After countless years of hardship and struggle, it was an emotional return to the winner's circle for McLaren yesterday... well, sort of.
Formula 1's raft race, an event which was a fixture in Montreal for many years, was revived this year, much to the pleasure of the teams and fans.
A host of teams - less Ferrari, Mercedes and Force India - fabricated their craft from scrap and set sail for a nail-biting, paddle-powered regatta across the river and back.
Helped by the presence on-board of Olympic rowing medalist Tom Stallard, the McLaren crew took a dominant win.
The triumph enticed many to ask McLaren race director Eric Boullier if Fernando Alonso will now be staying at the Woking-based outfit in 2018, the Spaniard having said that his staying was conditional on McLaren winning by September.
"Yes, we won. Fernando now has to stay...", said the Frenchman.
