Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Canadian Grand Prix, and McLaren heads to Montreal with growing confidence after what was arguably its strongest performance of the 2026 season so far. The Woking-based team delivered its first double podium of the campaign in Miami, with Lando Norris finishing second and Oscar Piastri securing third, a clear sign that recent development work may be beginning to pay off.
After a challenging start to the season, McLaren’s performance in Miami suggested the team is starting to close the gap to the front of the field. Team principal Andrea Stella believes the competitive picture in Formula 1 has become incredibly tight, with the smallest details now making the difference between pole position and the second or third row.
“If we look at the competitive situation, we have four teams separated by very little in lap time,” Andrea Stella explained. “Mercedes perhaps still has a slight advantage, but pole position could have gone to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, one of our drivers, or Max Verstappen.”
Andrea Stella sees a four-team fight at the front
According to Andrea Stella, Formula 1’s current competitive balance means outright pace alone is no longer enough to guarantee strong results. Execution across the weekend, adapting quickly to changing track conditions, and extracting maximum performance from every session have become just as important as raw car performance.
“The four teams are so close that execution and adaptation to the conditions are what make the difference,” Stella said.
That assessment reflects how competitive the 2026 Formula 1 season has become, with Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren all appearing capable of fighting near the front depending on circuit characteristics and weekend circumstances.
McLaren upgrades deliver encouraging results
One of the most positive takeaways for McLaren from Miami was the apparent effectiveness of its latest upgrade package. Development progress has been a key talking point throughout the season, and the improved result offered valuable reassurance that the team is moving in the right direction: “It was a positive day for McLaren, which means the upgrades worked well,” Andrea Stella said. “We are happy with the performance.”
For a team trying to re-establish itself as a regular front-runner, that kind of validation matters enormously, especially in a season where the development race could define championship ambitions.
More McLaren upgrades coming for Montreal
McLaren’s optimism heading into Canada is also fuelled by the fact that Miami may not have shown the full extent of the team’s planned progress.
Andrea Stella confirmed that further updates are already scheduled for the Canadian Grand Prix, suggesting McLaren’s push to close the remaining gap to its rivals is far from over: “We haven’t held anything back,” Stella said. “We will have more upgrades for Montreal. We are quite encouraged.”
If those developments deliver another measurable step forward, McLaren could become an even bigger factor in what is shaping up to be one of the most tightly contested Formula 1 seasons in recent memory.
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