Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli held off Lando Norris to win in Miami, claiming his third consecutive Formula 1 victory.
Antonelli withstands Miami pressure
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Miami Grand Prix for Mercedes, holding off Lando Norris late in an eventful 57-lap race at the Miami International Autodrome.
Antonelli reached the chequered flag in 1:33:19.273, 3.264 seconds ahead of the McLaren driver. Oscar Piastri finished third in the second McLaren, 27.092 seconds behind the winner, after claiming the final podium place during a turbulent finish.
The victory was Antonelli’s third in a row this season and extended his lead atop the drivers’ championship. He also became the first driver to turn each of his first three Formula 1 pole positions into race wins.
This one required resolve. Antonelli lost control of the race at the first corner, retook the lead in a contest with several different frontrunners, then resisted Norris’s late attack to collect all 25 points.
Chaotic start reshuffles the leaders
The start was moved forward because rain and thunderstorms threatened, though the race began in dry conditions. Most drivers chose medium tyres, but Antonelli’s hopes of a clean launch from pole position vanished almost at once.
His poor getaway created a three-way battle with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc approaching Turn 1. Antonelli and Verstappen locked up. Leclerc took a more cautious line through the corner and emerged with the lead.
Verstappen spun on the exit, sending him into the lower reaches of the top 10. His Red Bull stayed clear of the oncoming pack, but the setback promoted Norris and Piastri to third and fourth. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton came next, with Hamilton surviving contact with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.
Antonelli responded by passing Leclerc for the lead on lap four. Leclerc reclaimed first place a lap later, while Norris also advanced into second. Those early moves established the shape of a race led at various stages by Antonelli, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri and Verstappen.
Opening-lap incidents involving Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly triggered the Safety Car. Both drivers retired after completing four laps, and Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg also failed to finish.
Norris pushes, but Mercedes holds firm
After the race settled down, Antonelli and Norris became the main victory contenders. The reigning world champion stayed close and kept applying pressure, but Antonelli managed the decisive phase without giving the McLaren a clear opportunity to take the lead.
Norris finished a little over three seconds back. The gap reflected a real fight, not a comfortable procession. Antonelli stayed measured after the disorder of the early laps and several lead changes, delivering the consistency needed once the race became a head-to-head contest.
Piastri’s third place gave McLaren a double podium, although the 27.092-second deficit showed how far the leading pair had pulled away. Mercedes put both cars inside the top four, with Russell finishing 43.051 seconds behind his team-mate.
Verstappen recovered from his lap-one spin to finish fifth in the final classification, 48.949 seconds behind Antonelli. Hamilton placed sixth for Ferrari. Colapinto took seventh and scored six points for Alpine.
Leclerc’s late collapse changes the podium
Leclerc fought for the final podium spot until his race came apart over the last two laps. Piastri passed the Ferrari driver for third before Leclerc spun on the final lap and carried on.
Russell moved ahead as a result, and Verstappen also reached the line before Leclerc. Officials then handed Leclerc a 20-second time penalty in lieu of a drive-through for repeatedly leaving the track on the final lap without a justifiable reason.
The penalty dropped Leclerc to eighth in the official result, behind team-mate Hamilton and Colapinto. Ferrari departed Miami with sixth and eighth after Leclerc led early and remained in the podium fight late on.
Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon filled the remaining points positions in ninth and 10th. Oliver Bearman was the highest classified driver outside the points, finishing 11th and one lap behind the winner.
Championship lead grows before Canada
Antonelli’s third consecutive win increased his championship advantage after four rounds. His lead over Mercedes team-mate Russell had shrunk to seven points after the Miami sprint, but the grand prix stretched it to 20 points.
The Italian also became the first driver to score 100 points in the 2026 season. Russell’s fourth place added another substantial constructors’ championship return for Mercedes, while McLaren maintained its challenge through second for Norris and third for Piastri.
Antonelli recovered from a compromised start and worked through an interrupted opening phase before resisting sustained pressure from a proven race winner. Pole position provided the initial edge. His composure turned it into victory.
Formula 1 travels next to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve for the Canadian Grand Prix weekend on May 21-24. Antonelli heads there with three straight wins, a 20-point championship lead and a perfect record from his first three pole positions.
