Breaking:Mercedes’ Miami Pace Raises Eyebrows as Albon Questions Car Legality.

Mercedes’ Miami Pace Raises Eyebrows as Albon Questions Car Legality

Tensions ran high during sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix as Mercedes’ performance came under scrutiny, particularly from Williams driver Alex Albon. Following an unexpectedly strong showing from the Mercedes team, Albon was overheard on team radio expressing doubt over the legality of the Silver Arrows’ car, sparking fresh speculation in the Formula 1 paddock.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed during sprint qualifying, both advancing into SQ3 with remarkable pace. Their rapid times surprised many, especially given Mercedes’ fluctuating form in the 2025 season so far. However, it was Albon who voiced what others may have been thinking when he questioned the legitimacy of their performance over the team radio.

“I don’t know how that Merc is legal,” Albon said during the session, clearly astonished by what he had witnessed. His race engineer replied with a brief but telling, “Copy,” acknowledging the concern without elaboration.

The incident quickly caught the attention of commentators and fans alike. During the Sky Sports F1 coverage, David Croft and Martin Brundle picked up on Albon’s comments and began speculating about what he might have seen. Croft suggested that the car might be running with an exceptionally low ride height. “George Russell was saying in practice that the car was sparking a lot,” Croft noted. “That could indicate they’re running the car very low to the ground, which might help with performance but also borders on regulatory grey areas.”

Brundle added his perspective, musing on what might have caught Albon’s attention so definitively. “It’s unlikely he spotted anything to do with aero metrics unless he’s got X-ray vision,” Brundle joked. “But if he saw the floor dragging or something similar, it would certainly raise eyebrows.”

Despite the suspicions, the FIA has not taken any official action against Mercedes. No formal investigation has been launched, and the legality of the W16 car has not been questioned by the sport’s governing body. That means Kimi Antonelli’s sensational performance remains uncontested.

Antonelli, making waves in his debut season, secured his first pole position with a blistering lap time of 1:26.482 at the Miami International Autodrome. In doing so, he broke the existing track record and cemented his place in the history books as the youngest driver to start from the front row in a sprint race.

While Mercedes celebrates a return to form and Antonelli enjoys a landmark achievement in his young career, the murmurs around their car’s design and performance persist. Albon’s candid comment has reignited discussions about the balance between innovation and regulation in Formula 1. Though no rules have officially been broken, the spotlight is now firmly on the W16 as rivals and fans alike keep a close watch heading into Saturday’s sprint race and the rest of the Miami Grand Prix weekend.

Whether Mercedes’ newfound pace is the result of clever engineering or simply a breakthrough in performance, one thing is certain: their presence at the front of the grid has reignited competitive tensions and added intrigue to the 2025 F1 season.