"There is still a gap to Mercedes,' claim McLaren despite their giant step in Miami

McLaren left the Miami Grand Prix with their most complete performance of the 2026 season so far, as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri converted strong starts, sharp racecraft and a competitive upgrade package into a double podium.

Norris finished second after a spirited fight for victory, while Piastri charged back to third following an extended first stint.

Both McLaren drivers launched well off the line, with Norris emerging third at the end of the opening lap. He chose patience over aggression in the early laps, allowing Charles Leclerc and Andrea Kimi Antonelli to battle ahead of him before striking decisively. Once the duel between the Ferrari and Mercedes opened the door, Norris picked off both to take the lead.

He controlled the race from the front until the pit‑stop phase, staying out one lap longer than Antonelli. That proved costly: the Mercedes undercut was powerful, and Norris rejoined behind his rival. Despite relentless pressure, he could not force Antonelli into an error and ultimately crossed the line second — his first podium of the season.

After the race, Norris described the result as a mixture of pride and frustration: “We leave Miami with mixed feelings. As a team, we should be proud: two cars on the podium, a big points haul, and a clear step forward that put us in a genuine fight for the win.

"I felt I drove very well all weekend and extracted everything from the car. Credit to Kimi, he managed a strong race and Mercedes clearly still have an edge.”

But he made no secret of the fact that victory had been within reach: “At the same time, it hurts because a win was possible. We’ll review what we could have done differently and keep pushing to bring more performance, especially in the high-speed corners where Mercedes are very strong.

"Miami suits us, but Canada has traditionally favoured them, so we’ll stay patient, keep our heads down, and judge our progress over the next few races. We’re proud of the step, but we want to be the best. This is a long season, and we’re here to fight.”

Oscar Piastri’s race unfolded differently. McLaren left him out one lap longer than Norris, and the Australian paid the price: by the time he stopped, several rivals had undercut him. But once on fresh tyres, his MCL40 came alive.

Piastri carved his way back through the field with a series of clean, decisive overtakes on George Russell, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, ultimately securing third place and giving McLaren their first double podium of the year.

He was satisfied with both the execution and the pace on display: “To come away with a double podium is really positive for the team. Overall, I am very happy with how we performed today.

"Going long was the right call, and we had some good battles out on track. We probably had a little more in us, and there were some tough moments out there, but the pace is really encouraging, and it's always nice to be on the podium.”

Piastri also noted that while McLaren are not yet at their 2025 peak, the trajectory is clear: “We're not quite back in the position we were last year, and there is still a gap to Mercedes, but we are definitely getting closer.

"Thank you to the whole team for all of their work in delivering this package, we've made a good step forward, so let's see what we can do in Canada.”