Upgrades disrupt Miami standings as Mercedes falls behind.

      "It’s rather surprising the significant progress that McLaren and Ferrari have made."

      A wave of substantial upgrades has reshaped the competitive landscape in Miami, with Mercedes no longer the obvious team to beat after their dominance at the beginning of the 2026 season. Sprint qualifying showcased a closely contested field, led by world champion Lando Norris, followed closely by championship leader Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari and Red Bull also in strong contention. Mercedes driver George Russell acknowledged the change.

      "It’s quite surprising the remarkable leap that McLaren and Ferrari have made. It’s genuinely impressive," he remarked. "We knew they had likely narrowed the gap, but throughout the day, they’ve outpaced us."

      He continued, "Everyone’s talking about the rivalry between Kimi and me, but we must focus on being the team to beat." His teenage teammate Antonelli also suggested a potential pivotal moment in the season. "If we manage to win, it would be a fantastic sign. It would indicate that the car is solid," he noted. "Then it’ll be our chance to introduce the new features - and it will get interesting."

      At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc confirmed that the advancements, including the 'Macarena' rear wing, are legitimate. "Our upgrades are effective; it's just that everyone has brought theirs," he stated. "We anticipated that Mercedes would be the team to beat, and while McLaren has made significant strides, I feel they haven't fully optimized their early races this season. They were always competitive, but things weren’t going smoothly."

      McLaren's progress seems even more pronounced, with team boss Andrea Stella affirming that their package is proving effective. "I can’t confirm that," he smiled when questioned about Zak Brown’s assertion of a seven-tenth improvement from the new package. "It was a few tenths. However, it’s certainly beneficial for the sport when McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull make advancements and are battling at the forefront together again."

      Red Bull has also made progress, with Max Verstappen noting a significantly improved car. "Today the car felt much more cohesive than in the early GP weekends, which is encouraging," he stated. "In the last few races, we were over a second behind. I would estimate we’ve nearly halved that gap, and we can build upon that. At least it appears we’ve moved past the midfield."