After a longer summer break the F1 paddock returned to Miami for the second Sprint weekend, and freshly upgraded cars reshaped the hierarchy. Lando Norris won the Sprint for McLaren, but Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s pole and Grand Prix victory underlined that Mercedes still hold a slim advantage.
Mercedes: still marginally strongest
Mercedes arrived with only modest updates, saving their major package for Montreal. Small changes to front brake ducts and the exhaust yielded tiny gains, but rivals’ larger upgrade waves closed the gap. Early running showed both Antonelli and George Russell off the immediate pace and McLaren took control of the Sprint, yet Antonelli’s exceptional qualifying and race pace delivered his third win of the year. The weekend suggested Mercedes remain slightly ahead — a lead that could widen once their bigger parts are fitted.
McLaren leapfrogged Ferrari
McLaren and Ferrari both brought substantial upgrades. McLaren extracted strong pace: Norris comfortably claimed Sprint pole and victory while Oscar Piastri ran well throughout. In the Grand Prix Norris nearly caught Antonelli but lost time with a slow in-lap and through an unsuccessful undercut, despite McLaren’s Mercedes power giving them a straight-line edge. Ferrari showed glimpses — Charles Leclerc looked quick early — but cooling problems and other race issues blunted their Sunday performance. Both teams remain focused on development.
Red Bull back in contention
Red Bull, who struggled earlier, introduced a significant upgrade that produced measurable progress. Max Verstappen posted a strong qualifying lap and looked capable of mounting a challenge before an uncharacteristic spin through Turns 1 and 2 cost him time; he recovered to P5. The update improved one-lap pace and setup understanding, returning Red Bull to the discussion among front-runners, though a race win may still require further development.
Midfield: Alpine ahead
Among the midfield quartet that opened the year — Alpine, Haas, Racing Bulls and Audi — Alpine made the biggest step in Miami with a large upgrade package. Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto reached the later qualifying segments, Colapinto scored a career-best P7 in the Grand Prix, and Gasly picked up Sprint points. Alpine’s Mercedes-powered straight-line performance moved them ahead in the Constructors’ fight, at least until rivals roll out their own updates.
Williams showing promise but still a question
Williams remain something of an enigma. Their car looks quicker than Aston Martin and Cadillac in some trim but still trails the top four midfield outfits, partly because of an overweight chassis the team plans to address incrementally. Miami upgrades helped: both cars reached Q2 for the first time this season and both finished in the points — Carlos Sainz P9 and Alexander Albon P10 — briefly leapfrogging Haas and Racing Bulls. Team principal James Vowles highlighted aerodynamic progress and promised more gains ahead.
Other takeaways
– Development pace is dictating the pecking order under the current regulations: teams that bring bigger upgrade packages make immediate gains.
– Mercedes’ choice to defer their major update keeps them competitive for now, but rivals’ progress reduces any margin for error.
– McLaren’s package and engine performance make them genuine contenders; Ferrari must fix cooling and race-execution issues.
– Red Bull’s upgrades and improved setup work show how quickly competitiveness can be restored.
– The midfield remains fluid: Alpine leads for the moment, but Haas, Racing Bulls, Audi and Williams will all influence the running as upgrades continue.
Miami highlighted how closely matched the top teams are and how quickly the order shifts with effective development. The season still feels open, and Montreal’s next upgrade cycle is likely to reshuffle the hierarchy again.