Max Verstappen teases McLaren over its strategy blunder at the F1 Canadian GP

Max Verstappen laughed at McLaren’s decision to put both of its drivers on intermediates at the start of Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix.

With light rain falling in the build-up to Sunday’s race in Montreal, McLaren opted to fit intermediates to both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s cars for the start. In total, seven drivers gambled on inters, but the McLaren pair were the only frontrunners to do so.

Norris initially jumped into the lead ahead of the slow-starting Mercedes but the reigning world champion and team-mate Piastri would soon be forced to switch onto slicks as no further rain fell and the track quickly dried out.

McLaren’s strategy ultimately backfired before its race spiralled out of control, with Piastri colliding with Alex Albon’s Williams as he missed out on points, while Norris retired with gearbox trouble on a day to forget for the team.

Verstappen was among the drivers to benefit as he claimed his and Red Bull’s first podium of the season, finishing third behind race-winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton.

After the race, the four-time world champion couldn’t help but poke fun at McLaren’s decision.

“That was a great call. I was like, ‘thank you’!,” Verstappen laughed when asked about McLaren’s strategy call.

“I was feeling better in Miami with the car, so I’m a little bit surprised with being on the podium here,” he added. “But you also have to look at it with George retiring, McLarens making a mess of the strategy. So, for me to be here, of course I’m very happy.”

Verstappen continued: “I think on the softs we’re a little bit more competitive and then on the medium I never really felt like I could switch on the tyre, so the tyre was just not in the right window for us, and that stint was then a little bit more difficult to feel any kind of grip.

“But we still did a good job. I think for us to have our first podium is just very positive and, of course, very pleased with that in quite tricky conditions, I would say.”

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies insisted his side was never tempted to start on intermediates.

“It was straightforward for us,” Mekies explained. “But I'm not going to play that card. After the race, it's always easy. It was straightforward for us. Was it comfortable? No.

“Nobody knows if the rain is going to intensify and we are all going to look stupid. Or if not, we felt that for the conditions we had, which is the best thing you can do at that moment, we felt that for the conditions we had at that moment, it was the right thing to do.

“What was going to happen in the next five, 10, 15 minutes is in the control of nobody and one could look very bright or less so.”