Mercedes have started the 2026 season as the clear favourites so far, claiming victory at all three of the opening races, while McLaren have struggled to recreate their 2025 pace. The Constructors' champions suffered a double DNS in China - Piastri's second in succession - and sit 86 points behind leaders Mercedes in the standings.

However, a promising performance from Piastri in Suzuka, where he finished P2 but was unlucky not to win after a poorly timed Safety Car, as well as a "completely new car" coming to Miami this weekend, could help bring McLaren right back into the title conversation - something they have been able to do mid-season in previous years.

While the Mercedes pairing have not yet locked horns - at least not in the same fashion as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton so far this season - Norris has said an intra-Mercedes battle is "good to see," as it could help McLaren regain the ground they have lost early on.

Last season, McLaren's 'papaya rules' of free racing between Norris and Piastri allowed Max Verstappen to close a 104-point gap to the lead in the Drivers' standings, with the final deficit at just two points at chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to media, including GPblog, Norris was asked whether McLaren can benefit from Antonelli and Russell battling, much in the same way Verstappen did last year.

“Let’s hope so," Norris said at McLaren's MTC headquarters last week.

“Certainly, the more that they can battle, the better. It’s good to see. Kimi is in his second year in F1, so he’s doing a good job. It’s also cool to see. He’s a very nice guy, and he’s performing well at the top level in Formula 1.

“He’s had a good few races, so it’s good to see that he’s kind of found that extra bit of pace and battling George convincingly, which is cool, but it’s a good thing for us."

Norris admits McLaren have been "on the back foot," with the world champion yet to score a podium this year. The Briton's best result has been P5 at both Australia and Japan, but he is hopeful of a turnaround as Mercedes potentially squabble over big points in 2026.

“We know we were a little bit on the back foot at the beginning of the season. We certainly hope that we can catch up, and the more points they can take away from each other, the better - the same like us [he and Piastri] last year and Max in a fight.

“Hopefully it can be a similar story the other way around.”

As well as Verstappen, Norris has been one of the more vocal critics of F1's 2026 regulations, saying after Australia: "We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1, and the nicest to drive, to probably the worst."

But the McLaren driver appears cautiously optimistic that the Miami GP will serve up some good racing, with F1's latest changes to the 2026 rules set to be implemented this weekend.

Norris said: "A lot of the corners are still going to have a high speed of first sector and you're still going to have the very slow speed middle sector.

"And in some ways because of how the straights are placed and the corners, you could still have actually some pretty good racing in terms of how you can use the battery and save the battery.

"But if you use it quite often you know the guy's going to come back past you the next straight... It could be great, and hopefully it is, you kind of have to wait and see."