Andrea Stella anticipates that Ferrari and Red Bull will possess an edge against McLaren and Mercedes at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, having participated in Pirelli wet-weather trials earlier in the current year.
Pirelli conducts developmental assessments throughout every season, extending invitations to all teams to participate on a rotational basis, with collected data being disseminated to every competitor.
Although teams are prohibited from implementing vehicle enhancements, these sessions still yield crucial insights into the performance of the present cars, particularly under damp track conditions, as such circumstances have not yet occurred during competitive races this season.
Teams and drivers who have engaged in Pirelli wet-weather trials in 2026 include Isack Hadjar from Red Bull, along with Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson from Racing Bulls at Suzuka after the Japanese Grand Prix; Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari’s private Fiorano circuit in April; and Pierre Gasly from Alpine at Magny-Cours earlier in the current month.
Ferrari and Red Bull additionally completed a single day of wet track practice during the Barcelona shakedown event in early January, being the sole two teams to choose participation that day, a session marked by a significant incident involving Hadjar.
This preliminary work might prove beneficial, considering that the Montreal event is predicted to experience rainfall.
“I genuinely believe this presents an advantage, due to the unpredictability surrounding the performance characteristics of the power unit,” McLaren team principal Stella mused. “Even after several races, we continue to discuss power unit management.”
Andrea Stella, McLaren
Photo by: Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
“In damp conditions, outcomes diverge even further from expectations and simulated scenarios. Consequently, the power unit undeniably persists as a concerning factor of variability. If one has conducted tests with it, one might possess a greater understanding.”
“Similarly, concerning the tyres, it is uncertain whether they will operate within their optimal range or marginally outside it. I am particularly referring to the temperature operating window, as this track lacks any high-speed turns, making it challenging to build up heat. The track surface is exceptionally smooth, among the smoothest encountered throughout the season.”
“Furthermore, we haven’t experienced numerous wet sessions – as previously mentioned, none during a competitive weekend for Pirelli to even fine-tune the compound’s positioning. There are so many unknown factors for us to explore, given our limited wet-weather experience. This provides a minor benefit for those who have undertaken testing.”
Temperatures are predicted to stabilize around an uncommonly cool 12 degrees Celsius all day Sunday on Ile Notre-Dame. Coupled with precipitation, this could create challenging circumstances, resulting in exceptionally poor grip.
“Even the circuit itself, when dry, makes it challenging to bring the tyres up to temperature. Therefore, I anticipate it will be exceedingly difficult in wet conditions,” stated Gasly, drawing from his experience at Magny-Cours. “Based on my observations, this suggests a rather dramatic race.”
