McLaren and Mercedes Unfazed by Ferrari's Miami Upgrade, Chandhok Reveals

Ferrari's massive Miami upgrade package has failed to convince McLaren or Mercedes that the Scuderia is ready to fight for the title, according to Karun Chandhok. The Italian team arrived at the Miami Grand Prix with 11 updates for the SF-26—four more than any other team—but left with only fifth and seventh place finishes, plus a 20-second penalty for Leclerc.

Why it matters:

After a strong start to the 2026 season, Ferrari needed this upgrade to close the gap to McLaren and Mercedes. Instead, they slipped behind. If the best Ferrari can offer right now doesn't worry the frontrunners, the championship battle may quickly become a two-team affair.

The Details:

• Ferrari introduced a new floor, diffuser, and revised 'Macarena' rear wing aimed at improving drag reduction and cornering load.
• Leclerc topped FP1 by nearly three-tenths over Verstappen, but that was the team's only P1 of the weekend.
• In the Sprint, Leclerc finished third. In the Grand Prix, both Ferraris lacked pace: Leclerc fifth, Hamilton seventh—Hamilton also suffering first-lap damage from contact with Colapinto.
• McLaren scored a season-best 48 points, Mercedes took 45, while Ferrari managed just 20.
• Chandhok revealed: “Someone from McLaren and someone else from Mercedes both pointed out to me: if that's the big Ferrari upgrade, then we're not worried. If that's the best they've got and nothing else is coming soon, we'll be okay.”
• Chandhok added Ferrari “should be a little bit concerned” as Mercedes will bring its big upgrade to Canada and McLaren has more parts coming.

What's Next:

Ferrari must decide whether further performance can be unlocked from the Miami package. Hamilton believes the car felt strong before his damage, but the results don't lie. If the Scuderia cannot extract more, they risk falling further behind when rivals bring their next updates. The Canadian Grand Prix in June will be a critical test.