McLaren arrives more confident for the Miami Formula 1 GP, after significant advances in understanding the Mercedes power unit. The team believes it has taken a decisive step after an irregular start to the season.
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This progress could be crucial in the attempt to react in the championship, as the team is still looking to reduce the gap to Mercedes. The strong result in Suzuka, with competitive performance, reinforced the expectation of recovery.
The team principal, Andrea Stella, stated that the joint work with the engine division has brought clear gains since the early stages: “I can confirm that, working with HPP-Mercedes and in the development of simulation tools, we have taken a significant step compared to Australia,” he said.
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At the beginning of 2026, McLaren faced difficulties in understanding the operation of the new power units, which have a balanced division between electric energy and combustion. This was evident in the China stage, when Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri did not even start due to different problems, but the response came in Japan, where the performance was much more competitive.
According to Stella, the team now feels more prepared to explore the full potential of the package, even with the changes planned in the regulations for the Miami race: “Now, I think we have filled that gap and have all the necessary tools to extract the maximum from the power unit,” he concluded, indicating confidence in a performance leap already this coming weekend.
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