Lando Norris sent a clear message in Miami that he's not backing down from his Formula 1 title ambitions, but former McLaren strategist Bernie Collins warns the team still has work to do if they want to give him a car capable of winning championships.

The 2025 season kicked off with Mercedes surging ahead of Ferrari, while McLaren took a more cautious approach, rolling out a simpler version of their car. But all that changed in Miami, where McLaren's first major upgrade package hinted at a team ready to challenge at the front.

Norris dominated the Sprint race from pole position and came close to winning the main event too, only losing out when Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli undercut him in the pit stops. Even without the clean air to fight back, Norris's runner-up finish from fourth on the grid was a statement drive that caught everyone's attention.

The real story, however, is what's still to come. McLaren only showed about 60% of their planned upgrades in Miami, with more developments slated for the Canadian Grand Prix later this month. Mercedes, meanwhile, will bring their own first major update package to Montreal, setting up a fascinating showdown that could define the season.

Collins believes the championship battles—both drivers' and constructors'—will come down to which team handles their upgrades most effectively. And she doesn't expect the true pecking order to settle for several races yet.

"I think he signalled that he obviously intends to," Collins told Sky Sports News. "But McLaren, we've seen in the past have been very, very good at upgrading that car, very good at bringing development to it, to try and close that gap."

Norris currently sits 49 points behind the championship leader, but his Miami performance showed a champion's fight. The question now isn't whether Norris has the talent—it's whether McLaren can deliver the hardware to match.