Lando Norris explains the hidden advantage still separating Mercedes and McLaren
In Miami, Lando Norris came away with the feeling that McLaren is getting closer to something that still remains just out of reach. The British team continues to improve, to fight at the front and to challenge Mercedes more consistently, but every time the Silver Arrows enter the picture there is still one specific area where the comparison suddenly changes.
It exists in that narrow space between what already works and what is still missing — a subtle but decisive difference that Lando Norris now believes defines the true gap between McLaren and Mercedes.
It is not a huge advantage, nor one that is immediately obvious, but it is enough to transform a potential victory into another weekend spent chasing.
Where Mercedes still makes the difference
Lando Norris’ second-place finish in Miami confirmed what is now becoming an increasingly clear trend throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season: McLaren is currently the team closest to Mercedes, but it is not yet the team capable of consistently beating them.
After spending much of the race behind Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris explained with remarkable precision where the real performance difference between the two cars still exists.
“I don’t think we were as fast as the Mercedes in terms of outright pace,” Norris admitted. “There were moments and high-speed sections where we know they are slightly superior, and that never gave me the opportunity to get close enough on the back straight and try something.”
The failed overtaking attempt was therefore not simply a missed opportunity, but rather the direct consequence of a technical limitation that McLaren still has not fully solved.
“I feel like I extracted the maximum from the car throughout the whole weekend, and we know where we are still a little behind Mercedes.”
Even so, Lando Norris openly recognised just how much McLaren has improved compared to previous seasons.
“I was surprised by how fast we were relative to them, by the fact that we managed to fight Mercedes throughout the race, and by the fact that the gap to the other cars was 24 seconds.”
It was a performance that painted the picture of a team now firmly established near the very top of the Formula 1 grid.
McLaren wants to build further, not settle for second place
McLaren currently sits third in the Constructors’ Championship with 94 points, only sixteen behind Ferrari and comfortably ahead of Red Bull. It represents a major step forward for the Woking-based team, one built on consistency, development and a technical platform that finally appears genuinely competitive.
However, Lando Norris does not want this progress to become a final destination.
“There are many positive aspects, so we need to analyse all of them, take them into account and consolidate these things,” he explained. “But we always want the maximum, and we also need to look at where we can improve.”
Then, somewhat surprisingly, the British driver allowed himself a rare moment of personal recognition.
“Honestly, I feel like I had control over many things. I feel like I don’t often give myself enough credit, but in Miami I did a very good job.”
It is a more mature and self-aware version of Lando Norris, one that increasingly looks capable of leading McLaren not only on track, but also through the team’s broader technical evolution.
At the same time, it is also a Norris who sees very clearly where the next crucial step still lies.
McLaren is close — probably closer than many realise. But Mercedes still possesses that invisible margin capable of deciding races: a faster high-speed section, a cleaner corner exit, a level of efficiency that only truly reveals itself when it matters most.
Lando Norris saw it clearly in Miami.
And if there is one thing the Miami Grand Prix demonstrated, it is that McLaren can no longer be considered a surprise package. The British team is now a genuine threat at the front of Formula 1.
Only one final and extremely difficult step remains: the step that separates those who chase victories from those who consistently win them.
The duel between Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli in Miami serves as a perfect microcosm of the current competitive landscape in Formula 1. While McLaren has successfully bridged the gap to become a consistent podium contender, Norris’s observations regarding Mercedes’ high-speed superiority suggest that aerodynamic efficiency remains the final hurdle for the Woking-based team. As they consolidate their third-place position in the standings, the focus shifts to whether McLaren can refine their package to eliminate those small “invisible margins” that currently keep them just a few tenths behind the Silver Arrows on race day.
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