Piastri Makes It A Hat-Trick in Miami
Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and George Russell on the podium in Miami, Miami Grand Prix 2025.
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri picked up his fourth win of the season and his third on the bounce in Miami to extend his lead over his teammate Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship, who finished behind the Australian in second place. Mercedes driver George Russell picked up his fourth podium in six races to continue his quiet yet impressive start to the 2025 F1 season.
Let’s take a look at how everything unfolded during this sprint weekend in Miami.
Miami Mayhem: The Sprint Race That Had It All
The 2025 Miami Grand Prix sprint race delivered a spectacle that combined torrential rain, strategic gambles, and dramatic crashes, turning the 18-lap dash into a rollercoaster of emotions. Young Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli started on pole, making it his first pole position in F1 despite only taking part in 5 previous Grand Prix weekends. He looks like a dead cert to be contending for a world championship in the future. The italian becomes the youngest driver to claim pole position in Formula One.
Kimi Antonelli celebrates his first pole position, F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025.
Rain, Red Flags, and a Rocky Start
Scheduled for a midday start, the sprint was immediately thrown into chaos as heavy rain led to two formation laps behind the safety car before the race was red-flagged. Once conditions improved, the race was shortened to 18 laps, setting the stage for an unpredictable contest. Even before the lights went out, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed during the formation lap, leaving his sixth-place grid slot vacant. This set things up for a turbulent weekend for the Scuderia. As if Ferrari would ever make it easy for themselves.
Norris Navigates the Storm
McLaren's Lando Norris showcased impeccable timing and strategy. As the track began to dry, Norris pitted just before a safety car was deployed due to a collision between Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson. This move catapulted him into the lead, which he maintained to secure victory. Teammate Oscar Piastri followed closely in second, while Lewis Hamilton capitalised on an early switch to slick tires to claim third for Ferrari. Norris has had some luck with safety cars around Miami, as many claimed that a safety car helped him claim his first win in Formula One, I don’t think the British driver will mind though as he claims a crucial point over Piastri in the championship.
Lando Norris, F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025.
Penalties Shake Up the Field
The race wasn't without its controversies. Max Verstappen, who initially finished fourth, received a 10-second penalty for an unsafe pit release that led to contact with Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli, dropping him to 17th. Other drivers, including Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson, also faced penalties that reshuffled the final standings. Verstappen apologised to Antonelli, as did Red Bull, as they claimed full responsibility for the unsafe release. Let’s look at how the order ended up after all this chaos.
📊 Sprint Race Top 8 Finishers
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
McLaren once again dominated the race and earned a healthy 1-2 finish. Would it be the only 1-2 of the weekend for the team in Papaya? Let’s move on to race day and see what went down during the Miami Grand Prix.
Miami Grand Prix 2025: McLaren’s Magic, Ferrari’s Frustrations, and a Weekend of Drama
The 2025 Miami Grand Prix delivered an unforgettable spectacle filled with strategic brilliance, on-track incidents, and unexpected team dynamics. Held at the Miami International Autodrome, the race marked the sixth round of the Formula One World Championship and the second of six Grands Prix in the season to utilise the sprint format. Fans flocked to the sun-soaked venue, only to witness one of the most unpredictable and chaotic weekends of the season.
Start of the race, F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025.
McLaren’s Dominance: Piastri and Norris Shine
The weekend belonged to McLaren, whose 1-2 finish on Sunday reinforced their status as the team to beat. Oscar Piastri clinched his fourth win of the season, followed closely by teammate Lando Norris. Starting from fourth, Piastri executed a series of perfectly timed overtakes, including a decisive move on Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, Norris, who had dropped to sixth after a first-lap clash with Verstappen, fought his way back through the field to secure second.
This dominant performance marked McLaren’s second consecutive 1-2 finish, cementing their place atop the Constructors' Championship with 246 points, a staggering 105-point lead over second-placed Mercedes. Piastri's confidence was evident post-race as he credited the team for making the right strategy calls and delivering a car that handled the tricky Miami circuit with ease.
Early Drama: First-Lap Clash and Safety Cars
Chaos struck almost immediately when Norris and Verstappen made contact, Norris dropping to sixth. Despite this setback, Norris remained unfazed, strategically preserving his tires before launching a comeback that saw him slice through the field. However, after a long battle with Max and being stuck behind the Red Bull driver for a little longer than he would have liked, Lando even had to give up a place after overtaking Verstappen as it was an illegal pass as both cars were off track. This allowed Piastri to disappear into the distance and claim a comfortable victory. Norris lost even more ground on his teammate and now championship rival in the standings.
The race was punctuated by three Virtual Safety Cars (VSC) following retirements from Jack Doohan (Lap 1), Oliver Bearman (Lap 27), and Gabriel Bortoleto (Lap 30). These disruptions created strategic headaches for teams, as pit windows had to be adjusted on the fly.
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris battling for the lead, F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025.
Verstappen’s Struggles and Russell’s Redemption
Starting from pole, Verstappen initially seemed poised to extend his championship challenge. However, the Red Bull driver struggled to maintain pace, losing positions to both McLarens and eventually finishing fourth. Meanwhile, George Russell delivered one of his strongest performances of the season, capitalising on a VSC-induced pit stop to secure third. Mercedes’ consistency has kept them within striking distance of Red Bull in the Constructors' standings.
It has been a weekend of mixed emotions for the four-time world champion. From the birth of his first child, as he and Kelly Piquet welcomed baby Lily to the world, to the mishap in the sprint with Antonelli. This was all followed by a stormer of a lap to put his Red Bull on pole for the Grand Prix, and eventually he missed out on the podium places altogether. A weekend to remember for Max and his family, perhaps not so much on track.
Max Verstappen, F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025
Ferrari’s Internal Turmoil
If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to spice up a race weekend, it’s a bit of team radio drama—enter Lewis Hamilton, armed with sarcasm sharper than a McLaren front wing. The seven-time champ wasn’t too impressed with Ferrari’s strategy calls and decided to make his feelings known in classic Hamilton fashion. After being stuck behind teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton snapped over the radio with a line destined for F1 meme history: “Have a tea break while you’re at it!” Yes, folks, the Miami heat wasn’t the only thing steaming.
It turns out Hamilton’s frustration stemmed from being held up while Leclerc’s medium tires were doing their best impression of marshmallows. Ferrari’s indecision meant that by the time Hamilton finally got the green light to pass, his tires had aged. After eventually getting past Leclerc, the tire gods punished Hamilton’s sass by handing him a pace drop, and Leclerc ended up breezing by to reclaim the position. When asked about his cheeky radio comments post-race, Hamilton simply shrugged and said, “I wouldn’t apologise for being a fighter.” One thing’s for sure—whether it’s winning races or winning arguments, Hamilton’s not going down quietly.
Lewis Hamilton, F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025.
🏆 Championship Standings Post-Miami
Drivers' Championship:
Oscar Piastri: 131 points
Lando Norris: 115 points
Max Verstappen: 99 points
Constructors' Championship:
McLaren: 246 points
Mercedes: 141 points
Red Bull: 105 points
As the season progresses, McLaren's momentum positions them as strong contenders for both championships. The next race at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will be pivotal in determining if their dominance continues. Let us know in the comments what you thought of the race!
We will se you in Imola!
