MIAMI — Kimi Antonelli has taken victory in an action-packed Miami Grand Prix, the Italian resisting pressure from Lando Norris to seal his third consecutive win of the season.
A dramatic start ensued when the race got underway, with polesitter Antonelli facing a three-way scrap alongside Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc before both the Mercedes and Red Bull cars locked up into the first corner. Verstappen then dropped down the order after spinning out shortly after.
The lead changed hands numerous times from there, with Antonelli later overtaking Leclerc while Norris, Oscar Piastri and Verstappen all enjoyed stints at the front. Separate crashes for Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly, meanwhile, saw the Safety Car deployed in the opening laps.
But it would ultimately prove to be a two-horse battle between Antonelli and Norris as the race wore on, the McLaren remaining on the tail of the former during the latter stages.
Despite that tension, Antonelli held on to score his third victory of the campaign, making history as the first driver to convert their maiden three pole positions into wins.
“The start was not as bad as yesterday – it was a little bit better! I didn’t expect Charles to brake that early, so to avoid him I locked up. I was a bit lucky with what happened [with Verstappen] in Turn 2,” Antonelli said. “I did a little mistake with the energy management, trying to overtake Charles, then I lost a place to Lando, but then the pace was strong and I was able to stay close.
“Then the team did a great strategy; we did a massive undercut, and we managed to bring it home, even though it was not easy.”
Norris crossed the line 3.264 seconds back, while Piastri snatched the final spot on the podium from Leclerc during a chaotic final two laps.
Leclerc subsequently spun and managed to keep on going, but the Ferrari man was overtaken by Mercedes’ George Russell for fourth while Verstappen – who will be investigated after the race for crossing the line at the pit exit – grabbed fifth from Leclerc at the line.
