Kimi Antonelli extended his Formula 1 championship advantage with victory at the Miami Grand Prix, overcoming a fierce battle with Lando Norris as the race survived the weather. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver gained the decisive edge at the pit stops and then resisted the reigning champion to the chequered flag.
The win is Antonelli’s third in succession, following triumphs in China and Japan, and stretches his lead over team-mate George Russell to 20 points after round four. He rebounded from a tricky sprint to secure a third consecutive pole and grand prix win — the first Italian to claim three in a row since Alberto Ascari in 1952. Miami also marked the season’s second sprint weekend.
Formula 1 returned in Florida after an enforced five-week break, triggered by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia rounds due to the war in the Middle East. Norris, who won Saturday’s sprint in an upgraded McLaren, re-emerged as a race-winning threat but could not reel Antonelli in over the final stint.
Drivers’ standings after the Miami GP:
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 100 points
2. George Russell (Mercedes) - 80 points
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 59 points
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 51 points
5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - 51 points
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 43 points
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 26 points
8. Ollie Bearman (Haas) - 17 points
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 16 points
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) - 10 points
11. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) - 7 points
12. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) - 4 points
13. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) - 4 points
14. Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 4 points
15. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) - 2 points
16. Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 1 point
17. Alex Albon (Williams) - 1 point
18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 0 points
19. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 0 points
20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) - 0 points
21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 0 points
22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 0 points
Constructors’ standings after the Miami GP:
1. Mercedes - 180 points
2. Ferrari - 112 points
3. McLaren - 94 points
4. Red Bull - 30 points
5. Alpine - 21 points
6. Haas - 18 points
7. Racing Bulls - 14 points
8. Williams - 5 points
9. Audi - 2 points
10. Cadillac - 0 points
11. Aston Martin - 0 points
Upcoming races on the 2026 calendar:
- Round 5 – Canada (sprint weekend), Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal: 22-24 May
- Round 6 – Monaco, Circuit de Monaco: 5-7 June
- Round 7 – Spain (Barcelona), Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya: 12-14 June
- Round 8 – Austria, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg: 26-28 June
- Round 9 – Great Britain (sprint weekend), Silverstone Circuit: 3-5 July
- Round 10 – Belgium, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps: 17-19 July
- Round 11 – Hungary, Hungaroring, Budapest: 24-26 July
- Round 12 – Netherlands (sprint weekend), Circuit Zandvoort: 21-23 August
- Round 13 – Italy, Monza Circuit: 4-6 September
What to watch next: The season continues with a sprint weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix on 22-24 May at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, followed by Monaco. Round five will offer the next indication of whether Antonelli can maintain his momentum against an increasingly competitive field.
Source: independent.co.uk