Lando Norris acknowledged that McLaren experienced a stark "reality check" after he secured fourth place on the grid for the Miami Grand Prix. Up until the qualifying session, Norris had been the standout of the weekend, converting his Sprint Qualifying pole into a Sprint race win. However, the momentum that McLaren seemed to have built was abruptly erased when Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli clinched pole for the main race, edging out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Antonelli’s lap was nearly four‑tenths of a second quicker than Norris’s, prompting the British driver to suggest that the disparity stemmed more from the execution of rival teams during qualifying rather than a fundamental lack of speed on McLaren’s part.
"Both cars clearly struggled a little more than on Friday, and we need to figure out why," Norris told Sky Sports F1. "It’s not that we did a bad job, but other teams certainly did a better job on Friday and today they delivered what they needed to." He went on to point out that Mercedes appeared just as quick as McLaren, and that when you compare telemetry from Ferrari and Red Bull, there are numerous sectors where those teams posted faster times. "We performed very well in the Sprint and on Friday, but qualifying was a bit of a wake‑up call – it showed us where we truly belong and where we should be aiming to improve," Norris added. Both McLaren drivers also faced minor power‑unit gremlins that hampered their overall performance.
Oscar Piastri scraped into Q2 in sixteenth place and ultimately qualified seventh, confirming that his car’s deployment issues persisted deep into the final segment of qualifying. "It was a tough session, very variable – wind, track conditions, what the power unit wants to do – it all felt a bit random, especially on the last lap of Q3," Piastri explained.
He described a strange incident in the middle sector where a sudden loss of power forced him to rely on extra energy down the back straight, which briefly made his sector time look unusually quick. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen entered Miami eager to escape the midfield after a three‑race stretch without a top‑five finish – a slump not seen since 2017. The Dutch driver, however, quickly found his Red Bull more planted in the corners, and his pace improved to the point where he was less than two‑tenths of a second off Antonelli’s pole time.
"It’s an incredible turnaround for us. I didn’t feel in control of the car until this weekend. I wasn’t sure what would happen," Verstappen told Sky Sports F1. "The team delivered a solid performance upgrade that made the car far more drivable for me.
As soon as I got back in, it felt a lot better." He added that securing a front‑row start was a pleasant surprise and a massive morale boost for the whole Red Bull operation, indicating that the team was moving in the right direction. Red Bull’s technical director, Laurent Mekies, hinted that the work was not yet finished, noting that the squad still had some issues to resolve and that the expected rain on race day could further shake up the order, keeping Verstappen in contention for a strong result. Lewis Hamilton, who qualified sixth, found himself within two‑tenths of his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc – the closest raw pace he had shown all weekend. Ferrari introduced eleven upgrades, including a new suspension layout and revised floor, but Hamilton expressed frustration over lingering power‑unit concerns.
"The car felt much better in qualifying, so I don’t think we had any power issues there. It was the best we’ve been all weekend," he said. "I wish we’d started the weekend with that balance. Q2 was solid, but in Q3 I struggled to extract the maximum.
When asked whether Ferrari’s upgrades had paid off, Hamilton admitted uncertainty but praised the team’s effort. "I’m incredibly grateful for the hard work the team has put in. Other teams are doing different things with their cars, and we need to keep looking at development. We’re still losing a little on the straights, but I feel we’ve taken a step forward.
It doesn’t show in my result yet, but I’m optimistic for the race," he concluded. The weekend’s schedule featured a packed lineup: the F2 Feature Race at 2:25 pm on Sunday, followed by a build‑up show at 4 pm, the main Grand Prix at 6 pm, a post‑race reaction segment at 8 pm, and a final recap at 9 pm, all broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event. As the 2026 Formula 1 season resumed in Miami, fans were encouraged to stream the action via Sky Sports F1 on NOW, with the promise of a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime viewing experience. Overall, the Miami weekend underscored the fine margins that separate triumph from disappointment in Formula 1.
While McLaren’s strong Sprint performance highlighted their potential, the qualifying session reminded them that consistency across all formats is essential. Red Bull’s rapid progress, driven by targeted upgrades and a renewed driver confidence, positioned them as serious contenders, while Ferrari’s extensive development work hinted at a possible resurgence.
As the race day approaches, the interplay of weather, strategy, and technical refinement will determine which team can translate their weekend efforts into a podium finish.