Lando Norris left the Miami Grand Prix with a mix of satisfaction and frustration but is positive about being back in contention for wins. After securing a sprint victory on Saturday, the reigning champion seemed poised to claim another triumph in Sunday’s 57-lap race around Hard Rock Stadium, where he won his first Formula 1 race of 2024.
However, championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes executed a smart pit-stop strategy, allowing Antonelli to take the lead. Despite Norris leading for much of the race, he ultimately had to settle for second place.
The weekend marked a significant breakthrough for McLaren. Their recent upgrades proved effective, bringing the team back into the fight at the front after a challenging start to the season.
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Norris, currently fourth in the championship and 49 points behind Antonelli, has faced setbacks including a mechanical failure that prevented him from starting the Chinese Grand Prix. Still, with a sprint pole and win, plus a strong performance in the main race, he is encouraged by McLaren’s progress and their renewed competitiveness against Mercedes.
Reflecting on the race, Norris expressed a bit of disappointment over the pit-stop strategy. “I’m happy to have been fighting for a win today. The sprint pole and sprint win show it’s been a strong weekend,” he said. “The upgrades have paid off immediately, and it’s great to see such progress. But you always ask if you maximized everything, and I’m unsure about that. Letting him undercut us was a mistake; we should have avoided that situation. He might still have passed me, but we could have given ourselves a better chance. That’s a little disappointing.”
Looking ahead to the next race in Montreal in three weeks, Norris feels optimistic but realistic. He acknowledges Mercedes will bring upgrades and be formidable, especially on a track where they have historically excelled. “I’m confident about the future given how much we improved this weekend, but this track suited us. Montreal is a track where Mercedes has been very strong in recent years. There’s no point in getting ahead of ourselves,” he concluded.