Formula 1 News: Antonelli out duels Norris to win 3rd straight in Miami

In one of the most entertaining races of the 2026 season, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli delivered another commanding performance to hold off Lando Norris and claim his third consecutive Grand Prix win at the Miami International Autodrome. Starting from pole—his third straight—Antonelli kept the charging McLaren of Norris at bay to take the checkered flag by just 3.264 seconds in front of a sold-out grandstands and suites.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The 57-lap contest was packed with wheel-to-wheel action, strategic battles, and late-race drama. McLaren showed strong pace throughout the weekend thanks to recent upgrades, with Norris winning Saturday’s Sprint race in dominant fashion ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri (a McLaren one-two). Antonelli, who had been penalized in the Sprint for track limits and dropped to sixth, bounced back brilliantly in qualifying to secure pole ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

Antonelli described the start as “a little bit better” than Saturday’s but admitted to a small lock-up and energy-management error early on that briefly let Norris into the lead. A perfectly timed Mercedes undercut strategy put him back in front, and the 19-year-old Italian held firm under pressure to bring the win home.

Piastri completed the podium in third, 27.092 seconds behind the winner, after passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with just two laps remaining. Leclerc then spun and clipped the wall, damaging his car and allowing Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to slip past in the final corners for fourth and fifth.

Verstappen’s race was a rollercoaster: He spun on lap 1 while battling for the lead, dropped to eighth, then gambled with an early pit stop under the Safety Car triggered by Isack Hadjar’s crash. That left him on a 50-lap tire stint from lap 7, which ultimately faded and dropped him to fifth despite a strong recovery drive. He was voted the Driver of the Race.

Russell finished fourth, 43.051 seconds back, while Leclerc limped home sixth ahead of Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton in seventh. Franco Colapinto, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Alex Albon rounded out the top 10.

Antonelli’s win strengthens his grip on the Drivers’ Championship as the season heads to Canada. Mercedes continues to impress, but McLaren’s upgraded package and the close racing suggest an even tighter battle ahead.

Antonelli has stretched his lead in the Championship up to 20 points over his teammate now.

“It is important not to get carried away – he has a fierce competitor in his teammate. Important to keep both feet on the ground,” says Toto Wolff about his young charge.

“Leading with someone really putting pressure on you from behind, and sustaining this pressure and being able to drive away – that is a great character trait he has, and now with more experience, we are talking about a lot of success in the future.”

Top-3 Podium Quotes

Kimi Antonelli – 1st

“The start was not as bad as yesterday, a little bit better. I locked up, I was a bit lucky with what happened in Turn 2, but I did a bit of a mistake with the energy management trying to overtake Charles, and lost out to Lando. But the pace was good. The team did a great strategy, a massive undercut and we managed to bring it home. I’m going to enjoy this one, and then get back to work.”

Lando Norris – 2nd

“A mixed bag really. We got undercut, no excuses—we should have boxed first. Kimi did a good job, he and Mercedes did a good race. I have to be happy, as a team we have to be happy but I am gutted to miss out on a win. Not the pace to get back past him in the end, so we take it on the chin. It was tough, you have to be tactical with how you use the battery. I feel I did a good job, and the team did a good job all weekend.”

Oscar Piastri – 3rd

“It has not been the most straightforward of weekends. The pace seemed more encouraging today. I had to make some overtakes, the end of the race was a late charge. I think this weekend we showed that if we get track position, we can hang on to things. We were close in Japan, but we have definitely taken a step forward, and hopefully in Canada we can take another step forward.”

2026 Miami GP Results – 57 Laps