Miami Grand Prix: Lando Norris wins Sprint; Hamilton and Verstappen battle

Lando Norris took a comfortable victory at the Miami Grand Prix Sprint, as Oscar Piastri completed a McLaren one-two.

Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three, while Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen engaged in a trademark elbows-out battle, ultimately won by Verstappen at the second attempt, after both drivers previously ended up in the run-off.

Lando Norris victorious in Miami GP Sprint

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Disaster struck for Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg on his way to the grid, as smoke, and shortly after flames, began emerging from the back of the R26.

He was out before the Sprint had even gotten underway.

Arvid Lindblad, meanwhile, was to start from the pit lane, after a breach of the parc ferme regulations from Racing Bulls.

Alex Albon dropped from a provisional P14 to 19th on the grid, as the confusion over his track limits breach from Sprint qualifying was clarified.

The top 16 all opted for medium tyres, as Lando Norris launched from pole. McLaren and Ferrari impressed on Friday with their upgraded machines.

Norris got the perfect launch. Piastri was up one to establish a McLaren one-two. Championship leader Antonelli was swamped, dropping to fourth behind Leclerc.

Russell, and a wheel-to-wheel Hamilton and Verstappen followed. Hamilton emerged ahead, as Pierre Gasly got a clip on the outside of that duo. All three escaped without damage.

Lindblad had not taken the start. Racing Bulls had detected a technical issue.

Antonelli quickly went on the offensive, leaving Leclerc complaining about the Italian moving under braking.

Norris, meanwhile, had put a second and a half between himself and Piastri by Lap 4.

Verstappen was struggling to brake with a jumping rear axle.

Slowly, Antonelli was dropping more into the clutches of teammate George Russell, who also had Hamilton in close quarters.

Russell went for it into Turn 17, passing down the inside. Antonelli looked to retaliate down the main straight into Turn 1, but Russell held the inside line, and fifth place, for now.

As Antonelli struck back at T11, Verstappen and Hamilton were in the run-off, Verstappen returning to the circuit ahead. Hamilton complained of an off-track pass, as Verstappen returned the position.

Verstappen re-passed Hamilton at Turn 17, the Ferrari unable to respond into T1. Job done for Verstappen.

Up ahead, Norris continued to gap Piastri as he scored a comfortable win, at the head of a McLaren one-two. Leclerc completed the top three.

Antonelli received a five-second penalty for track limits shortly after the chequered flag, dropping the championship leader to P6 in the official classification.

Full Miami GP Sprint timesheet

1 Lando Norris McLaren
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +3.766
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +6.251
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +8.777
5 George Russell Mercedes +12.951
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +13.639
7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +21.665
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine +30.525
9 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +35.346
10 Franco Colapinto Alpine +36.970
11 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +48.438
12 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +56.972
13 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +57.365
14 Carlos Sainz Williams +58.504
15 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +59.358
16 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +76.067
17 Sergio Perez Cadillac +76.691
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +77.626
19 Alexander Albon Williams +88.173
20 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac +89.597
DNS Nico Hulkenberg Audi
DNS Arvid LindbladRacing Bulls

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