Formula One emerged from its early season break with a thrilling Miami Grand Prix, signaling that the 2026 title race might be more open than initially expected. While Mercedes continued their winning streak with Kimi Antonelli, the performance upgrades brought by McLaren and Red Bull suggest the championship fight is far from a foregone conclusion.
Although regulation changes dominated pre-race discussions, the real story in Miami was how much impact the upgrades had on the competitive order. Mercedes had looked dominant with three straight wins before the five-week hiatus due to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Grands Prix. During that break, McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari all introduced major upgrades, while Mercedes notably did not.
The results clearly showed that significant gains are still possible under the new regulations, and the season will be defined by an intense development war. McLaren and Red Bull made huge strides. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a one-two in the sprint race for McLaren, and Norris could have beaten race winner Antonelli if not for a pit-stop decision and its execution. Team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that Mercedes still had a slight edge, but Norris looked competitive throughout.
Red Bull also made progress. After three uncompetitive races, their aero upgrades and steering adjustments transformed the car’s performance. Max Verstappen found the handling he had been seeking and qualified second. He would have been in contention for the win if not for a first-lap spin.
Ferrari, however, were left disappointed. Charles Leclerc showed promising early pace but faded, revealing a recurring issue with race pace and severe tire degradation. The car has potential, but they have not matched McLaren or Red Bull’s step forward.
McLaren have more upgrades planned, including a new front wing for Canada, while Mercedes will introduce their first major update to the W17 in Montreal. This development battle is set to intensify, as every improvement can also inform next year’s car, making this an engineering war burning white-hot.
The reaction to the regulation changes aimed at addressing driver dissatisfaction with energy management was lukewarm. The tweaks to electrical energy recovery and deployment parameters were welcomed but insufficient to silence complaints. Lando Norris captured the mood by noting that drivers were still struggling with the new formula.
