The Miami Grand Prix weekend was highly anticipated, especially due to regulatory adjustments aimed at making qualifying more natural and enjoyable for the drivers.
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On a circuit particularly favorable to energy management — with heavy braking before long straights where electric power is crucial — it was likely that the new rules would work better than at Suzuka Circuit, where the problems observed previously did not recur.
But while the real impact of these changes will need to be assessed on more varied circuits, the first major technical developments introduced in Miami already offer more concrete lessons.
McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull progress
Significant development packages were brought by McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull: the three teams clearly improved. However, the Scuderia still seemed to suffer from an engine deficit and lost performance as the race went on. McLaren, on the other hand, was able to compete with Mercedes throughout the weekend.
Lando Norris won the Sprint race after starting from pole position, while the Sunday battle against Kimi Antonelli was particularly close. When the lights went out, each of the top four teams seemed capable of aiming at least for the podium, if not the victory.
The performances of Max Verstappen during the Sprint also put Red Bull back in the equation, but it was especially McLaren that really put pressure on Mercedes.
Mercedes still unbeaten without major developments
Remarkably: Mercedes remains unbeaten on Sundays in Grand Prix, even though the team had not brought a major package to Miami.
Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff, fully acknowledges that the development battle is now underway: “It’s clear that this is a development war. McLaren worked well with their upgrades and they didn’t make things easy for us this weekend.”
Wolff also wanted to praise Antonelli’s performance: “Kimi had a brilliant weekend from the start, very competitive, with the right strategic decisions and an excellent pit stop, and that’s what allowed us to win.”
Mercedes plans to introduce its first real development package at the Canadian Grand Prix, but Wolff remains cautious about its real impact: “You have to be very careful with estimates regarding upgrades. One thing is what they theoretically bring, another is the actual lap time gain. And for now, we don’t yet have that proof.”
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McLaren already ready to respond
Even if Mercedes progresses in Canada, McLaren does not intend to remain idle.
The team boss, Andrea Stella, expressed great satisfaction with the new parts introduced in Miami: “We are very happy with the upgrades and their behavior. The correlation with our development tools was almost perfect.”
But above all, McLaren already plans more novelties: “We know we are still slightly behind Mercedes, and Mercedes will bring more new parts. But we have also planned several new parts for Canada, then some specific upgrades for Monaco and Barcelona. The pipeline is full.”
According to Stella, the conditions are now set for an extremely competitive season: “We have returned to a situation where, practically every weekend, four teams can fight for pole position and for victory.”
Even if Ferrari and Red Bull still seem to have a bit more ground to make up, both teams showed in Miami that they are capable of progressing effectively through upgrades.
A season that could become exciting
With 18 races still remaining and a lot of development potential, Stella believes McLaren is fully back in the fight for both championships: “We have always said the championship is not decided. It’s not just a question of starting position, but especially of the development battle. There are still many races left, many upgrades to bring, and we will see at the end of the season who has done the best job.”
Beyond the purely sporting aspect, this new competitiveness could also completely change the atmosphere around Formula 1. If several teams remain capable of challenging Mercedes, discussions in the paddock will focus more on on-track performance and gaps between teams rather than constant criticism of the 2026 regulations.
In this context, the Miami Grand Prix could well represent a real turning point for the season both technically, sportingly, and in the media.
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