Kimi Antonelli demonstrated remarkable resilience and skill to claim his third straight victory at the Miami Grand Prix, edging out a determined Lando Norris in a gripping race that tested both drivers and weather conditions.
Starting the weekend strong, Antonelli capitalized on a strategic pit-stop advantage to overtake Norris and maintain his composure under pressure from the McLaren driver, who had won Saturday’s sprint race. With this victory, Antonelli stretches his lead in the championship standings to 20 points ahead of his teammate George Russell.
The 19-year-old Italian, who previously triumphed in China and Japan, has shown impressive consistency throughout the season despite a mid-season break caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races due to conflict in the Middle East. His triumph in Miami marks the first time since Alberto Ascari in 1952 that an Italian driver has won three consecutive Formula 1 races.
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Norris, sporting an upgraded McLaren, exhibited strong race pace and was a genuine contender throughout, yet he ultimately fell short in his pursuit of Antonelli. Max Verstappen, however, encountered misfortune after spinning on the first lap, finishing the race in fifth place. Oscar Piastri secured a solid third, with Russell recovering from a difficult weekend to finish fourth.
Charles Leclerc, after a late spin, settled for sixth place ahead of Lewis Hamilton in seventh. The race was strategically shifted three hours earlier to 1 p.m. local time to avoid anticipated thunderstorms later in the day. Despite a morning lightning storm, conditions cleared prior to the race, although a 40 percent chance of rain continued to loom.
At the start, Antonelli struggled as Verstappen and Leclerc squeezed alongside into the first turn, leading to Verstappen’s spin and drop to ninth. Norris and Piastri quickly advanced positions, and the early laps saw intense battles among the front runners.
A safety car period was triggered on lap seven when Isack Hadjar hit the wall, followed by a dramatic crash involving Pierre Gasly, whose Alpine flipped after a collision but luckily he was unharmed. Under the safety car, Verstappen pitted, further reshuffling the order.
As the race resumed, Norris seized the lead by overtaking Leclerc on lap 13. The battle for second favoring Antonelli intensified, with both he and Leclerc exchanging positions before the Italian gained the upper hand. The looming threat of rain influenced tire strategies, but leaders initially stuck to planned pit-stops on slick tires.
A pivotal moment came when Antonelli pitted one lap earlier than Norris, allowing him to undercut the McLaren driver and move ahead. Norris couldn’t close the gap thereafter, acknowledging the strategic error in his pit timing post-race: “We got undercut, no excuses. We should have boxed first,” he admitted.
Verstappen attempted a more aggressive one-stop strategy, but tire degradation cost him, as Leclerc, Piastri, and Russell overtook him late in the race. Leclerc eventually lost third place to Piastri, and a final spin saw Russell and Verstappen reclaim positions in the closing moments.
Antonelli’s perfect blend of strategy, speed, and composure underscored his status as the rising star and serious championship contender as the Formula 1 season progresses.