The Miami Grand Prix represented one of the first truly meaningful indicators of McLaren’s potential during this phase of the 2026 Formula 1 season, especially after a start to the championship that proved more complicated than many expected.
The Woking-based team began the 2026 campaign with a car that showed flashes of competitiveness but remained inconsistent within its operating window, particularly in qualifying sessions and long-run management. Tire degradation and the difficulty of putting together the perfect lap often prevented McLaren from fully converting its race pace into strong results.
The opening four rounds of the season painted a far from linear picture. At certain moments, the car demonstrated very encouraging pace, but the lack of consistency between Friday practice sessions and Sunday races repeatedly exposed weaknesses in execution. Strategic inefficiencies and performances compromised by operational mistakes frequently limited the team’s ability to maximize opportunities.
Adding further complications were reliability issues during the early phase of the championship, including a double technical retirement in Shanghai caused by separate power unit-related problems. Those setbacks significantly affected McLaren’s points tally and early position in the constructors’ standings.
Miami, however, appeared to mark an important turning point.
The new upgrade package introduced for Formula 1’s first American round of the season improved both the stability of the car and tire degradation management, allowing McLaren to become far more competitive in both the Sprint weekend format and the Grand Prix itself.
The final outcome — a Sprint victory and a double podium finish in the Grand Prix — was not so much a final destination, but rather confirmation that a significant technical progression is underway, especially regarding overall race pace against the team’s direct rivals.
The comparison with the 2024 Formula 1 season
Following the Miami Grand Prix, one question quickly emerged throughout the Formula 1 paddock: can McLaren genuinely fight for victories consistently again in 2026?
The answer, while still cautious, is no longer negative.
McLaren showed a clear step forward in Florida compared to the opening races of the season, thanks to an update package that significantly reduced the gap to Mercedes and brought the car back into the battle for the leading positions on a much more regular basis.
However, as team principal Andrea Stella emphasized, the real benchmark is not simply achieving peak performance occasionally, but being capable of converting that potential into consistent results across every race weekend.
That is precisely where comparisons with the 2024 season begin to emerge.
The 2024 campaign remains a very concrete reference point in McLaren’s recent Formula 1 history. Back then, the team also started the year with a car that was not fully competitive, particularly limited by tire operating windows and pure qualifying performance. The opening races exposed a significant gap to the benchmark teams, while maintaining consistency throughout the weekend proved difficult.
The turning point came, once again, at the Miami Grand Prix — the same event that delivered Lando Norris his maiden Formula 1 victory.
That major leap in competitiveness became possible thanks to the introduction of a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package that fundamentally changed the behavior of the car. McLaren not only managed to close the performance deficit but eventually transformed itself into the benchmark car of the field, winning races and establishing a stable presence at the front until securing the constructors’ championship.
This is exactly the scenario Andrea Stella refers to when discussing the possibility of a “second 2024.” It is not necessarily a direct comparison in terms of immediate results, but rather a similarity in the development trajectory itself.
Even in 2026, McLaren finds itself in a very similar situation from a conceptual perspective: a more difficult start than anticipated followed by a progressive technical recovery through updates, refinements and a better understanding of the package.
Can McLaren fight for victories in 2026?
The Miami Grand Prix provided the first concrete validation of this upward trend.
The McLaren appeared more stable during race stints, more efficient in tire management and significantly closer to the reference teams compared to the opening races of the season. Even so, the overall picture is not yet definitive.
The gap to the benchmark squad — Mercedes — still appears linked mainly to execution during the decisive moments of the weekend, from qualifying laps to strategic decisions under pressure.
The answer to the original question therefore remains nuanced. McLaren can aim for victories in 2026, but not yet on a fully systematic basis. The raw potential is clearly present, and the progress is undeniable, but becoming a stable title contender will depend on maintaining development momentum and maximizing every single race weekend.
The comparison with 2024 therefore remains useful as a reference point, but not as a guarantee.
Back then, McLaren successfully transformed a season that began with difficulties into a championship-winning campaign. In 2026, the challenge is replicating that same model in a far more competitive environment, with smaller margins between teams and much less room for error.
If the Miami upgrades truly represent the beginning of another technical breakthrough, McLaren could once again become one of the central protagonists of the Formula 1 season. The coming races, however, will determine whether Miami was simply a strong weekend — or the genuine start of a new world championship charge.
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