There’s a different kind of sound machine in Miami this weekend as Formula 1 jets in for the sixth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season. And it is here in 2024 where McLaren’s genuine ascent to the head of the pack was solidified with Lando Norris’s first career win. McLaren returns to Miami as firm favourites and controls both championship tables. Still, the picture isn’t as clear or straightforward as to expect that the Papaya team will have it all its way.
Teams and drivers will have to contend with the Miami International Autodrome, which made its debut in 2022. The circuit, at 5.4 kilometres, is a mixture of slow and medium speed corners, with sectors 2 and 3 being dominated by long straights. With the Hard Rock Stadium as its centre, the Miami Grand Prix is also known for attracting the glitterati. More importantly, it sets up as the backdrop for an intriguing championship battle.
For Norris, Miami represents a critical juncture. After a strong start to the year, recent results have seen his momentum waver slightly, and with teammate Oscar Piastri growing in confidence and consistency, Norris needs to stamp his authority once more. Beating Piastri this weekend isn’t just about points — it’s about reasserting himself within McLaren and reigniting his championship ambitions. Anything less, and the narrative of McLaren’s intra-team balance may start to shift in Piastri’s favour.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, arrives in Florida facing an unusual degree of uncertainty. Red Bull’s dominance has looked less bulletproof in 2025, with the RB21 swinging between the competitive force seen in Japan and Saudi Arabia and the more vulnerable, finicky machine exposed under the lights in Bahrain. Verstappen himself has looked increasingly frustrated at times, and much of his weekend will depend on which version of the car shows up in Miami’s humid heat.
Over at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton continues to wrestle with a car that refuses to bend to his will. The partnership still seems more theoretical than real, with flashes of speed often undermined by inconsistency. However, few drivers have enjoyed the kind of success stateside that Hamilton has over the years. Miami, with its fanfare and energy, could provide a welcome turning point — if not in results, then at least in spirit.
Oscar Piastri, by contrast, appears to be in the sweet spot. Calm, unruffled, and quietly efficient, the Australian has been a model of consistency so far. Nothing seems to faze him, and barring any sudden chaos or mechanical drama, it’s hard to see what — or who—might disrupt his current form. For McLaren, this dynamic is a luxury and a potential headache all at once: a tale of two drivers with championship aspirations converging at a team now expected to deliver race wins, not just podiums.
Miami might have all the glitz and glamour off the track, but on it, the stakes are looking increasingly serious.
