Ferrari are expected to be one of the squads that make a substantial performance jump at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, as they aim to narrow the gap to Mercedes in what promises to remain an exceptionally open 2026 championship, according to Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle. Brundle likened the return of Formula 1 to the United States after the mandatory April hiatus to a "season relaunch," noting that the break has given every team a rare window to overhaul their machinery. He suggested that the cars will return dramatically altered and, hopefully, improved, a development that could reshuffle the hierarchy at the front of the grid.
Mercedes, having secured victories in each of the three races that have taken place so far, enter the Miami weekend as the clear benchmark. Their drivers, championship leader Kimi Antonelli and teammate George Russell, have demonstrated a level of dominance that sets a high bar for the rest of the field. Close on Mercedes' heels are Ferrari and their two-star driver lineup. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton sit eight points behind the leading duo, occupying third and fourth places in the Drivers' Championship.
Their recent battles in China and Japan have been nothing short of thrilling, with wheel‑to‑wheel duels that have kept fans on the edge of their seats. Regarding Hamilton, Brundle told Sky Sports News that the British driver appears to be enjoying the Ferrari more than he did in his previous Mercedes machinery. "Lewis clearly enjoys these cars much more," Brundle said. "Ferrari is more competitive and I think again will make a big step for Miami." He added that Hamilton’s driving style seems better suited to the current generation of cars than to the ground‑effect era, which he described as "brutal" and not aligned with Hamilton’s preferences.
"But just his mood and the way he's going about it, he just seems a lot happier because Ferrari is more competitive," Brundle noted. The commentator emphasized that Hamilton will need to out‑perform his teammate Charles Leclerc if he hopes to clinch the world title, especially given the internal rivalry that has intensified within the Scuderia. Brundle also hinted that Hamilton still possesses the capability to seize a victory should the opportunity arise. "If there's a sniff of a victory, I think Lewis is still very much capable of taking that," he said, underscoring the veteran's enduring talent.
Ferrari’s recent form has been mixed. Their last race win came in 2024, and the team endured a winless stretch that stretched back to October of that year, when Carlos Sainz triumphed in Mexico City. Nonetheless, the upcoming sprint weekend in Miami offers a chance for the Italian outfit to reverse that trend. The Miami Grand Prix will also feature a sprint race, a format that McLaren has dominated for the past two years.
However, Mercedes remains the favorite, having won every race since the introduction of the new 2026 regulations, which dramatically reshaped the technical landscape of the sport. Brundle cautioned that it is still too early in the development cycle of the new rule set to declare a definitive order among the teams. With 19 races still to contest, the championship is far from settled. "I think it's totally wide open," he remarked.
"We have got a Sprint weekend in Miami, so there are Sprint points to be won, Grand Prix points to be won. This is going to ebb and flow. I see teams leapfrogging others with some upgrades because there is so much upside potential with these cars." He went on to suggest that any of the eight drivers representing the top four teams could realistically capture the world title this year, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the season.
The schedule for the Miami weekend is packed. Thursday, April 30, will feature the Drivers' Press Conference at 7 pm, followed by the Paddock Uncut at 10 pm. Friday, May 1, includes F2 practice at 2.35 pm, the first Miami GP practice session at 4.30 pm, and the F2 qualifying session at 7.25 pm.
The Team Bosses' Press Conference is slated for 8.10 pm, with the sprint qualifying commencing at 8.40 pm. Saturday, May 2, will see the F2 sprint at 2.55 pm, a build‑up to the Miami GP sprint at 4 pm, and the main sprint race at 5 pm.
Subsequent analysis programmes such as Ted's Sprint Notebook will air at 6.30 pm, followed by build‑up shows for qualifying and the qualifying session itself, which begins at 9 pm. The day concludes with Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 11 pm.
Sunday, May 3, rounds out the weekend with the F2 feature race at 5.25 pm, a pre‑Grand Prix build‑up at 7 pm, and the Miami Grand Prix start at 9 pm. Post‑race coverage, including a reaction segment and Ted's Notebook, will continue into the early hours of Monday.
All events will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW for viewers who prefer an online platform. Brundle's optimism, combined with the technical intrigue surrounding the new regulations, suggests that Miami could be a pivotal moment in a season that, as he puts it, remains "totally wide open" and ripe for surprises.