Mercedes may have won again but Miami upgrades have shaken up the F1 grid | Giles Richards

The improved form of McLaren and Red Bull and in Florida suggests the 2026 title race is likely to run and run There is a long old way to go but after Formula One emerged from its enforced early season break with an entertaining romp around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, it indicated that there may yet be a decent tale to be told this season. One where Mercedes do not have it all their own way. Regulation changes dominated the buildup – of which more later because honestly paragraph two is too early to subject readers to the increasingly soul-destroying phrase “energy management” – but what really mattered in Miami was the sporting imperative of upgrades making a competitive difference. Continue reading... Analysis Giles Richards in Miami The improved form of McLaren and Red Bull and in Florida suggests the 2026 title race is likely to run and run There is a long old way to go but after Formula One emerged from its enforced early season break with an entertaining romp around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, it indicated that there may yet be a decent tale to be told this season.

One where Mercedes do not have it all their own way. Regulation changes dominated the buildup – of which more later because honestly paragraph two is too early to subject readers to the increasingly soul-destroying phrase “energy management” – but what really mattered in Miami was the sporting imperative of upgrades making a competitive difference. Mercedes had looked ominously strong with three straight wins in the opening three rounds before the five-week break caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi GPs. During that time there was no little beavering across the paddock on upgrades for Miami. McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari all brought big packages.

Notably, Mercedes did not. McLaren and Red Bull made giant steps. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took a one-two in the sprint for McLaren and then Norris could well have beaten the race winner, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli , but for a pit stop decision and its execution. They had bounded up to the front once more in Miami, a happy hunting ground for the team. The team principal, Andrea Stella, believed Mercedes still had between one and two 10ths on them but on track Norris never looked that far off.

Their car has the potential but they have not matched McLaren or Red Bull. We have a fight that will run and run then, not least because no development at this stage is wasted given at very least it can still inform next year’s car. That view was shared by Verstappen, even though he enjoyed a much more competitive car in Miami. It is inarguable that the crowd in Miami roared their approval as Leclerc, Norris and Antonelli duked it out in the early stages of the race. Which is the dichotomy of F1 in 2026 after Miami.

Explore more on these topics Share Reuse this content The improved form of McLaren and Red Bull and in Florida suggests the 2026 title race is likely to run and run There is a long old way to go but after Formula One emerged from its enforced early season break with an entertaining romp around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, it indicated that there may yet be a decent tale to be told this season. One where Mercedes do not have it all their own way. Regulation changes dominated the buildup – of which more later because honestly paragraph two is too early to subject readers to the increasingly soul-destroying phrase “energy management” – but what really mattered in Miami was the sporting imperative of upgrades making a competitive difference. Continue reading... Mercedes may have won again but Miami upgrades have shaken up the F1 grid | Giles Richards