McLaren celebrates a one-two finish in the Miami Sprint, but team principal Stella strikes an emotional note with a moving dedication to Zanardi
From a sporting perspective, things could hardly have gone better for McLaren: Lando Norris secured victory in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint, while teammate Oscar Piastri rounded out the one-two finish with second place.
The team thus impressively confirmed the upward trend of recent weeks. Signs that McLaren would be competitive in Miami were already evident in Sprint qualifying—the race now provided confirmation under difficult, hot conditions.
However, according to Team Principal Andrea Stella, Norris also benefited from his track position: “Perhaps the leader had a slight advantage today thanks to the clean air,” explains the Italian. The level of performance in the field was extremely high—theoretically, anyone at the front could have won the race.
Emotional words before the analysis: “This victory is for Alex”
But before Stella goes into detail, he sets a very different tone. The Italian uses the stage for a personal dedication to Alessandro Zanardi, who passed away on Saturday.
“Please allow me to remember Alex—a very special person, a symbol of what it means to love life,” says Stella. Then he adds: “This victory is for him.”
Updates pay off: McLaren takes a decisive step
In addition to the emotional aspect, the focus was primarily on technical development. McLaren brought extensive updates to Miami, which, according to Stella, paid off immediately.
“We worked on two areas: the power unit and grip,” explains the team principal. Together with engine partner Mercedes, they succeeded in getting more out of the powertrain, while the new aerodynamic parts provided additional downforce.
The result: an overall faster and, above all, more predictable car. The drivers immediately felt that the rear end was more stable—a crucial factor for confidence and consistency.
Drivability improved—but challenges remain
According to Stella, further progress is evident in drivability. “More downforce simply makes the car more controllable,” he says. In fact, Norris and Piastri looked significantly more confident in the Sprint than they did at the start of the season, when minor mistakes occurred more frequently.
Nevertheless, the challenge remains significant. Especially with the high temperatures in Miami, all teams struggled with cars sliding and oversteering—a problem that, according to Stella, was clearly evident in the onboard footage.
Looking ahead to the rest of the weekend, he also warns of unpredictable conditions: changeable weather is forecast for Sunday. “That will be a real challenge for both the drivers and the teams,” says Stella.
Qualifying and the race in focus: McLaren remains cautious
Despite the one-two finish, McLaren is deliberately keeping expectations in check. The competition remains extremely close, and other teams also brought updates to Miami.
“These are good signs, but we have to wait and see what happens in qualifying,” explains Stella. Only then will it become clear whether McLaren can confirm its advantage.
