Lando Norris Tops Miami Sprint with Upgraded McLaren as Mercedes Tumbles Off the Podium

Norris Tops Miami Sprint, Mercedes FumblesMark Thompson - Getty Images

For the first time this season, Mercedes found itself with both drivers off the podium after a fumbled start from the front row for Kimi Antonelli and a lack of race pace for both drivers around the Miami International Autodrome on Saturday afternoon. Lando Norris won the sprint for the second year in a row and was joined by his teammate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on the podium.

Miami was the spot of Norris' first grand prix win in 2024, as the driver has recorded a win on the race weekend every year since.

Antonelli immediately fell back to fourth on the start to be in battle with his teammate George Russell, eliminating his quick qualifying pace. With Antonelli fading, Norris was able to pull to a safe lead with his teammate Piastri in tow.

The two would lead the complete 19 laps of the sprint, with Leclerc hunting in time, on the penultimate lap, Leclerc went off in turn 11 at the start of the esses losing his chance at a late lunge for second.

"I'm not satisfied with P3, though. Obviously, we wish we were a little bit higher, but McLaren brought significant upgrades as well," Leclerc said from the podium.

Kimi Antonelli crossed the line in fourth but would be recorded as sixth after being hit with a five-second penalty for track limits in turn 11. The sophomore driver and WDC leader was four seconds ahead of his teammate at the time of the infraction.

Russell moved up to fourth place, and in a final rush of speed, Verstappen made it into the five-second buffer behind Antonelli to take a second spot away from the young driver. Verstappen gained two tenths on the entire film on the final lap; in the end, he finished a tenth ahead of Antonelli.

Antonelli would've left Saturday with a ten-point lead over his teammate in the WDC race, but instead, he loses a little of his buffer back to Russell as the senior driver at Mercedes records five points to Antonelli's three.

Verstappen made it to sixth in the race by overtaking Hamilton on lap eight as the Mercedes battled ahead. His first pass was off the line, and he was told to give the position back. Verstappen lined up again and passed Hamilton later on in the lap.

Pierre Gasly was the final driver to claim points in the race, finishing ahead of Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, who made a late pass on Gasly's Alpine teammate for ninth but couldn't make it to the battle for the final sprint point.