Kimi Antonelli edged out Lando Norris in a pulsating Miami Grand Prix to claim his third consecutive victory and stretch his world championship lead to 20 points.
Like in his two previous wins, the 19‑year‑old could not hold pole at the start and fell back early to third. Mercedes executed a decisive undercut at the only pit stop cycle: Antonelli pitted at the end of lap 26, McLaren responded a lap later for Norris, and a strong out‑lap combined with a marginally quicker stop left them nearly side‑by‑side at the pit exit. Antonelli emerged in front and fended off a tense late challenge from Norris to take the flag.
Antonelli becomes just the third driver to record his first three Grand Prix victories consecutively, joining Damon Hill and Mika Hakkinen in that rare company.
George Russell limited the damage for Mercedes with fourth place after passing Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in a chaotic closing phase, meaning the gap between Mercedes team‑mates at the top of the standings widened from seven to 20 points.
Antonelli said his pace was strong, praised the team’s strategy and called the undercut “massive,” while stressing that the season is long and the squad must keep working hard.
Miami GP Top 10:
1) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
2) Lando Norris, McLaren
3) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
4) George Russell, Mercedes
5) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
6) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
7) Franco Colapinto, Alpine
8) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
9) Carlos Sainz, Williams
10) Alex Albon, Williams
Oscar Piastri secured the final podium spot by passing Leclerc on the penultimate lap, delivering a McLaren double after the team’s upgrade delivered a noticeable performance gain. Verstappen, who benefited from Red Bull upgrades as well, recovered to fifth after an early spin at the start forced him to pit under the Safety Car and manage aging hard tyres late in the race.
Leclerc had taken the lead off the line but a slow pit stop blunted his charge. He later spun and clipped a barrier while battling Piastri, sustaining damage that allowed Russell and Verstappen through in the closing corners. The stewards handed Leclerc a 20‑second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage after that late incident, demoting him to eighth. Verstappen picked up a five‑second penalty for crossing the white line at the pit exit, which did not alter his finishing position.
Hamilton moved up to sixth after Leclerc’s penalty, as Ferrari’s upgrade failed to have the intended effect this weekend. Mercedes’ strong start to the season — four wins from the opening four races despite postponing a major upgrade until Canada — will be seen as a boost heading into Montreal.
There was early drama: Pierre Gasly flipped following contact with Liam Lawson, and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar crashed around the same time, bringing out the Safety Car. Franco Colapinto fought back to seventh for Alpine, while Williams enjoyed a solid day with both Sainz and Albon scoring points after the team trimmed car weight.
The race start was moved three hours earlier to avoid forecast storms, and the event unfolded under the constant threat of rain.
Antonelli’s weekend had not been without issue: a Sprint mistake earned him a five‑second penalty for track limits and he locked up off the line in the race. He benefited from Verstappen’s early miscue to rejoin the leading battle and sat second behind Norris as the pit window approached. Norris admitted McLaren were undercut and that they should have boxed earlier, praising Antonelli and Mercedes for a job well done.
Formula 1 now heads to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and another Sprint weekend, scheduled for May 22–24 and live on Sky Sports F1.