Antonelli on McLaren's Miami surge: 'We expected the fight'

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli stated that McLaren's strong performance in Miami, where Lando Norris beat him to Sprint pole, was an expected challenge following the April break. Despite a messy qualifying session hampered by a practice issue, Antonelli remains confident Mercedes can fight for victory in the main Grand Prix events.

Why it matters:

After Mercedes' dominant start to the season, McLaren's significant upgrade package has immediately closed the performance gap, signaling a potential shift in the competitive order. Antonelli's acknowledgment that this was anticipated suggests teams are bracing for a more contested championship battle as development cycles intensify.

The details:

• Lando Norris secured the Sprint pole position in Miami, edging out Antonelli by 0.2 seconds.
• Antonelli described his own session as "pretty messy," struggling initially on the medium tire before finding more pace on the soft compound.
• A power unit issue in practice prevented a crucial soft-tyre run, which he believes cost him potential performance in qualifying.
• He directly credited McLaren's major car upgrades, combined with their shared Mercedes power unit, for their leap in performance.
• Despite the setback, Antonelli praised his team's recovery work to secure a front-row starting position for the Sprint.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to the Sprint race and the main Grand Prix, where Antonelli believes Mercedes can still be in the fight. The Miami weekend serves as the first real test of Mercedes' early-season dominance and will provide critical data on whether McLaren—or other upgraded rivals—can sustain this challenge moving forward in the championship.