Norris Claims Victory in Chaotic Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race

MIAMI, Florida — Lando Norris clinched victory in a dramatic sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, benefiting from a strategic safety car deployment. Teammate Oscar Piastri initially led the race but lost the advantage during a critical lap.

Piastri took the lead at the first corner, overtaking pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes. However, the race took a turn when a crash between Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Liam Lawson of Racing Bull prompted officials to deploy the safety car.

During this time, Norris pitted for slick tires just as the safety car was called out, allowing him to rejoin the track in the lead after Piastri had already made his stop.

“My luck in Miami seems pretty good at the minute,” Norris said. “You never know when to pit — go early or late and wait for the safety car. It worked two years in a row, and I’m happy.”

Max Verstappen, the defending champion, endured a tough race, finishing 17th after being penalized 10 seconds for an unsafe pit release. The incident occurred when he collided with Antonelli, damaging his front wing and derailing his title defense.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari climbed to third place after pitting early and avoiding the chaos that ensued. “I made that call in the end,” Hamilton said, noting that it had been a challenging year for him. “It’s definitely been tough since China, but I never thought it would rain here.”

The race began under wet conditions that delayed the start by 28 minutes. After cars completed two laps behind the safety car, visibility improved, allowing the race to resume with a standing start for the remaining laps.

Piastri expressed disappointment over his second-place finish, saying, “I feel like I did pretty much everything right, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Racing is a tough business.”

The dramatic events of the race also helped Alex Albon secure fourth place for Williams and elevated George Russell to fifth for Mercedes. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll took sixth, followed by Lawson and Haas‘ Oliver Bearman, who finished eighth despite a penalty.

The Miami Grand Prix continues to be a source of excitement, marking its first rain-affected race in the event’s four-year history.