Ferrari, McLaren, ending Red Bull’s ’comfort zone’ era
"When I heard what Lando’s laptimes were..."

Wearing a plaster on his nose after a wild party a weekend earlier, and freshly fined 25,000 euros for running across the track after a sprint race crash, Lando Norris on Sunday became Formula 1’s newest race winner.
There’s no doubt the 24-year-old was fortunate with the timing of the safety car, and La Gazzetta dello Sport even thinks the FIA "got it wrong" and broke its own rules for where the safety car entered the pack.
Max Verstappen, however, had no time for a round of ’what ifs’.
"If my mum had balls, she would be my dad," he smiled.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner thinks Verstappen also carried damage for hitting a bollard during the race, but the triple world champion wasn’t so sure.
"When I heard what Lando’s laptimes were, I knew it was going to be a difficult day," he said.
Indeed, although Oscar Piastri did not receive the full update in Miami, Norris was equipped with what McLaren CEO Zak Brown described as the ’B version" of McLaren’s 2024 car.
"We have made a huge step forward," he claimed.
Verstappen agreed: "The McLaren was incredible today. They had an upgrade that obviously worked. But if a bad day is P2, I take it, right?"
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium behind Norris and Verstappen, declaring afterwards: "Hopefully we can bring the upgrades very quickly and catch up."
Team boss Frederic Vasseur confirmed that Ferrari’s upgrade is scheduled for the next race at Imola.
"We’re taking them out of their comfort zone more and more often," the Ferrari boss said. "And then a safety car is enough for McLaren to win.
"That was different last year, when anything could happen and Red Bull would still win."
However, Red Bull will also have a car upgrade in the luggage in Imola.
"We have a bit of work to do from our side," Verstappen admits. "It definitely wasn’t our strongest weekend in terms of race pace, but we’ll analyse it all and try to come back stronger from it."
Ferrari
Hamilton ’won’t last long’ at Ferrari - Ecclestone
Ferrari pays staff a tasty 2024 bonus
Ferrari not necessarily ’better’ with Hamilton - Todt
Hamilton or Leclerc could get upper hand - Rosberg
More on Ferrari
McLaren F1
McLaren F1 extends contract of Peter Prodromou
McLaren rejects overall ’favourite’ tag for 2025
Norris hits reverse gear on Verstappen-Brazil comment
Red Bull not favourites for 2025 or 2026 - Brown
Zak Brown plays down perceived Verstappen feud
More on McLaren F1
Red Bull
Prost ’sure’ Verstappen will beat F1 title tally
Verstappen admits eyeing Le Mans with Alonso
Red Bull promotes from within to replace top names
Marko admits Verstappen helps keep him in F1
Red Bull ’furious’ amid FIA’s flexi-wing U-turn
More on Red Bull