Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes-AMG were victorious for the third straight race on Sunday, winning the Miami Grand Prix from the pole position. Their win marked the first time in Formula 1 history that a driver has won the pole three straight times and convert all three into victories.
The event began under unique circumstances, with rain showers plaguing the Miami, Florida area. The FIA made the decision to move the scheduled start time to 1 p.m. The opening laps of the race were chaotic as the No. 3 of Max Verstappen spun from the second position despite no contact from another car.
The trouble didn’t end there, as Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar smacked the wall and broke the steering on his car, causing him to go headfirst into the barrier. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly collided in Turn 17, causing Gasly to roll upside down. Gasly and Lawson both walked away from the incident uninjured.
Despite the strong start from Antonelli, the lead changed numerous times throughout the day. Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, and defending world champion Lando Norris all had at least one stint at the front. While the No. 12 Mercedes group continues to sit at the top of the standings, the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri have now closed the gap with podium finishes of second and third.
Other notable finishers from this race included Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, who fell short of a podium in fourth. Verstappen overcame his early spin to finish next with a top five. The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were initially scored sixth and seventh respectively.
After the race, the FIA announced a 20-second penalty issued to Leclerc for utilizing run-off zones on the final lap of the race. Thanks to such a costly penalty, Leclerc dropped from sixth in the finishing order to eighth. Lewis Hamilton moved up to sixth, while Franco Colapinto inherited seventh. Verstappen was also assessed a five-second penalty, but his finishing position was unchanged.
Official Results:
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Pos. No. Driver Team 1 12 Antonelli Mercedes 2 1 Norris McLaren 3 81 Piastri McLaren 4 63 Russell Mercedes 5 3 Verstappen Red Bull Racing 6 44 Hamilton Ferrari 7 43 Colapinto Alpine 8 16 Leclerc Ferrari 9 55 Sainz Williams 10 23 Albon Williams 11 87 Bearman Haas F1 Team 12 5 Bortoleto Audi 13 31 Ocon Haas F1 Team 14 41 Lindblad Racing Bulls 15 14 Alonso Aston Martin 16 11 Perez Cadillac 17 18 Stroll Aston Martin 18 77 Bottas Cadillac NC 27 Hulkenberg Audi NC 30 Lawson Racing Bulls NC 10 Gasly Alpine NC 6 Hadjar Red Bull Racing
