Why Lando Norris missed his chance in Miami against Kimi Antonelli

Disbelief reigned in the cockpit of the McLaren at the finish line. As he crossed the checkered flag in second position, Lando Norris didn't seem to understand how victory could have slipped away from him to Kimi Antonelli. After the colossal efforts made by the Woking factory to bring a car largely rethought during the break, the defeat against a Mercedes Benz virtually unchanged left a bitter taste. The Briton's astonishment was vehemently expressed on the radio: Damn, how could we have missed that? " exclaimed the reigning champion, frustrated to see his success slip away on the very ground where he had achieved his first victory in F1 two years earlier.

However, McLaren had some serious advantages, starting with the same engine as the German team. The difference would therefore have to be made on the chassis and aerodynamics, areas in which the Woking engineers had focused their response by optimizing airflow. These improvements initially paid off, as Norris outclassed the competition in Saturday's Sprint race, finishing ahead of his teammate. Oscar piastriThis dominance had been facilitated by Mercedes' laborious energy management. Toto wolff admitting to having overcomplicated the power unit settings before returning to a more conventional approach.

A Grand Prix lost in the pit lane

On Sunday, the dynamic seemed identical when Norris took the lead on lap 13, benefiting from a Silver Arrows that were less sharp than usual. However, Mercedes' triumph was sealed during the pit stops. By diving into the pit lane on lap 26, one lap ahead of the leading McLaren, Kimi Antonelli executed the perfect undercut. Despite a well-executed stop by the Woking mechanics, the Papayas conceded precious time in the pit lane, losing just under half a second. It was the half-second too many, the one that turned the Grand Prix around. We should have stopped first, but Kimi did a good job " Norris admitted to the F1 microphone afterwards.

A sentiment shared by his boss, Andrea Stella. It's a shame we lost the victory with Lando, but we also have to acknowledge that Mercedes is probably still two tenths faster than us. admits the leader of the Papayas. They also managed their strategy very well: the timing of their pit stop, its duration, Kimi's re-entry lap—everything was perfect. They deserved the victory; well done to Mercedes and Kimi.. We probably could have stopped earlier to maintain our lead, but we'll analyze that."

While the team regrets not having implemented the strategy earlier to maintain track position, they take solace in an encouraging double podium finish, their first of the 2026 season, following the one-two finish the previous day in the Sprint class, led by car number 1. This overall result fuels hopes for a closer battle at the next round, the Canadian Grand Prix, scheduled for May 22-24.

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