F1 returns to Miami as teams chase upgrades and momentum
Mclaren's Lando Norris is hoping car improvements will make Mclaren more competitive, in F1.
Black News 
Formula One has been on a month-long hiatus since the Japanese Grand Prix in March, and drivers are itching to get back to racing this weekend at the Miami Grand Prix.
The Formula One season was only three races in when the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian events had to be cancelled because of the conflict in the Middle East.
This weekend, the F1 machine is back in business with the Miami Grand Prix, and Mercedes, the early pace setters, are wondering what their opponents have in store in terms of modifications.
Mercedes’ teenage sensation, Italy’s Kimi Antonelli, has 2 wins and a second-place finish this season, and finds himself top of the drivers’ standings, 9 points ahead of teammate George Russell. Mercedes is letting their two drivers loose on the field, but Antonelli says Toto Wolff, the team principal, does expect a level of thoughtfulness.
“The team has been very clear with us since the first race in Australia. They said you can race each other, but obviously with respect and without trying to do anything stupid,” says Mercedes driver, Kimi Antonelli.
Russell, meanwhile, began the season with a win in Australia, but since then has had to play second fiddle to Antonelli. He is more concerned with what Mercedes’ competitors will bring this weekend.
“We are a bit surprised that some people have brought their upgrades to Miami. They were meant to have brought them to Bahrain or Saudi Arabia, but we expect that more teams will bring their upgrades to Montreal. We will have a bigger upgrade in Canada,” says Mercedes driver George Russell.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been consistent so far this season, and that has seen him sit in third in the drivers’ standings after three races. However, Ferrari needs to come up with a better plan to challenge Mercedes this season.
That means it’s been back to the race simulator for Leclerc.
“Quite a few days in the factory, to be honest. Lots of simulator work to first correlate what happened in the first three races with what happens on the simulator, to make sure that every development we bring, we can test it,” says Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
The defending Formula One champion, McLaren’s Lando Norris, is struggling with his car.
The same can be said for his teammate, Oscar Piastri. McLaren’s record this season is dismal, with three non-starters and two fifth-place finishes between its two star drivers.
Norris is hoping car improvements will make McLaren more competitive.
“We know everyone has upgrades this week. We are confident it will help us move in the right direction, but in terms of quantity and how much of a catch-up it is, and how far we will still be, we will just wait and see. It is a new package, and our job is just to get the maximum out of it,” says Norris.
Four-time world champion, Max Verstappen of Red Bull, currently finds himself 9th on the standings, after a 6th and 8th place finish and a retirement.
“The team has been pushing really hard to try to understand some of our issues and to bring improvements. That is why I think it is nice to see what we can do here. Hopefully, we will be a bit closer to the guys ahead. That is the target,” says Verstappen.
After Miami, it’ll be three weeks before the Canadian Grand Prix, in Montreal, enough time for teams to bring even more enhancements that may alter the state of racing, yet again.
