Lando Norris claimed McLaren’s first victory of the 2026 Method 1 season by profitable the Miami Grand Prix dash race in a 1-2 for the defending constructors’ champions.
The reigning drivers’ world champion completed 3.7s away from team-mate Oscar Piastri, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finishing the rostrum after the 19-lap contest round Exhausting Rock Stadium.
This was the primary non-Mercedes victory of the 2026 marketing campaign after the Silver Arrows gained the opening three grands prix plus Shanghai dash, however didn’t convey many updates to Miami.
That’s in comparison with varied upgrades for McLaren, Ferrari and Crimson Bull, which was represented in dash qualifying as Norris pipped Kimi Antonelli to pole, with Piastri finishing the highest three.
Leclerc and Max Verstappen respectively rounded out the highest 5, whereas George Russell solely mustered sixth, qualifying six tenths off polesitter Norris.
The reigning world champion loved a strong getaway however it was one other poor begin for Antonelli, who dropped behind Piastri and Leclerc into fourth with Russell and Lewis Hamilton leaping Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photograph by: Mark Thompson / Getty Pictures
Antonelli did struggle again although, attempting to pressure his well beyond Leclerc into Turns 8 and 11 but the Ferrari driver held agency and took a dim view: “Kimi is so unhealthy at wheel-to-wheel, I really feel like we’re going to crash.”
In typical 2026 fashion that battle would have saved stepping into ‘yo-yo’ style, however modifications had been made for Miami with the tremendous clipping restrict elevated to 350kW to lower the reliance on power administration.
So as a substitute of holding with Leclerc, Antonelli really fell again and was overtaken by team-mate Russell on lap eight at Flip 17, although the Italian regained fourth on the next tour.
That was at Flip 11, simply seconds earlier than Verstappen overtook Hamilton over the white traces at nook exit.
The Crimson Bull driver subsequently handed sixth again to the seven-time world champion, earlier than lastly finishing a authorized transfer on Hamilton at Flip 17 on lap 10.
By this level, these had been the one wheel-to-wheel battles taking place, as the highest three had streaked clear with a cushty Norris 2.7s forward of Piastri who led Leclerc by 1.3s.
The Ferrari driver subsequently tried to shut on Piastri however it was too little, too late, significantly when he went deep at Flip 11 on the penultimate lap, so in typical dash race fashion, drivers largely maintained place throughout the ultimate excursions.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photograph by: James Sutton / Method 1 / Method Motorsport Ltd by way of Getty Pictures
Norris subsequently accomplished a managed win from pole forward of Piastri and Leclerc, whereas Antonelli crossed the road in fourth and a couple of.5s behind the Monegasque.
The 19-year-old, nonetheless, was handed a post-race five-second penalty for observe restrict infringements, dropping him to sixth behind fourth-placed Russell and Verstappen in fifth.
Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly respectively accomplished the factors positions, the Frenchman persevering with a robust begin to 2026 for Alpine.
Because of the penalty, Antonelli’s championship lead over Russell has dropped to seven factors, whereas Leclerc stays third forward of Hamilton and fifth-placed Norris.
F1 Miami GP – Dash race outcomes
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