McLaren and engine partner Honda are predicting a tough race in Montreal this weekend, with the nature of the circuit not playing to the strengths of their car or power unit.
The high-speed, power-hungry circuit relies heavily on quick acceleration and a good top speed, which is something the Honda engine lacks.
Honda F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa therefore says their aim is simply to get the best out of what they have available to them.
“The Canadian Grand Prix is always exciting, with its great atmosphere, enthusiastic fans and unpredictable racing,” he said. “The lush greens and the blue waters around the circuit are beautiful, yet the track there is unforgiving, with its power-oriented nature, stop and start corners, abrasive surface and long straights.
“It’s a very different animal to Monaco, so it will be a challenging weekend for the team, but we will keep our heads down and focus on what we can do to bring out the best in our package.”
McLaren boss Eric Boullier also recognises the fact it will be a challenging venue for McLaren, but is hopeful of continuing the momentum they gained in Monaco with another points finish.
“On paper, this power-hungry, demanding circuit is not among those that would play to the strengths of our car, but such is our rate of development that we are aiming to continue the momentum we’ve built over the last couple of races, and firmly push for more valuable points.
“It won’t be easy, and reliability will be key, first and foremost, but our objective is to put on the best show we can for the incredibly enthusiastic Quebecois fans, and put our package to the test at the historic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.”