The track factor and the new regulations
Even during the ground-effect era, the Miami circuit has consistently been one of the tracks most sensitive to aerodynamic drag, highlighting the importance of top speed along the long straights surrounding the Hard Rock Stadium. High-end power output is especially important on the Florida circuit, as also indicated by the FIA’s technical notes released ahead of the event.
In Miami, the FIA estimated that the total distance covered in power-limited sections — areas theoretically tackled at full throttle — represented 62% of the lap length. That figure is higher than Suzuka’s 60% and Shanghai’s 57%, with only Melbourne’s 67% ranking higher among the circuits visited so far this season. As a result, the layout strongly rewarded the most powerful engines on the grid.
The FIA data merely provides an indication of the sections where drivers can theoretically remain flat-out, although in some cases they still use lift-and-coast techniques to recharge the battery. However, this practice has become less common following the latest regulation changes. The internal combustion engine now handles a larger portion of the energy recovery process, remaining at high revs for longer periods and making the differences in engine performance between manufacturers even more visible.
Added to this is the restriction limiting electric power deployment to 250 kW during races in closed-wing sections. Combined with the limitations on energy boost deployment, this has increased the importance of the combustion engine component even further.
The work done by the teams
The strong performances from Mercedes-powered teams in Miami were also the result of development work carried out by the individual teams themselves. McLaren was already part of the leading group and, with its first major upgrade package, moved even closer to the Silver Arrows.
Alpine also introduced several updates, although without making major interventions to key areas such as the floor, diffuser, or bodywork. Even so, the A526 had already shown during the opening three races that it was fundamentally a well-designed car. The team that made the most noticeable leap forward, however, was Williams, which arrived with important upgrades and also reduced part of the car’s excess weight.
The same cannot be said for several rivals, starting with Haas, which arrived in Miami without any major developments. Racing Bulls introduced some smaller updates, but the Italian squad endured a particularly difficult weekend, much like Audi, which was slowed by technical issues.
Development among the Mercedes customer teams has not been limited to aerodynamics alone. Mercedes-powered teams have gradually learned more about the Brixworth power unit, understanding its sensitivities and discovering how to optimise energy management strategies.
“Regarding the work carried out together with Mercedes and the development of the simulation tools, I can confirm that we have made a significant step forward compared to where we were in Australia,” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained before the weekend. “The gap we had at the start of the season was a natural consequence of being a customer team during a period in which a huge amount of focus was placed on software programming, including from the power unit side.”
McLaren, Williams, and Alpine are gradually learning how to extract the maximum potential from the Mercedes power unit, which the Miami Grand Prix once again confirmed to be a highly valuable weapon in the current Formula 1 field.
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