Ferrari Dominates in Miami as 2026 Form Holds Strong

Ferrari converted its 2026 season promise into a commanding victory at the Miami Grand Prix, breaking the recent stranglehold McLaren and Red Bull have held on the Florida circuit. Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two finish, with teammate Carlos Sainz securing second, while a late-race charge saw Lando Norris round out the podium for McLaren after a strategic battle with Mercedes.

Why it matters:

The result validates the early-season strength shown by Ferrari and Mercedes, proving their 2026 car concepts can translate to race-winning performance on a diverse circuit layout. It ends a multi-year run where only McLaren or Red Bull drivers stood on the top step in Miami, signaling a significant shift in the competitive order and intensifying the championship fight as the European season begins.

The Details:

• Leclerc controlled the race from pole position, managing his tires expertly on the abrasive Miami surface to neutralize an undercut attempt from Sainz in the second stint.
• The anticipated first-lap chaos at the opening right-left complex was avoided, though a mid-field incident between two Alpine cars brought out a brief Virtual Safety Car.
• Norris's Charge: Lando Norris executed a long first stint on the hard tire, allowing him to attack on fresh mediums in the final 20 laps. He overtook George Russell's Mercedes with five laps to go to secure third place.
• Mercedes' Mixed Day: George Russell finished fourth, but teammate Lewis Hamilton struggled with high tire degradation and could only manage seventh, highlighting a persistent performance variance between the two cars this season.
• Overtaking was primarily concentrated on the long back straight into Turn 11, but several key moves, including Norris on Russell, were completed in the technical middle sector's sequence of low-speed corners, showcasing the 2026 cars' improved following ability.

What's next:

The focus immediately shifts to the start of the European leg at Imola in two weeks. Ferrari will carry massive momentum, while McLaren and Mercedes will analyze their race data to close the gap. This result throws the 2026 constructors' championship wide open, with three teams now having claimed victories in the first five races.