Lando Norris triumphed at the Miami Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday, leading teammate Oscar Piastri to a commanding 1-2 finish for McLaren. The victory marks a significant return to form for the team.
Norris finished the 19-lap race at the Miami International Autodrome 3.766 seconds ahead of Piastri. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc secured third place, followed by George Russell from Mercedes and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader and the youngest driver to lead in F1 history, finished sixth after receiving a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton placed seventh for Ferrari, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly rounded out the points in eighth.
This victory marks Norris's fourth sprint win and McLaren's second consecutive 1-2 finish in Miami, a triumph dedicated to former F1 driver Alex Zanardi, who passed away recently.
Norris expressed confidence after the race, stating, "Let's do it all again," and praised the team's upgrades for their performance.
Piastri reflected positively on the race, noting, "It was a good morning. Now let's see what we can do in qualifying."
Leclerc acknowledged the effectiveness of Ferrari's upgrades but expressed disappointment with his podium finish, wishing for a higher position.
Before the race began, a minute of silence was observed in honor of Alex Zanardi, highlighting the sport's respect for its legends.
Despite the heat impacting performance, McLaren's upgrades proved effective, allowing them to dominate the race. Mercedes struggled to keep pace, unable to match the front-runners.
The race concluded with minimal incidents, save for a late challenge from Hadjar, who narrowly missed out on scoring points.