27 April 2026Sky SportsInterviewRace report

F1's Return in Miami Feels Like a 'New Championship' Start

F1 returns in Miami after a five-week break, with teams treating it as a 'new championship' start due to major car upgrades and rule changes. The extended hiatus allowed for concentrated development, potentially reshuffling the order and challenging Mercedes' early dominance.

Formula 1 returns this weekend at the Miami Grand Prix after a five-week break, a pause that has given teams an unprecedented early-season development window. Team principals are calling the event a potential reset, with significant car upgrades and regulatory tweaks poised to shake up the established order from the first three races.

Why it matters:

The extended break has compressed the typical development cycle, allowing every team to bring substantial updates to a single event. This concentrated influx of performance could lead to a more dramatic shift in the competitive hierarchy than usual mid-season upgrades, potentially altering the championship trajectory as Mercedes looks to defend its early dominance.

The details:

Unplanned Break: The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix created a five-week gap, the longest in-season pause since 1999, freeing teams to work on their 2026 cars without the distraction of race events.
Upgrade Avalanche: Teams have used the factory time to prepare major upgrade packages. McLaren, for example, plans to introduce what it calls "an entirely new MCL40" across the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix.
Regulatory Tweaks: The FIA has approved changes to power-unit energy deployment rules aimed at improving qualifying laps and reducing drastic speed differences between cars during races.
Extended Practice: To accommodate the new rules and the long break, the first practice session in Miami has been extended from 60 to 90 minutes.
Championship Landscape: Mercedes leads both championships, with Kimi Antonelli surprisingly ahead of teammate George Russell. Ferrari is their nearest challenger, while Red Bull languishes in sixth in the constructors' standings.

What's next:

All eyes will be on which teams have made the most effective use of the extended development period. The Miami GP, which is also a Sprint weekend, will provide the first true test of the 2026 cars after teams have had time to deeply analyze data and implement solutions. The results could signal whether Mercedes' early supremacy is sustainable or if the chasing pack, particularly Ferrari and a revitalized McLaren, has closed the gap significantly.