Lando Norris was left frustrated after the Miami Grand Prix, convinced that a different strategic call from McLaren could have handed the team its first win of the 2026 season. The British driver had been leading the race comfortably as it entered the sole pit‑stop window, sitting almost two seconds ahead of his nearest rival, the young Italian Kimi Antonelli. However, Mercedes elected to bring their driver into the pits first, granting Antonelli a fresh set of tyres and a crucial lap advantage over Norris.
When Norris finally made his stop, he rejoined the circuit just ahead of Antonelli, but the Italian’s superior momentum on his new rubber allowed him to overtake the McLaren driver at Turn 4. From that point on Antonelli never looked back, securing a third consecutive victory and widening his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 20 points over George Russell.
Norris crossed the finish line three seconds behind the winner and could be heard exclaiming, "How did we not win this? We should have won, guys." In the post‑race interview, Norris was candid about the undercut that had cost him the race. "We just got undercut – no excuses other than that.
We should have boxed first," he said, praising Antonelli’s performance while acknowledging the superior execution by Mercedes. "I’m gutted to miss out on a win here in Miami; I think it was possible today.
The pace just wasn’t there to get past him in the end, so we take it on the chin. But overall it was a positive weekend." McLaren had arrived in Miami with a substantial upgrade package that, on paper, should have given them a clear edge over the Silver Arrows. Norris had turned his Sprint pole into a strong start, quickly moving up the grid despite qualifying only fourth for the main race.
He fought his way past Charles Leclerc and Antonelli in the early stages, briefly reclaiming the lead before the pit‑stop drama unfolded. Reflecting on the race strategy, Norris admitted that the team could have been more proactive. "I think we have to be honest – we should have boxed before.
We shouldn’t have been waiting," he told Sky Sports F1. "Antonelli was noticeably quicker at that stage. I told the team I didn’t have the pace compared to him, and we didn’t seem to react enough. We need to review our approach; we could have fought harder for the win.
Maybe Antonelli still would have been faster, but we could have done more to defend our position." Team principal Andrea Stella echoed the sentiment, confirming that McLaren had a genuine chance to win. "We had an opportunity to win, 100 per cent," Stella said. "We were chased by a car that was a little bit faster, and we were also monitoring the weather.
When Kimi pitted, his out‑lap was massive. We couldn’t match it on the in‑lap, and we lost a little time in execution." Stella added that despite the disappointment, the team remained upbeat about the progress made.
"We could have done better, but we’re very happy and we’ll take all the positives from this weekend. There’s new stuff coming for the upcoming races, so it’s an exciting time ahead," he noted. The result has implications for the Constructors’ Championship as well. Mercedes now sit 68 points ahead of Ferrari and 86 points clear of McLaren, with Oscar Piastri finishing third and George Russell fourth in Miami.
McLaren’s points deficit grew after a disastrous showing in China, where both drivers failed to start, but the team showed marked improvement in Japan and appeared to be on par with Mercedes in Miami. Stella reminded everyone not to forget the difficult start to the season. "We came from a relatively tough beginning, but we reacted.
Internally we always said, regardless of where we start, we know what we’re capable of. I think we’ve demonstrated that," he said, thanking the team for delivering upgrades across multiple areas of the car that have made them competitive again. "Mercedes still have a slight advantage, but it’s good to be there and the championship is very long." Looking ahead, the Formula 1 calendar moves to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, another Sprint weekend that could provide McLaren with a fresh opportunity to close the gap.
Fans can watch the race live on Sky Sports F1 from May 22‑24, with streaming options available via NOW without a contract. The Miami race, despite the missed win, has shown that McLaren can challenge the front‑runners when strategy and execution align, setting the stage for an intriguing second half of the season.