McLaren Boss Warns Mercedes That F1 Championship Fight Is Far From Over

Let’s be honest, the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season hasn’t been the victory lap McLaren envisioned. Standing as the defending Constructors’ Champions with Lando Norris defending his Drivers’ title, the Woking squad stumbled out of the gate. The start of the campaign was not fun, and the disaster at the Chinese GP with both Norris and Oscar Piastri failing to start added salt to the wound.

Pushing a lot of the fans and media to question their title defense as Mercedes and their rookie ace, Kimi Antonelli, dominated the early races. But following a massive resurgence at the Miami Grand Prix, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has officially put the paddock on notice: the defending champions are still very much in the fight.

Miami served as the proving ground for the first major upgrade package to the MCL40, and the results were immediate. Norris commanded the sprint race, securing a victory before joining Piastri for a double podium on Sunday, finishing P2 and P3 behind Antonelli. While Stella remains practical about their current position, his post-race comments make McLaren’s 2026 intentions crystal clear.

Andrea Stella’s championship defense pitch

You see, Stella isn’t interested in moral victories. Despite sitting third in the standings, he made it clear that the goal hasn’t shifted despite the early-season drama. “We have just delivered our first upgrade, we are in Miami, and McLaren looks like they traditionally have done very well in Miami, so it could be that the way we develop our cars kind of suits this circuit, so we will have to see more,” Stella pointed out.