Kimi Antonelli delivered a masterclass drive to win the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, claiming his third straight Formula 1 victory. The 19-year-old Mercedes star held off a determined Lando Norris in a tense battle at the front, while late drama unfolded behind them in one of the most exciting races of the young season.
Chaotic start shakes up the order
The lights went out under cooler, overcast skies at the Miami International Autodrome, and chaos followed immediately. Starting from pole, Kimi Antonelli locked up into Turn 1, allowing Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen to go three-abreast with him. Verstappen spun a full 360 degrees after contact but amazingly avoided a multi-car pile-up.
Incidents further back brought out the Safety Car early. Isack Hadjar hit the barriers, and Pierre Gasly flipped after tangling with Liam Lawson. Both drivers walked away unharmed, but several cars were retired or needed repairs.
Strategy and mid-race fights define the action
Once racing resumed, the lead changed hands several times between Leclerc, Antonelli, and Norris. McLaren showed strong pace, but Mercedes timed their first stops perfectly. Antonelli’s early undercut worked beautifully, putting him ahead of Norris in clean air.
Light rain threatened but never arrived heavily, so teams stayed on slicks. Norris closed the gap to within a second at times, yet Antonelli stayed calm.
Behind them, George Russell battled tyre wear and later a broken front wing. “Four wheel sliding everywhere, it is just awful,” he radioed in frustration. Oscar Piastri charged forward, while Verstappen fought aggressively on older tyres to climb back into the points.
Late drama delivers final-lap excitement
With two laps to go, Charles Leclerc, running fourth, suddenly spun at Turn 17 while trying to defend against Oscar Piastri. He kept it out of the barriers but limped home slowly. George Russell seized the chance to pass for fourth, and Max Verstappen overtook the struggling Ferrari on the start-finish straight for fifth. Leclerc eventually crossed the line in sixth ahead of his teammate.
Up front, Kimi Antonelli stretched his lead to over two seconds in the final moments. Lando Norris settled for second, with Piastri completing the podium in third.
