Despite bringing only a small number of updates for this weekend, Mercedes once again came out on top. Andrea Kimi Antonelli reshaped the internal hierarchy and continues to pull away in the championship standings.
Miami GP 2026 delivered another strong statement from the Silver Arrows. Changes to the technical regulations and upgrades introduced by rivals were not enough to stop Mercedes from winning the fourth race of the Formula 1 season in Miami. Andrea Kimi Antonelli made history once again, becoming the first driver ever to win his first three consecutive Formula 1 races, all from pole position.
Inside the Mercedes garage, satisfaction is not absolute. George Russell is losing a couple of tenths both in race pace and qualifying compared to his less experienced teammate. At the same time, despite Ferrari continuing to struggle, McLaren has closed the gap dramatically thanks to a significant upgrade package introduced for this race weekend. The Constructors’ Championship battle is heating up, while Antonelli extends his Drivers’ Championship lead to 20 points.
Miami GP 2026 – Mercedes: highs and lows, but still the strongest project
Despite Russell’s anonymous weekend, Antonelli secured a highly valuable result for Mercedes. While McLaren has indeed closed in on the front, it required a substantial upgrade package, whereas Mercedes only introduced two minor updates for this Grand Prix. This suggests that with future development steps, the Brackley-based team could extend its advantage once again over the competition.
The W17 remains the car to beat, but more importantly, the Mercedes power unit continues to be light years ahead of Ferrari, Red Bull-Ford, Audi, and Honda. The long-awaited ADUO improvements are seen as the last real opportunity for other manufacturers to close the performance gap. Out of the top ten cars on the grid, only the two Ferraris and Oliver Bearman are not powered by the German engine. A very telling statistic.
The Constructors’ Championship is slightly tightening due to the impressive progress made by the “papaya” team, but within Mercedes there is still confidence, as the overall potential of the project remains enormous. In upcoming rounds, particularly in more favorable circuits such as Montreal, both cars are expected to remain at the front as they were earlier in the season. Mercedes continues to be the benchmark team to beat.
Miami GP 2026: the gap between Russell and Antonelli widens again
Forty-three seconds separated the two Mercedes drivers at the finish line. Such a significant gap would have been expected the other way around at the start of the season. Russell commented after the race:
“The pace was high. I was able to stay close [to Norris]. The team put together a great strategy. We managed an incredible undercut and brought home the victory, even though it was not easy: this is only the beginning. The road is still long. We are working hard and the team is doing an incredible job. Without them I wouldn’t be here, so thanks to them and my family. I will enjoy this win and then get back to work.”
At Suzuka, the British driver was unlucky with the Safety Car, but in Miami there are no excuses: simply, he was slower. On Friday he experimented with multiple setup changes but failed to find the optimal balance, unlike Kimi Antonelli. Despite Antonelli’s mistake in Turn 1 and still-imperfect starts, the gap between the two remains significant.
The points difference in the standings continues to grow, and the internal battle is becoming increasingly interesting. George Russell must take a step forward if he wants to return to the dominant form he showed in Australia. The first race after the forced break ends with a highly competitive McLaren, a struggling Ferrari, and yet still Mercedes sitting firmly at the top of the Formula 1 world.
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