2026 Miami GP Race: Antonelli Holds Off Norris for Third Straight Win
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The 2026 Miami GP race had everything: a changed start time, early chaos, a Safety Car, a McLaren threat, a Verstappen recovery drive, and another statement victory from Kimi Antonelli.
After taking pole on Saturday, Antonelli converted it into victory on Sunday, beating Lando Norris by just over three seconds to claim his third consecutive Grand Prix win of the season. Oscar Piastri completed the podium for McLaren, while George Russell and Max Verstappen rounded out the top five.
Antonelli Wins Again — But This One Was Not Easy
Kimi Antonelli is making this look normal far too quickly.
The Mercedes rookie has now won three Grands Prix in a row, and Miami may have been his most impressive victory yet. This was not a simple lights-to-flag drive. He had pressure, he had chaos around him, and he had Lando Norris chasing him hard in the closing stages.
Antonelli’s winning time was 1:33:19.273, with Norris finishing 3.264 seconds behind and Piastri third, 27.092 seconds off the lead.
That gap to Norris tells the real story. Mercedes may still be unbeaten in Grand Prix races this season, but McLaren are close enough now to make them work for it.
A Chaotic Start Changes the Race Immediately
The race was dramatic before it had even settled.
Antonelli started from pole, with Verstappen alongside him and Charles Leclerc close behind. Into Turn 1, Antonelli and Verstappen both locked up, before Verstappen made contact with Leclerc and spun 360 degrees, dropping him down the order.
That immediately changed the shape of the race.
Leclerc briefly found himself in a strong position, Norris and Piastri were suddenly very much in the victory conversation, and Verstappen had to switch from attacking for the win to recovering lost ground.
It was exactly the kind of opening lap Miami needed — messy, tense, and unpredictable.
Safety Car After Hadjar and Gasly Incidents
The early laps then brought more trouble.
Formula 1 reported that separate crashes for Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly triggered the Safety Car, with both drivers among the race retirements. Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg also retired from the Grand Prix.
For Hadjar, it completed a miserable weekend after his qualifying disqualification had already pushed him to the back of the grid.
For Gasly, the incident was more dramatic, with Reuters reporting that his Alpine was sent cartwheeling after contact with Lawson.
Thankfully, the race was able to continue, but the early Safety Car added another layer to a Grand Prix that was already difficult to read.
Norris Had a Real Chance to Win
This was not one of those races where second place flatters the chasing driver.
Norris had genuine winning pace.
After winning the Sprint on Saturday, McLaren again looked strong in race trim. Norris led at one stage and looked capable of turning Miami into a McLaren Grand Prix win, but the pit stop phase proved decisive.
Reuters reported that Norris lost out after Antonelli pitted first and used the undercut to get ahead. Norris later said over team radio, “How did we not win this?” before explaining that McLaren had been undercut.
That will sting.
McLaren had the pace to make Mercedes uncomfortable. They had track position at points. But Mercedes executed the key moment better.
For Norris, second place is still a strong result. But given the Sprint win and the race pace, this may feel like one that got away.
Piastri Snatches the Podium Late
Oscar Piastri completed McLaren’s podium finish, but even that came with late drama.
Leclerc had looked on course for third, but Piastri grabbed the final podium place during a chaotic final phase. Leclerc then spun but continued, before Russell and Verstappen also moved ahead of him.
That left Piastri third, Russell fourth, Verstappen fifth, and Leclerc sixth.
For McLaren, it is a strong team result: second and third in the main race after a one-two in the Sprint. But the mood may still be mixed because the race win looked possible.
Verstappen Recovers, But Red Bull Still Have Questions
Max Verstappen finishing fifth after spinning on lap one is a decent recovery.
But Red Bull will not look at Miami and feel completely satisfied. Verstappen started on the front row, had the chance to challenge Antonelli early, and instead ended up fighting back through the race after the Turn 1 incident.
He still showed strong race craft to recover, and he even gained late in the race as Leclerc struggled. But with Mercedes winning again and McLaren showing real pace, Red Bull still look like they are chasing rather than controlling.
The positives are there. The result is not disastrous. But Miami was another reminder that Verstappen cannot afford messy opening laps when the competition is this close.
Ferrari’s Race Slips Away Late
Ferrari had a chance to leave Miami with more.
Leclerc was involved in the opening-lap fight and looked set for a podium until the final stages of the race. But damage and late drama cost him, with the Ferrari driver eventually finishing sixth. Hamilton finished seventh in the sister Ferrari.
That is not a terrible result on paper, but it feels like Ferrari left points on the table.
Leclerc had pace across the weekend. Hamilton scored solid points. But Ferrari were not able to turn their strong moments into a podium in the main race.
Points Finishers: Alpine and Williams Take Their Chance
Behind the leading teams, Franco Colapinto delivered a valuable eighth place for Alpine.
Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon completed the top 10 for Williams, giving the team a double points finish in Miami.
That matters in the midfield.
On weekends where the front-running teams dominate most of the points, grabbing eighth, ninth, or tenth can be extremely valuable. Williams especially will be encouraged by getting both cars home inside the points.
What This Means for the Championship
Antonelli now looks like the driver everyone has to chase.
Reuters reported that he moved to 100 points, extending his championship lead to 20 points over George Russell after four rounds. Mercedes have also won every Grand Prix so far this season.
That is a powerful position.
But Miami also showed that Mercedes are not untouchable. McLaren had Sprint pace, race pace, and a real shot at the win. Red Bull had front-row qualifying pace. Ferrari had moments where Leclerc looked dangerous.
So while Antonelli leaves Miami stronger than ever, the field behind him is closing.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Miami GP race may go down as another Antonelli win, but it was not a simple Mercedes walkover.
Norris pushed him. McLaren challenged him. Verstappen recovered. Ferrari threatened. The Safety Car shook things up. And the race, moved earlier because of weather concerns, still delivered plenty of drama without the storm chaos that many expected.
For Antonelli, this was another huge statement. For Mercedes, it keeps their perfect Grand Prix run alive. For McLaren, it proves they are close — but also that close is not enough when Mercedes execute better.
Miami gave us a proper race. And if this is the direction the 2026 season is heading, the fight at the front may be getting very interesting.
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