Lando Norris has suggested Ferrari enters this weekend’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix as the marginal favourites to win over both his McLaren team and Red Bull.
Ferrari and McLaren have brought developments over recent times that have seen Red Bull’s lasting dominance in the ground effect era come under increased threat.
Norris capitalised on McLaren’s latest updates to claim his maiden triumph at the Miami Grand Prix, while he also pressured Max Verstappen right to the line at Imola.
Meanwhile, Ferrari was on hand to capitalise on Red Bull missing from the sharp end in Monaco last time out as Charles Leclerc ended his home race drought at last.
Ferrari’s edge at Monte Carlo derived from the SF-24 being the most compliant car over the kerbs and bumps and that is set to be a decisive factor again at this event.
“How you take the kerbs simply plays a big role here,” Norris explained. “It will be pretty close again.
“For me it is impossible to say whether we, Ferrari or Red Bull will be in front at the end. That is what makes it so exciting.”
“I would probably put Ferrari as the favourite because of their strong top speed. If you look at the car all around, I think their [Ferrari] car is the best fit for the track.”
But while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz suspects the marque has “good chances” to prevail this weekend, the Spaniard has warned that Monaco could have been an “outlier”.
“At the same time, I don’t expect us to have the lead we had in Monaco,” Sainz cautioned. “It’s more of a normal track here in Canada compared to Monaco.”
Verstappen declared that Red Bull’s struggles in Monaco demonstrated that a long-standing ride weakness had been exposed now the field spread has converged.
Despite Verstappen’s reservations over the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve suiting its RB20 car, Sainz is adamant Red Bull remains the benchmark on conventional circuits.
“On normal tracks, it’s just a very open playing field with Red Bull and McLaren, with Red Bull being the favourite most of the time,” he concluded.
Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who finished second in Monaco, reiterated his stance that the team can be optimistic it will be competitive on each track.
“We’re definitely in the mix now, I think the last few weekends on very different tracks have proven that,” Piastri highlighted, adding: “It’s quite exciting to be honest.”
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