to Alex and Williams, because it was unnecessary damage for both of us, especially for them. So just one of those things.”

McLaren and Piastri will need to deep dive urgently as to how a front row and top six start led to no points.

- James Phillips

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AN F1 TEAM BOSS' FURY AT 'ABSOLUTE BULLS***" DRIVER EXIT RUMORS

 

Haas Formula 1 boss Ayao Komatsu does not do diplomatic non-answers or suffer fools, so if anyone is likely to rail against “bulls***” speculation, it's him.

Even by Komatsu’s standards, though, his response to the reporting surrounding Esteban Ocon's future at the team and a supposed fall-out between the two at the previous F1 race in Miami was something to behold.

The claims, which had spread rapidly through social media in the days before the Canadian Grand Prix, suggested a serious breakdown in the relationship between Komatsu and Ocon, with some reports hinting at a possible mid-season split.

Komatsu's verdict was unambiguous: "Absolute bulls***. Zero foundation whatsoever."

He reeled off a sustained, often expletive-laden dismantling of a story he considers not just wrong, but “just f***ing bulls*** gossip”. He even asked: “How is that journalism?”

What made his reaction extraordinary was not merely the language but the disbelief that the story had been written in the first place, and then gained traction.

The basic lineage of this story appears to be that a Brazilian journalist was misquoted and/or mistranslated into Japanese based on comments made in Portuguese questioning Ocon's long-term future at Haas. Additional details were then added, referring to reports of a falling out in Miami. This was then regurgitated again by French media outlets.

Komatsu suggested that at each stage of that chain, nobody had thought to check whether any of it was true. He also wondered if the Japanese motivation was "they really want to create s***" that he wants to replace Ocon with Yuki Tsunoda and get a Japanese driver back on the grid.

The specific claim that irritated him most was the suggestion of a confrontation with Ocon in Miami.

"I didn't even have a single argument with Esteban in Miami,” Komatsu said. “It's just amazing how this bulls*** gets smoked up, and then because nobody checks the source, everybody just rides on top of it."

Komatsu and Ocon spoke on Thursday morning in Montreal and the conversation was one of bemusement rather than damage control: "We were just smiling and talking about ‘what the f*** that's about?’ So I said I'm going to just completely clarify this to everyone, because it's absolute utter s***, total bulls***.”

But while both men presented a unified front, Komatsu was clear that the episode was not without cost. Ocon has been unsettled, his management has been unsettled, and the team was forced to field questions about a crisis that did not exist.

When he asked, “What is the purpose?” it was not rhetorical; Komatsu was genuinely baffled. As a child, he revealed, Komatsu harboured ambitions of becoming an investigative journalist. He understood the appeal and the value.

"So when I read things, it's like f***king hell. Are you not embarrassed about what you're writing? And then by writing bulls*** like this with no foundation, you lose credibility completely, right? Any media that runs that kind of bulls*** story loses credibility, in my mind.”

Ocon himself, in his own media session, described the experience in terms that went beyond mere frustration. He called it "almost like bullying in a way", with his reputation materially damaged "in two or three days" by people who face no accountability for what they have written.

The sensitivity of the situation was further illustrated when Komatsu was asked, with both Ocon and team-mate Ollie Bearman currently onboard but not guaranteed for 2027, would he keep both drivers if he had to decide today?

Komatsu’s expansive candour was replaced with a simpler kind of bluntness: "A question like this is going to create some s*** because people are going to take my word completely out of context. So I'm not going to answer that question."

Having just lamented the consequences of careless reporting, Komatsu was clearly not prepared to hand anyone fresh ammunition.

- SCOTT MITCHELL-MALM, EDD STRAW

GEORGE RUSSELL ISSUED 'PSYCHOLOGICAL' WARNING AHEAD OF F1 CANADIAN GP

George Russell is looking to bounce back in Canada

Martin Brundle has warned George Russell that winning this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix is an important “psychological” step in his quest to win the Formula 1 World Championship.

The Mercedes driver has fallen 20 points behind teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ standings, with Italian teenager’s blistering seeing him triumph in the last three Grands Prix.

The results have swung against the pre-season narrative that Russell was indeed the title favourite, which was initially furthered with success in the opening round in Australia.

Whilst McLaren and Red Bull have appeared to catch-up to Mercedes, the German marque is still the standout overall favourite for both title crowns, leaving Russell with what appears to be a big chance to close the gap to Antonelli.

And whilst Brundle, speaking to Sky Sports News, acknowledged there is a “long way to go” in the championship, a victory in Montreal this weekend would give Russell a chance to firmly press the reset button.

“There’s a long way to go. There’s 482 points available in this championship,” he said.

“I don’t think the points deficit is that much of a problem for George Russell.

“For example, last year in Canada, Lando Norris had a clumsy accident with his team-mate Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, and that looked like he’d hurt his championship chances, then he goes on to become World Champion.

“This is only our fifth Grand Prix of the season, and it’s going to be a challenging one. It’s the first Sprint in Canada.

“It’s going to be cold. It might be wet on race day. It’s going to be quite the challenge.

"George needs to stop Antonelli in his tracks and get a few points back against him, but I think it’s more psychological than the mathematics.”

George Russell struggled to keep with teammate Kimi Antonelli in Miami, and enters this weekend’s race 20 points behind

'Mighty’ Antonelli but Canada strength could see George Russell resurgence – Brundle

Antonelli has certainly silenced the doubters, the teenager having been lambasted for a number of performances across his debut campaign, with Russell often outperforming the W16.

Brundle was full of praise for the sport’s youngest-ever title-leader, however did point out that Russell, who often performs well in Canada – winning the race last year, with Antonelli third – could prove to be a sterner test than he previously was last time out in the Miami Grand Prix.

“He’s been mighty, his speed, his consistency. He kept his head under pressure in Miami,” he said.

“George Russell struggles in Miami, but is very strong in Canada, so Kimi will have a bigger fight on his hands across the garage and a lot of teams are bringing upgrades.

“But, Kimi’s raw pace and consistency has been super impressive.”

With Antonelli still shaking off the 2025 criticisms, every Grand Prix feels like a litmus test for the young Italian. And if he can navigate the latest one, his title credentials will soar once again.

- Jack Oliver Smith

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE F1 CANADA GP

Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Here are some of the key storylines to keep track of

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Three weeks on from the events in Miami, the Canadian Grand Prix marks Formula 1's second North American visit at one of its most unique and quietly beloved venues. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve may not offer a high-octane combination of fast corners, but with its unpredictable weather, long straights and the punishing proximity of its many walls, the race on the picturesque Ile Notre-Dame has delivered more than its fair share of classics.

For the first time in its history, Montreal will also host a sprint weekend, and rain appears to be on the horizon, too. With all that in mind, here are five things to look out for in Montreal.

Will Russell strike back as Montreal's defending winner? 

Getty Images 

The current Formula 1 championship picture is arguably misrepresenting the battle between the dominant Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. They occupy the top two positions with Antonelli on 100 points, 20 clear of his more experienced team-mate after three consecutive victories in Shanghai, Suzuka and Miami. 

Antonelli is the only driver with a podium at every grand prix this season, having finished second at the Melbourne opener to Russell, who has since taken second, fourth and fourth again. So looking on paper, Antonelli has been the better driver and is rightfully the bookies’ favourite for the title heading into Canada this weekend - but this writer wholeheartedly disagrees.

That’s because Miami is a bogey track for Russell, who struggles with its low-grip nature and it was even witnessed last year. In 2025, when the Briton was significantly better than his rookie team-mate, he was still outqualified for both the Miami sprint and grand prix so Russell getting beat last time out was no surprise. 

Fans should therefore expect the 28-year-old to come back fighting in Canada and for two reasons: a, he won from pole in 2025 and, b, Miami was the first time this year Antonelli held the upper hand throughout after Russell was hit by ill fortune in Shanghai and Suzuka.

So, in this writer’s mind, nothing has really changed since pre-season and surely last year taught us that title fights constantly ebb and flow…

- Ed Hardy

Will Mercedes restore its dominance as upgrades hit Canada?

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That´s, of course, if Mercedes gets its own way in Canada as it has done at the majority of 2025's races so far. In Miami, McLaren took a big bite out of the Brackley squad's lead thanks to the first of a two-pronged upgrade package - with reigning world champion Lando Norris winning the sprint event from pole. 

Meanwhile, Mercedes kept the vast majority of its novelties back for Montreal, which has made Antonelli's convincing pole-to-flag win during the Miami grand prix somewhat ominous.

Both teams are now bringing a suite of upgrades to Canada, with McLaren teasing "new components across the floor, chassis, front and rear wings, bodywork, halo and roll hoop." According to our information, it's still a significant package though not quite as massive as its Miami update. Mercedes hasn't shown its hand yet, but expect the Silver Arrows to be strong at a circuit Russell drove its predecessor to victory last year from pole.

Can Alpine continue to lead the midfield? 

TWJB Photography 

Alpine had already shown in China and Japan that it has the pace to lead the midfield fight this season, but in Miami it appeared to hold an almost surprising advantage over its direct rivals.

The team comfortably placed both cars inside the top 10 in both qualifying sessions, while Franco Colapinto finished seventh in the grand prix, 20 seconds clear of the next midfield runner. Pierre Gasly’s true potential, meanwhile, remained unclear after his race ended upside down on the opening laps after being tagged by Liam Lawson.

What is certain is that Alpine’s standout weekend in Miami coincided with the introduction of a significant upgrade package – with more developments expected in Montreal – while rivals such as Haas are set to roll out major updates of their own over the Canadian weekend.

That poses an intriguing question heading into round five. During a season where teams are unlocking performance at a rapid rate under this year’s major regulation overhaul, there is no guarantee Alpine can sustain this performance level. If it does in Canada, the Enstone-based outfit could begin to establish itself as the enduring midfield benchmark.

- Federico Faturos

Will Canada be more of the same for Aston Martin? 

Getty Images 

It was probably a surprise when, in Miami - after a month without racing - Aston Martin was the only team that didn’t submit updates in the document the FIA releases before each grand prix. The team and its engine supplier, Honda, focused on eliminating vibrations caused by the power unit and improving driveability. And while they seem to have put the vibrations behind them, another problem with the gearbox became more evident, and ultimately the result was similar, with Aston seemingly only able to spar with newcomer Cadillac.

Fernando Alonso dashed any optimism in front of the media when he all but confirmed his team's fortunes would remain unchanged for at least another couple of months, and that he does not expect major progress until after the summer.

Now, Aston and Honda have continued working on improving the car’s stability and gaining experience on the test bench in Japan, Canada can be a first opportunity to at least focus on squeezing more performance out of its flawed package, which would already be a step forward. Can the stop-start, traction-heavy Gilles Villeneuve circuit work in the team's favour?

It remains to be seen whether the team will introduce changes on the aerodynamic side or if its upgrade sheet will once again be completely blank. If that's the case, we’ll have to see if the progress in terms of deployment and driveability is enough to start seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, or if Canada is more of the same for Aston Martin, Alonso and local driver Lance Stroll.

Will the weather spring a surprise?

2026 will mark the earliest Canadian Grand Prix in Formula 1 history, taking place on 24 May – as opposed to the previous ‘record’ of 2 June in 1991. Spring can be quite chilly in that part of the world, but the forecast is looking decent for this weekend, with 15C to 19C (59F to 66F) expected for the grand prix’s competitive sessions.

It should be mostly dry, too – with an important caveat: rain is forecast on Sunday, which might spice things up and provide a first picture of wet-weather racing with 2026-spec machinery. For the record, only one of the last 10 Montreal races took place on a wet track – the 2024 round, won by Max Verstappen.

Regardless, the freezing (figuratively speaking) cold of the very first grand prix at Ile Notre-Dame, with 5C (41F) on 8 October 1978, won’t be an issue this weekend. It will get pretty close to this temperature in some mornings, but the track action is scheduled late enough in the day.

-  Ben Vinel

- Motorsport.com

MERCEDES BRING FIRST MAJOR UPGRADE OF F1 2026 TO CANADIAN GRAND PRIX IN BID TO FEND OFF RIVALS

Mercedes confirms it is bringing an anticipated upgrade to the Canadian Grand Prix.

Mercedes is unbeaten so far in 2026

Mercedes has confirmed it will bring its first major upgrade of the 2026 Formula 1 season to the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.

F1 returns to action in Montreal following a three-week break with Mercedes looking to continue its unbeaten start to the campaign.

Mercedes has claimed pole position and won all four of the opening races, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli clinching three consecutive victories to build a surprise 20-point advantage over team-mate George Russell in the championship.

Antonelli celebrates his third straight F1 win

Despite Mercedes’ strong start to the season, its rivals - especially McLaren - closed the gap by bringing significant upgrades at the last round in Miami.

Mercedes did not update its W17 challenger in Miami, opting instead to debut a bigger upgrade in Canada.

“Our competitors took a step forward in Miami and we need to respond; seven Grands Prix in 10 weekends before shutdown is an opportunity to do that and build momentum,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said.

“We bring our first update package of the year to Montreal, but we know that performance is only performance once it is delivered on track.

“Despite being in the middle of May, we are just four races into the season. There is a long year ahead and, whilst this is an important weekend, it will not decide any outcomes.

“We will stay balanced, keep learning, and execute each weekend as well as we can. We won't get too high when we succeed or too low in the difficult moments; that is as true for our drivers as it is for the rest of the team.”

MCLAREN NOT DONE WITH DEVELOPMENT

Norris led a McLaren 1-2 in the Miami sprint

Reigning world champion Lando Norris beat Antonelli to pole for the Miami sprint and went on to lead a dominant McLaren 1-2 in Saturday’s shortened race, before having to settle for second behind Antonelli in the main grand prix.

McLaren nevertheless made an encouraging step forward compared to Mercedes and will continue to bring new parts to their MCL40, which was heavily revised in Miami.

"We feel extremely satisfied with the weekend, very encouraged, not only because in a single weekend we scored more points than the three previous races, but also because of the trend that we have established," McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said.

"We know that we have some more upgrades coming, which are kind of coming from the same group, so we are optimistic that they may allow us to take some further steps forward.

"I think Mercedes still possess a couple of tenths advantage on anybody else. This was the most noticeable today in the race and [in grand prix qualifying]. I think in the first sprint section of the weekend, for some reason Mercedes didn't express its full potential.

"So, I think Mercedes is still the best team, probably because we don't have many high speed corners here it's less noticeable than some other tracks. But I think they also did a good job of optimising what they had after having learned from the sprint qualifying and the sprint race."

- Lewis Larkam

RACE WEEK! | CANADIAN GRAND PRIX 2026

 

APPLE AND NETFLIX TO SIMULCAST CANADIAN GRAND PRIX IN US

Getty Images 

• F1 debuts on Apple this year in deal worth reported US$150m per season

• This year’s Canadian Grand Prix is on the same day as Indianapolis 500

Apple has agreed a deal with rival streaming giant Netflix that will see the Canadian Grand Prix aired on both platforms for the US audience.

The collaboration will also see Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries made available to Apple TV subscribers in the US. This is the first time the two streaming giants have collaborated on an offering like this as Netflix looks to expand its live sports programming capabilities. 

In fact, Netflix credited its live sports events with driving “disproportionate excitement and signups” in the fourth quarter of 2025, as the streamer’s global subscriber base passed 325 million.

This year, Formula One has a new broadcast home in the US thanks to a new deal with Apple worth a reported US$150 million per season. Formula One leaves behind a successful media rights partnership with ESPN which averaged a record 1.32 million viewers in its final year.

The cross-promotion of the sport between both Apple and Netflix provides a great marketing platform for Formula One to reach more viewers, which will be key in the short term as the sport loses its linear route to market.

The decision to choose the Canadian Grand Prix for this experiment is also interesting as this year’s race takes place on the same day as the Indianapolis 500. IndyCar’s flagship race starts around three hours earlier, but any rain delays could see the two races clash.

- CIAN BRITTLE

FORMULA 1 SPRINT RACES | 2026

 

THE NEXT BIG STORY IN F1 | KIMI ANTONELLI

 

GEORGE RUSSELL REACTS TO MAX VERSTAPPEN SOCIAL MEDIA PAST: 'I WAS A BIT SURPRISED'

Max Verstappen took accountability for causing the clash with George Russell in Barcelona via an Instagram post a day after the Spanish Grand Prix.

George Russell has reacted to Max Verstappen's post-Spanish Grand Prix social media post in which he took accountability for causing the controversial clash with the Mercedes driver.

Ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, the Briton has confirmed that he was a "bit surprised" to read the Dutchman's words a day after the incident in Barcelona, which moved Verstappen just a penalty point away from a ban.

The four-time F1 champion received three penalty points and a 10-second time penalty for driving directly into Russell at Turn 5 of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, demoting him to 10th at the chequered flag. 

Despite the aggressive move, which some believe should have seen Verstappen black-flagged, Russell is confident the Red Bull driver was not trying to cause a crash.

"He was trying to run me off the road. I don’t think he was trying to intentionally crash into me," Russell told the media in Montreal. "He wanted to just sort of scare me a bit, but he just misjudged it.

"Again, it wasn’t going to scare me, it was just all a bit surprising. I’m not looking for an apology. His actions cost him, and they benefited me. So I should be almost thanking him. 

"Obviously I’d be feeling very differently if it took me out of the race. But it is good to see that he took accountability. I was a bit surprised about that."

Verstappen's initial response in the media pen after the race caused further debate. 

Sarcastically, the 27-year-old offered his rival a tissue once informed of Russell's criticism. Remarkably, Russell was humoured by the comment and recently spoke to Verstappen at an airport.

"That was quite funny to be fair and I did have a giggle about that. We bumped into each other at the airport a few days ago on Sunday morning when I was going to Roland Garros," he revealed.

"To be honest, I totally forgot about Barcelona because he was there with his newborn. And we were at the security machine. So he just had a quick chat and then he was busy folding the pram down to put it through the machine."

- Nick Golding

CRIMINAL OFFENCES COMMITED OVER LEWIS

Northamptonshire Police have told Mercedes "no criminal offences" have been committed following their investigation into the Lewis Hamilton 'sabotage' email.

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W15 on the grid. Formula 1 World…

The Mercedes F1 team have been told by Northamptonshire Police that “no criminal offences” have been committed after investigating an email over claims of Lewis Hamilton being sabotaged.

A day after the Canadian Grand Prix - on June 10 - an anonymous source claiming to be a member of the Mercedes team accused the organisation of deliberately sabotaging Hamilton.

The email even claimed that the team was putting Hamilton’s life in danger.

Over the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, Toto Wolff confirmed that the letter did not come from a team member, rather an unhappy Hamilton fan.

Wolff also revealed that they had made a complaint to the police to conduct an investigation.

“It is not from a member of the team,” Wolff said. “When we are getting these kinds of emails, and we are getting tons of them, it is upsetting particularly when someone is talking about death and all these things.”

Wolff called the person behind the email a “conspiracy theorist” and a “lunatic” for the accusations.

On Tuesday afternoon, Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman released the following statement.

A spokesperson said: "Northamptonshire Police received a report on 12 June regarding an email that had been circulated within the Mercedes AMG F1 Team.

"No criminal offences were found to have been committed however advice was given regarding any further emails the team may receive."

Hamilton enjoyed his best weekend of the season so far in Barcelona.

The 39-year-old finished third - picking up his first podium of the year - in what was another competitive weekend for Mercedes.

After the race, Wolff reiterated his previous stance.

"These conspiracy theorists, I have zero respect for, because they have no brain," he added. "We want a car that wins races and championships and who doesn't get that should be watching another sport.

"It's good to see that Lewis has had a great weekend, because it has been a while that he has been on the receiving end and strategy has worked against him.

"But today it went in his favour so I am happy we have that podium for him because it has been a while."

- Conor McDonagh