Miami Grand Prix conclusions: McLaren, not Ferrari, are Red Bull’s biggest threat

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc celebrate.

A dramatic race in Miami saw Lando Norris come away with his first Formula 1 win and showed that McLaren are a force to be reckoned with.

Verstappen was dethroned on track, without a retirement, for the first time in 12 races – a run going back to Singapore last year. As Norris’ long wait for an F1 win came to an end, here’s what we learned from the race in the 305.

McLaren, not Ferrari, will be the biggest threat to Red Bull’s supremacy

Yes, it is only one race, but there was something different from McLaren in Miami that we have not seen from Ferrari so far this year.

Not only did they take the fight to Red Bull, they left them in the dust. The new car that arrived in Miami was downplayed by Andrea Stella as not being the same kind of game changer we saw last season but there is every suggestion now that it is even better.

The MCL38 of both Norris and Piastri was lightning quick and yes the Safety Car played a part, but Norris’ speed after that showed he was always going to be in contention.

The race win went to Norris, the fastest lap went to Piastri, and momentum has swung dramatically to McLaren.

Charles Leclerc needs to take advantage of the big moments

There have been a couple of times in Charles Leclerc’s career where you have been left wanting while watching on.

Two of those incidents came in Miami. From the off, Leclerc had an awful start that left him vulnerable and ultimately saw Oscar Piastri overtake but as the Ferraris queued behind the Australian, Leclerc could not find a way to get past him.

Then later on, Verstappen was tantalisingly close and again Leclerc did not properly bother him.

Verstappen himself proved during the Mercedes era that you have to make the most of any opportunity when in the slower car but Leclerc has not often done that.

The FIA needs a rethink as Kevin Magnussen highlights rulebook loopholes

Away from the front runners, Kevin Magnussen highlighted the many loopholes that exist within the F1 rules.

It started in the sprint when he admitted he broke every rule possible in order to keep Lewis Hamilton behind and crucially Nico Hulkenberg ahead , but his rule breaking was not finished there.

In the race, his penalties were less beneficial including one for ramming Sargeant off the road but it was the sprint performance that the FIA needs to ensure does not happen again.

For all the glitz and the glamour, Miami has yet to justify its inclusion on the F1 calendar

As much as Formula 1 would like it to be, Miami has yet to become a great racing circuit.

As a venue, there are few who would argue against its inclusion with the Hard Rock Stadium providing an unusual backdrop for an F1 paddock but the circuit itself has yet to produce truly great racing.

The tight and twisty section all but saps any momentum out of a battle and Gasly and Ocon’s side-by-side exchange through those corners is very much the exception to the rule.

Away from the race itself, the Miami GP was hardly a thriller and given Formula 1 is already facing accusations of being boring due to Verstappen’s dominance, it needs tracks to help it not hurt it.

Miami will remain on the calendar until 2031 at the earliest but changes are needed to make it more likely for the European audience to stay up and watch.

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Williams look like they are in trouble

It may be going under the radar, but Williams really have not looked very good so far this season.

Of course, the team over the past decade have been competing more at the back of the grid than the front but those occasional fights for points have been almost non-existent this campaign.

Sargeant was run off the road by Magnussen but more concerning was the pace, or lack of it, of Albon.

The Williams car used to be quick on the straights which could sometimes get them out of a jam but even that has been unable to save them so far in 2024.

F1 would do well to keep politics and the sport separate

When F1 announced that Donald Trump’s plan to hold a $250,000-a-ticket fundraiser during the race was shut down, many thought that would have been the end of it.

And yet, come race day, the 45th president of the United States was pictured having a tour of the McLaren garage.

The Woking team, who were beginning to receive criticism online for the event, were quick to point out that they were asked to by F1, Liberty Media and the FIA but Trump’s image alongside Zak Brown is perhaps not one that will be looked on fondly if certain events play out over the next few months.

Sport and politics have mixed since they both existed and having heads of states on a grid is nothing new for F1 – but maybe we can draw a line at former heads of states who have said the abhorrent things that Trump has.