Piastri sees McLaren progress despite messy Miami weekend

Oscar Piastri believes McLaren has made a clear step forward in performance, even after a "messy" qualifying session in Miami, as evidenced by his charge to a podium finish. The Australian recovered from seventh on the grid to finish third in the Grand Prix, securing the team's first double podium of the 2024 season alongside teammate Lando Norris, who won the Sprint and finished second in the main race. This result came after the team introduced its first major upgrade package of the year at the Miami International Autodrome.

Why it matters:

McLaren's performance in Miami signals a tangible shift in its competitive standing. After starting the season clearly behind Red Bull and Ferrari, the upgraded MCL38 demonstrated it can now fight for podiums on merit and capitalize on opportunities. This development tightens the battle at the front and proves the team's aggressive development path is yielding immediate results, putting pressure on their direct rivals for the remainder of the championship.

The details:

• Qualifying Struggle, Race Pace: Piastri described Saturday's qualifying as "a bit messy," leaving him seventh on the grid. However, he found the race pace "more encouraging," allowing him to fight through the field.
• Late Race Charge: The podium was secured with a late move on Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on the penultimate lap, capitalizing on the Monegasque driver's subsequent spin on the final lap.
• Upgrade Package Delivers: The team's new upgrade, introduced in Miami, showed immediate promise. Norris dominated the Sprint race for a win, and both cars showed strong long-run performance in the Grand Prix.
• Piastri's Assessment: "Clearly, we are a step closer in performance... and we showed that if we get track position, we can hang on to things," Piastri stated, comparing the pace favorably to the previous race in Japan.

What's next:

The result provides a significant confidence boost as the team heads to the Canadian Grand Prix. Piastri explicitly stated the goal is to take another step forward in Montreal. If the Miami upgrade's performance translates to other circuit types, McLaren could solidify its position as a consistent podium threat, transforming the championship battle from a two-team fight at the front into a three-way contest.