Lando Norris feels that McLaren squandered a realistic chance to claim their first Grand Prix victory of the 2026 season after being out‑performed by rookie Kimi Antonelli in Miami. Heading into the sole pit‑stop window of the race, Norris held a comfortable lead of almost two seconds over the Italian youngster. However, Mercedes elected to pit their driver first, granting Antonelli a fresh set of tyres and a lap advantage over the McLaren driver. When Norris finally made his stop, he emerged just ahead of Antonelli, but the younger driver retained greater momentum on his new rubber.

By the time the cars reached Turn 4, Antonelli had already taken the overall lead, a position he would never relinquish. The win marked Antonelli’s third consecutive victory and extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 20 points ahead of George Russell. Norris crossed the finish line three seconds behind the Italian, lamenting, "How did we not win this? We should have won, guys." He added after the race, "We got undercut – there’s no excuse other than that.

We should have boxed first. Kimi did a great job. Hats off to Mercedes and Kimi, they ran a brilliant race." The British driver expressed disappointment at missing out on a Miami win, saying, "I’m gutted to lose out here.

I think it was possible today, but I didn’t have the pace to pass him at the end, so we have to take it on the chin. Still, it was a positive weekend overall." McLaren had arrived in Miami with a substantial upgrade package that, on paper, out‑matched Mercedes.

Norris turned that potential into an early Sprint pole and seemed poised for a full‑race triumph. Although he qualified only fourth for the Sunday Grand Prix, he quickly moved into the lead after overtaking Charles Leclerc and Antonelli during the first half of the race.

Reflecting on the strategy, Norris admitted that Antonelli may have simply been quicker, yet he questioned why the team did not act more decisively. "We should have boxed earlier. We were waiting too long," he told Sky Sports F1. "He was noticeably faster at that stage.

I told the team I wasn’t matching his pace, and they didn’t seem to respond aggressively enough. We need to review that. Perhaps we could have defended better and fought for the win." Team principal Andrea Stella echoed the sentiment, confirming that the squad had a genuine shot at victory.

"We had a 100 % chance to win," Stella said. "We were being chased by a slightly quicker car while also monitoring the weather.

When Kimi pitted, his out‑lap was phenomenal, and we couldn’t match it on the in‑lap. We lost a little time in execution." Stella remained upbeat, emphasizing the positives from the weekend and hinting at further upgrades for upcoming races.

"We could have done better, but we’re very happy with the progress. There’s new stuff coming, so it’s an exciting time ahead," he added. The outcome widened the gap in the Constructors’ Championship between McLaren and Mercedes. Oscar Piastri finished third, while George Russell took fourth, leaving the Silver Arrows 68 points ahead of Ferrari and 86 points clear of McLaren.

Earlier in the season, McLaren suffered a heavy points loss in China when both drivers failed to start, but they rebounded in Japan and appeared to be on par with Mercedes in Miami. Stella reminded the team of their early‑season challenges, stating, "We don’t forget where we started. It was a tough beginning, but we reacted well.

Internally we always knew our potential, and we’ve shown that now. A huge thank you to the whole team for delivering the upgrades that made us competitive. Mercedes still have a slight edge, but being there is encouraging, and the championship is long." Looking ahead, Formula 1 will move to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, featuring another Sprint weekend. Fans can watch the live action on Sky Sports F1 from May 22‑24, with streaming options available through NOW without a contract.

The Miami race, despite its disappointment for McLaren, demonstrated that strategic decisions can be as decisive as outright speed, and both teams will likely revisit their pit‑stop tactics as the season progresses.