Lando Norris had luck on his side as he took advantage of a late incident involving Fernando Alonso to secure victory in the rain-affected sprint race in Miami. Norris, driving for McLaren, capitalized on the deployment of the safety car to switch to dry tires, emerging from the pits in the lead, while his teammate Oscar Piastri slipped to second place. This win propels Norris within nine points of Piastri in the championship standings ahead of Sunday’s main event.
Norris, who had previously secured a maiden victory at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, expressed his appreciation for the timely turn of events, stating, “My luck in Miami seems pretty good. It has worked for me two years in a row now. I would have preferred if that happened tomorrow rather than today but I will take it.”
The race also saw Lewis Hamilton, encountering a challenging start at Ferrari, finish in third place, with Max Verstappen trailing in fourth after being penalized for a pit-lane collision. The surprise of the race came from Kimi Antonelli, the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history, who, after showing promise in qualifying, grappled with adverse weather conditions during the race, ultimately finishing in 10th place.
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Hamilton’s strategic switch to dry tires proved pivotal, propelling him from a distant sixth place to a podium finish. Reflecting on the race, he expressed satisfaction with his performance, remarking, “I never thought it would rain in Miami but what a race it provided. I was struggling on the inters and going nowhere but I made that call (to change to dries). I took the gamble and it paid off.”