Miami delivered McLaren’s best results of 2026 so far. Lando Norris won the Sprint in the upgraded MCL40, then Norris plus Oscar Piastri finished P2 plus P3 in the Grand Prix to secure a double podium finish. The performance followed a difficult opening phase to the campaign, including a weekend in China where Norris plus Piastri failed to start the Grand Prix.
Stella said championship thinking must be balanced with the reality of a season still at race four, with the first upgrade package just introduced. Stella said Miami has historically suited McLaren, and circuit characteristics could be influencing results. Stella said McLaren development work remains active, with scope to improve further as the season progresses.
Stella also pointed to points gained relative to key rivals as a positive signal, while underlining that focus must remain on immediate execution rather than distant targets.
Stella praised championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli for speed, consistency, plus overall execution across qualifying plus race conditions. Stella said George Russell appeared stronger after testing and early rounds, but Stella said performance momentum has shifted, with credit directed toward Antonelli and engineering work.
Stella also described the McLaren driver line-up as a leading strength, suggesting Norris plus Piastri form one of the strongest pairings on the grid.
The Miami results are expected to intensify focus on McLaren’s development trajectory as the calendar moves into varied track types, with McLaren aiming to convert early momentum into sustained title contention.
–F1/ChannelAfrica–
