McLaren Back Miami, where everything (re) started

A year after the success of the British Lando Norris who had marked his return to the foreground of the McLaren stable, it presents itself as a big favorite this weekend at the Miami Formula 1 GP, where the British team will try to confirm its superiority. The latest edition of the Floridian event had marked a real turning point in the 2024 season with the advent of papaya -colored single -seaters who were then going to lead the hard life to the Triple Tenant of the Dutch title Max Verstappen, who had however managed to keep his crown not without trembling.

Red Bull had indeed displayed in Miami his first shortcomings and started his slow tumble down which saw him finish in 2024 only third in the classification of the manufacturers, far from Ferrari and McLaren, who had torn off the title during the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi. Do we take the same and start again? Not quite since in 2025, it was McLaren who will disembark around the hard rock Stadium, the lair of the Dolphins, the American football team of Miami, having won four of the first five races, like Red Bull last season.

The team based in Woking (England) will therefore be the team to beat in the Floridian heat but the Sprint format, with a single free test session, could well reshuffle the cards, like the unexpected victory of the British Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) during the first sprint race of the season, at the end of March in China.

“It did good to recharge the batteries after three demanding consecutive races, but I am happy to get back into the car, especially in Miami. This is where I won my first Grand Prix so it’s a really special place for me. I prepared this meeting well for the simulator so it should be a good weekend for us, ”said Norris.

PiaStri, the man in good shape

Presented as a big favorite for the world title at the start of the season, the Briton has to face strong competition, including his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri, winner of three of the last four GPs of the season and now leader of the world championship. “I aim for a new solid weekend here before starting the European tour. There is a sprint this weekend so there will be even more opportunities to seize in order to continue our momentum, “said the native of Melbourne.

As in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the hot weather expected in Florida should make tire degradation an essential element of the weekend. The pilots who will best manage their gums will be those who will get out of it, especially since there will be only a rolling on Friday to test the different types of tires and collect a maximum of data.

The quadruple Dutch reigning world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull), but also the British George Russell (Mercedes), author of a very good start to the season, or Hamilton and the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), all used to managing their gums, will probably have a good blow to play this weekend around the Hard Rock Stadium, Always hosts a spectacular paddock.

On the French side, the three tricolor pilots should fight to tear off the few points that the four peak stables will deign well to the rest of the pack. Alpine and Pierre Gaspi continue to progress, but the Franco-British team is still struggling to convert the promises displayed at the start of the weekend into points.

Esteban Ocon will be in search of the regularity that is so lacking this season at its Haas single -seater, capable of the worst, as well as the best. Finally, the rookie Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), solid since the beginning of the year, will continue his learning and will try to grab some precious points.