Norris leads McLaren 1–2 in controlled Miami Sprint as Antonelli penalised

Lando Norris delivered a commanding performance in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint, converting his Friday pole into a lights‑to‑flag victory and heading a McLaren one‑two ahead of Oscar Piastri.

The reigning world champion never came under threat across the 19‑lap dash, steadily building a margin while chaos and penalties unfolded behind him.

Norris, who on Friday became the first non‑Mercedes driver to take a pole position in 2026, launched cleanly and immediately established control.

From there he simply managed the pace, edging away from Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as the race settled into a rhythm. Piastri, for his part, executed a disciplined drive, keeping Leclerc at arm’s length to secure McLaren’s first Sprint 1–2 of the season.

The Sprint’s defining storyline, however, centred on championship leader Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver once again suffered a poor getaway, slipping from second to fourth on the run to Turn 1 and nearly losing out to team‑mate George Russell, who had started sixth.

The pair traded positions in the early laps before Antonelli eventually stabilised in fourth place. But his afternoon unravelled after the flag: repeated track‑limits infringements earned him a five‑second penalty, dropping him to sixth behind Russell and Max Verstappen.

The revised result tightens the title fight. Russell’s fourth place brings him within seven points of Antonelli heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix, while Antonelli’s second consecutive troubled start raises further questions about Mercedes’ launch performance.

Behind the McLarens and Leclerc, the most compelling action came from Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who briefly reignited their long‑running rivalry.

The pair ran side‑by‑side through the opening complex in a sequence that somehow avoided contact, before Hamilton slipped ahead with an overtake missed by the television cameras.

Verstappen muscled back past at Turn 17 but was instructed to hand the place back after completing the move off‑track. One lap later, the four‑time world champion executed a clean pass to secure the position and ultimately finished fifth once Antonelli’s penalty was applied.

Pierre Gasly claimed the final point in eighth for Alpine, while Isack Hadjar and Franco Colapinto completed the top ten after a spirited late‑race scrap between the two Red Bull‑powered drivers. Gabriel Bortoleto’s promising start faded to 11th, followed by the Haas pair of Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman.

Further back, Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson led their respective teams in 14th and 15th. Aston Martin gambled on soft tyres for both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, but the strategy yielded little reward as they finished 16th and 18th. Cadillac endured a difficult first home Sprint, with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas ending the race 17th and 20th.

Two drivers failed to take the start. Nico Hülkenberg’s Audi dramatically caught fire on the way to the grid, while Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad—already set to start from the pit lane—never appeared.