Toto Wolff was surprised in Miami by the pace of the Red Bull RB22. In the hands of Max Verstappen, the car could compete at the front of the field for podium places, although the world champion ultimately finished in fifth place. Whether the pecking order on the grid in Canada will be the same as in Florida is still in question. Wolff confirms that Mercedes will bring upgrades to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Mercedes has meanwhile taken the fourth win of the year for the Silver Arrows in Miami. For the third time in a row, Andrea Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line first. Despite Mercedes continuing its winning streak in 2026, team boss Toto Wolff keeps a close eye on the competition.
“We are still at the beginning of this new regulations cycle and the development curve is very steep, so we expected McLaren, with a significant upgrade package, to gain at least half a second,” Wolff tells Gazzetta dello Sport. Although the team boss had expected progress from McLaren, he was surprised by another rival. “I have to say that Red Bull was a big surprise, because they have made a huge step forward. From being more than a second behind the leader, they are now at the front, fighting (against the top teams, ed.) with Verstappen.”
Read more Max Verstappen looks back positively on Nürburgring adventure despite disappointment: ‘Enjoyed it’
Mercedes is not standing still
In Miami, however, the progress at both McLaren and Red Bull still made no difference to the pecking order, with another win for Mercedes. Yet the Austrian emphasized that his team will continue to strive for a stronger position in the 2026 standings, with further upgrades planned for Canada. “We will also introduce upgrades in Canada, but I think it is normal that performance varies from race to race this year,” said Wolff.
Read more VIDEO: Team Verstappen back on the track for the final lap, Juncadella reaches the finish line
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