Lando Norris won the sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix with a dominant drive for McLaren, beating his teammate Oscar Piastri to secure a one-two finish for the team, denying Mercedes a win for the first time this season.
Race Highlights
Charles Leclerc took a strong third place for Ferrari, while Mercedes, dominant in the opening three meetings, could only manage fourth and sixth for George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, respectively. Antonelli initially finished fourth but received a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, a costly error for the championship leader. Max Verstappen finished fifth for Red Bull, and Lewis Hamilton placed seventh for Ferrari.
Norris, the defending world champion, delivered a calm and controlled drive to secure his first win of the year in the 19-lap dash. The race around the Hard Rock Stadium was relatively steady, but it has potentially reignited McLaren's championship ambitions.
Russell won the season opener at the Australian Grand Prix, and Antonelli won the next two races. Antonelli still leads Russell by seven points in the world championship.
Upgrades and Turnaround
Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull brought major upgrades after F1's enforced five-week break following the Japanese GP, due to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. All three teams appeared to have improved, while Mercedes lacked substantial developments.
The result marks a remarkable turnaround for McLaren, which started the season off the pace but expected gains from their first car upgrades. Their form has exceeded expectations, as they outpaced both Mercedes and Ferrari. Ferrari will also view their pace as a significant step forward. If they can replicate this form in qualifying and the race, both teams must be considered contenders in the title fight.
This is Norris's fourth sprint victory and his second consecutive win in Miami, having triumphed in a tricky wet-dry race last year. He made a strong start to hold the lead, while Antonelli was slow off the line, dropping from second to fourth as Piastri slotted in behind his teammate.
Russell gained a spot to fifth, and Antonelli chased Leclerc in third. The order quickly settled on an energy-rich circuit, with the top six posting comparable lap times. Norris comfortably extended his lead, opening a two-second gap to Piastri by lap six. Russell attempted a pass on Antonelli at turn 17 on lap seven, but the Italian reclaimed the position shortly after. Hamilton engaged in a spirited battle with Verstappen for sixth, with the Dutchman ultimately securing the place.
Notably, neither Mercedes could catch the McLarens or Leclerc's Ferrari, a significant shift from their form in the first three rounds. Norris took the flag calmly, and Antonelli received a late penalty. Pierre Gasly finished eighth for Alpine.
Before the race, a minute's silence was held in memory of Alex Zanardi, the former F1 driver and Paralympic champion, who passed away on Friday.
