Lionel Messi Congratulates Kimi Antonelli After His Historic Miami GP Win

Mercedes pitted Antonelli with Norris trailing by just under two seconds. McLaren responded a lap later, but a quick stop and a fast out-lap left the pair side-by-side at the pit exit, and Antonelli used the new rubber to gain an opportunity.

After regaining his composure from the opening chaos, Antonelli fought back through wheel-to-wheel exchanges with Leclerc and Norris, and maturely managed gearbox concerns to ultimately take the chequered flag.

He won by 3.2 seconds.

What It Means for the Championship

Antonelli became the first driver in F1 history to win his first three races from his first three pole positions. He joins Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher as the only drivers to take their first three career poles consecutively, and he’s the only one of the three to convert all of them into wins.

Antonelli now leads the drivers’ standings with 100 points, ahead of teammate George Russell on 80.

He was keeping things measured afterward. “This is just the beginning; the road is still long,” he said, per F1‘s website. “But we’re working super hard, the team is doing an incredible job, and without them I wouldn’t be here — so it’s mainly thanks to them, my family.”

Messi had attended the race weekend alongside his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, meeting George Russell, Antonelli, and Franco Colapinto in the paddock.

Despite a threat of thunderstorms that forced organizers to move the race start time forward by three hours, Messi appeared relaxed as he took in the action.