McLaren’s dramatic rise in the 2024 Formula 1 season turned the Miami Grand Prix into a key moment, where Lando Norris snatched his first F1 victory and signaled the end of Red Bull’s early season dominance . Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache admitted the sudden change in performance left the reigning champions baffled, while McLaren’s unexpected leap surprised everyone, including Red Bull.
The Miami Shock Wave
The 2024 season began with Max Verstappen and Red Bull in complete control, winning four of the first five races. Verstappen looked set to race towards another championship, and Red Bull’s hold on both titles seemed unshakeable. But the Miami Grand Prix changed the situation.
In a race marked by a well-timed Safety Car, Lando Norris took advantage of McLaren’s new pace to take his first victory. Although the result was initially attributed to strategy, the real story quickly revealed itself: McLaren’s MCL38 was no fluke. The Woking-based team had arrived.
Wache: “It was a surprise”
For Red Bull, Miami wasn’t just a bad day at the office; it was a wake-up call. Wache revealed that Red Bull made no significant changes to the RB20 or its tuning ahead of the race. Instead, McLaren’s sudden leap was the catalyst that upended Red Bull’s dominance.
“We didn’t change the car; we haven’t changed the way we set up the car,” explained Wache. “It seemed like others had made a big change instead of us.”
Red Bull expected closer competition as the season progressed, but the scale of McLaren’s jump still caught them off guard. Wache admitted, “In Miami we should have won the race. However, we were no longer the fastest. Clearly something has changed, especially with McLaren.”
McLaren’s winning formula
McLaren’s return didn’t happen overnight. After a slow start to the season, the team introduced a comprehensive set of updates for MCL38 in Miami. The changes targeted key weaknesses that had handicapped them in early races, particularly around tire degradation and aerodynamic balance.
“Ils [McLaren] managed to have less tire degradation than everyone else, and their package seemed to work very well afterward,” observed Wache. “I don’t know what they did; you have to ask them, not me.”
-The improvements brought McLaren back to life, transforming the MCL38 into a car capable of challenging for the championship. Norris’ triumph at Miami was only the beginning, as McLaren would go on to dominate the Constructors’ Championship, dethroning Red Bull and ending Ferrari’s hopes of a late-season comeback.
The ripple effect
Wache’s thoughts highlight how McLaren’s performance in Miami changed the trajectory of the 2024 season. What was initially seen as a tactical victory became the first sign that Red Bull’s early season dominance was over.
“In Miami, we were more or less there,” Wache admitted. “But during the race we saw that McLaren had found the right balance in terms of performance. It was a very big surprise.”
McLaren’s progress was not the result of a single massive development, but rather the culmination of a cohesive whole coming together. “The whole car came together,” Wache said. “That’s what made the difference.”
The road ahead
With the 2025 season on the horizon, Red Bull faces the challenge of reclaiming its crown from a resurgent McLaren. Norris’ breakout season and McLaren’s relentless development set a new standard, forcing rivals to raise their game.
For Red Bull, Miami is a reminder of how quickly the balance of power can shift in Formula 1. The once-unstoppable team must now adapt, innovate and fight more than ever if it is to return to the top.
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