McLaren shelved its freshly‑introduced front‑wing package during the Canadian Grand Prix sprint weekend after both drivers elected to return to the previous specification for qualifying.
Limited on‑track data undermined the upgrade
The Montreal race offered only a single one‑hour practice session, leaving scant time for a reliable comparison of the new aerodynamic element. Lando Norris ran the novel wing throughout the session while Oscar Piastri split his time between the old and new configurations, yet evolving grip on the “green” circuit made steady assessment impossible.
Driver confidence and simulation gaps drove the decision
Both Britons reported a lack of confidence with the updated wing, a concern amplified by the demanding braking zones and aggressive kerb usage characteristic of Circuit Gilles‑Villeneuve. Team principal Andrea Stella added that on‑track performance diverged from the promising results generated by McLaren’s CFD tools, prompting a pause to gather additional data before committing the component to race conditions.
Monaco will host the next evaluation
Stella confirmed that the front‑wing design will reappear for testing ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, though its deployment in the sprint race remains uncertain. The team aims to reconcile simulation expectations with real‑world behavior, ensuring any aerodynamic tweak aligns with the narrow margins that define performance on the principality’s tight street layout.
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