Wolff Admits McLaren Now Clear Benchmark After Miami GP

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits team must improve race pace to challenge dominant McLaren after mixed Miami Grand Prix results.

Mercedes came to Miami hoping to challenge McLaren, especially after a strong showing in qualifying. But in Sunday’s race, despite solid performances from George Russell and rising talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the team simply couldn’t match the pace of the Woking-based outfit.

“George had a fantastic race. He pushed hard and earned that third-place finish,” said Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff. “He showed maturity and got the most out of the car. Still, the gap to McLaren was clear. That’s disappointing.”

Wolff admitted the team is working hard to close that performance gap. “We’ve seen ups and downs over the first six races. Sometimes we’re close, other times we’re chasing. Right now, McLaren are the ones to beat.”

Wolff also took a moment to praise 18-year-old Antonelli. “Kimi showed his potential this weekend. It was a learning experience, as expected for a rookie. Race management will come with time, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming stretch of European Grands Prix. Imola will be his first home race, and I’m sure he’s excited.”

Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin highlighted the strategic call that helped Russell secure a podium. “Big congratulations to George on his fourth podium this season. Starting on hard tires gave us flexibility, and when the virtual safety car came out, we were able to leapfrog Verstappen. That was the plan, and it worked.”

Shovlin explained the team had also been watching the weather closely. “We thought there was about a 50 percent chance of rain. One cell got close, but in the end, it stayed dry.”

Unfortunately, the timing didn’t favor Antonelli. “Kimi had to pit just before the VSC to cover off Albon’s undercut. A bit of traffic in the pit lane didn’t help, and ultimately, he lost time on the hard compound and slipped back to sixth. Still, it was a strong weekend for him overall as he continues to grow.”

McLaren, once again, set the standard. “We’re happy to leave Miami having gained ground on Red Bull and Ferrari in the standings,” Shovlin added. “But we know we’ve got work to do. Our one-lap pace is strong, but we need to improve on race pace. That’s the focus heading into Imola.”