Stella has no doubts: McLaren "definitely want to defend the championship"

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has stated that the team "definitely want to defend the championship" following what has been their strongest weekend of the 2026 Formula 1 season so far at the Miami International Autodrome — while acknowledging that more development is still needed to mount a sustained title challenge.

A Statement of Intent, Tempered by Caution

Norris claimed victory in the Sprint at the wheel of the newly-upgraded MCL40, before both drivers shared the rostrum in Sunday's Grand Prix, finishing second and third respectively. With momentum building, the question of whether McLaren can realistically challenge for both the Drivers' and Constructors' titles has become increasingly pointed.

Yet Stella was careful not to get carried away. "I think if we now start to consider championships at the end of the season, then I think we need to be a bit careful because we are just at the fourth race," he said. "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."

The Italian's measured response was not without confidence, however. "Because it's only the fourth race and we have scored a good chunk of points even compared to Mercedes, we know that we can further develop our car," he added. "We have said already before Miami that the championship is not a sign-off, so our logic is to look at the long term, try and defend the championship, but as soon as we say that, we come back in the present and we do the right thing today because there's really not much point in thinking so far forward, but definitely we want to defend the championship."

This forward-thinking approach from Stella extends beyond the on-track product. He has also been vocal about the need for structural regulatory change, having previously called for Formula 1 power unit hardware changes to be implemented by 2028 — a clear signal that McLaren are thinking in terms of the long game across multiple fronts.

Praise for Antonelli, Belief in McLaren's Driver Pairing

Stella also turned his attention to the broader competitive picture, offering generous praise to championship leader Kimi Antonelli before making a bold assessment of McLaren's own driver line-up.

"I think we should really pay credit to the quality of the driving, the consistency, the speed in both a single lap in the race and overall execution. We should pay credit to what Kimi is showing and is actually delivering on track," said Stella. "I would have said after testing that George [Russell] was in a stronger position, which was the case until Australia, but for some reason things seem to have turned around. Once again, I think this is thanks to the good work that Kimi must be doing with his engineers and with the people around him."

His admiration for Antonelli was genuine, but it did not diminish his belief in what McLaren have at their disposal. "There's always a group of people around the driver, and success comes because this synergy works. I think Kimi must be having all these conditions in place. Well done to Kimi, well done to Mercedes."

Turning to his own drivers, Stella pointed to specific moments that underlined their collective strength. "In Japan, with a car that wasn't competitive yet, Oscar was in condition to fight for the win again and score a podium. Oscar, confirming a podium finish here, and Lando, one win in the Sprint and in the fight for the victory here."

His conclusion was unambiguous: "I think when we look in particular at the Constructors' Championship, I think we are, from a driver's point of view, probably the strongest pair. We want to capitalise on this strength that we have at McLaren, but we need to make the car a little bit faster."

That confidence in the Norris–Piastri partnership remains central to McLaren's identity heading into the second phase of the season. It is also worth noting that Zak Brown has firmly committed to keeping both Norris and Piastri at the team, dismissing any speculation about a change to the lineup.

Where McLaren Stand After Four Rounds

After the opening four races of 2026, McLaren sit third in the Constructors' Championship with 94 points. Norris is fourth in the Drivers' standings on 51 points, while Piastri is sixth with 43. The gap to the top is real, but so is the trajectory — and in Miami, the papaya outfit showed exactly why they should not be written off.