Oscar Piastri warns Mercedes ‘still got a gap’ after George Russell pole

A thrilling Canadian Grand Prix qualifying ended with George Russell snatching pole from teammate Kimi Antonelli, but Oscar Piastri is not convinced the true Mercedes pace was fully revealed. The McLaren driver, who qualified fourth alongside Lando Norris, warned that the Silver Arrows likely have more in reserve and flagged serious concerns about running the 2026 cars in the rain.

Why it matters:

Mercedes locking out the front row in Montreal signals a potential shift in the competitive order, with Russell's late flyer suggesting the W17's true potential may still be hidden. Meanwhile, the prospect of a wet race introduces an unpredictable variable for teams and drivers, who have minimal experience with these new-generation power units and Pirelli tyres in damp conditions.

The details:

• Piastri qualified fourth, two-tenths off pole, but noted that Russell's lap was not perfect either, saying: "The Mercedes has still got a bit of a gap on everyone."
• McLaren reverted to an older front wing spec after practice in Montreal, but Piastri felt they improved the balance compared to the Sprint: "We still just lacked that last little bit."
• The Australian admitted the challenge of getting tyres in the right window, with drivers resorting to warm-up laps — Russell completed two on the same set before his pole lap.
• Wet weather fears: Piastri revealed he has "not really driven these cars in the rain" and warned that the power units "don't like it when you're inconsistent," which is "basically impossible" in wet conditions.
• Combined with "not heard amazing things" about the Pirelli tyres, Piastri suggested this "will be a big problem" if the Canadian GP is wet.
• McLaren prepared extensively for a wet scenario in Miami, but the race stayed dry, leaving the grid without real-world data: "We don't know what's going to happen."

What's next:

The Canadian Grand Prix could be the first real test of how the 2026 cars handle full-wet conditions, with thunderstorms in the forecast. If rain arrives, reliability and tyre management may overshadow pure pace, potentially reshuffling the order behind Mercedes. For McLaren, closing the gap to the front remains the immediate priority, but survival in the wet could define their Sunday.