You’ve heard that the flashy, glitzy Miami Grand Prix of Formula One is in danger due to lightning. Thunderclaps served as the paddock’s alarm call, and they arrived early, at 7.15 am, with the Atlantic plummeting down of the sky.
Concerns were raised about a longer-term prediction, notably that this would be George Russell’s championship year, even though the storm had passed and the race was dry. It still ought to be, but Sunday’s winner, Kimi Antonelli, is a major thorn in his race dungarees.
And not just the winner of this weekend. the winner of the previous three races. That’s three of the four this season, and for the time being, the 19-year-old Italian is leading the way. He drove with excellent maturity and speed in hot weather while being chased and tested by Lando Norris, the runner-up and world champion of McLaren.
Antonelli ultimately prevailed by 3.2 seconds. Third place went to Oscar Piastri, who had a fierce drive in the other papaya vehicle. Russell is currently 20 points behind the ingenue he was supposed to guide after finishing fourth. Well, if we are foolish enough to believe that Formula One ever operates in such a giving manner.
Russell doesn’t like this Hard Rock Stadium track, thus it might be considered a little setback. But maybe it’s a sign of things to come.
Antonelli is in good company for the time being. Alberto Ascari, the icon who ignited Italy’s post-war passion for motorsport, was the last Italian to win three straight races in 1952.
Kimi Antonelli solidified his position at the top of the Formula One standings by winning the Miami Grand Prix.
Lionel Messi waved the chequered flag as Mercedes’ prodigy crossed the finish line first.
The fact that nothing noteworthy happened was more surprising than the winner’s identity—Antonelli began from pole position. Formula One’s executives deserve praise for moving up the start time in anticipation of the possibility of a rainstorm, which could yet materialise later on Sunday. If lightning had struck within eight miles, Florida state law would have declared the race to be over.
Even in the absence of rain, everything was chaotic. There was a three-abreast brawl in the beginning. In order to take the early lead, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari cut inside Antonelli and Verstappen as they were running wide.
With the help of Ferrari’s off-line engineering advantage, the Monegasque displayed a brilliant display of innate opportunism. While Verstappen slammed the throttle, unwilling to give up his position, Antonelli veered off course. The kind of savagery that characterises him.
However, he called it incorrectly and spun this time. Fortunately, the oncoming vehicles did not pinball him. He tumbled onto the pitch. “I’m sorry, everyone,” he sighed.
Antonelli harassed Leclerc out front before he was passed on lap four. Shortly after, the favour was repaid. A mocking farewell to yo-yo racing in 2026!
Then there were two shunts. Initially, Isack Hadjar kissed the wall at the chicane, sending him crashing into the exterior wall. Frustrated, he pounded the steering wheel. He had a bad weekend.
More dramatically, Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls clipped Pierre Gasly. He was positioned in the barrier at Turn 17 the correct way up after this caused his Alpine to somersault over, engine over front wing. The Frenchman left the collision behind.
After the track was cleared, the safety car was dispatched. On lap 13, Norris, who had started fourth, overtook Leclerc in a very fast McLaren.
Although Antonelli is in form, George Russell is the frontrunner to win the 2026 Formula One World Championship this year.
There were constant alerts about impending rain. While others voiced their own complaints, Norris continued to lead.
Russell chastised his garage friends as an indication of his annoyance. “I’m using the incorrect f****** strats” (engine mapping). Pay attention to it.
Leclerc made some derogatory comments since he was upset about being the first leader to pit. He persisted, “Next time you make a decision, speak to me—I am here as well,” despite the fact that his final-lap spin, which dropped him to fifth position, was an even more detrimental mistake.
Verstappen drove with great elan in a Red Bull that has improved over the five-week break in racing but is not a true match for the top three of Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari, in that order. He constantly nudged his way up—no, barged his way there—after pitting under the Hadjar/Gasly safety car.
In order to pull off an improbable victory, he needed a timely downpour. He came in fifth.
McLaren’s Lando Norris finished second as he pursues a second consecutive championship.
In any case, Mercedes put Antonelli, who was then in second place, in the race between the most likely victors, one lap ahead of McLaren’s Norris. As a result of the reboot, Antonelli emerged from the pits slightly ahead of Norris. It was conclusive. It won him the race.
The action at the front was still tight. Norris posed relentless question marks against Antonelli lap after lap.
He was within a second of the Mercedes man, sometimes closer, and the young leader’s nerves were perhaps fraying, not in that he betrayed them in the impressive way he drove but in his dialogue with the pit wall. ‘Gearbox!’ he exclaimed. ‘I have a problem with the paddle.’ And then he fretted about his tyres. Race engineer Peter Bonington’s experienced voice of calm reassured his protege that all was well.
Quietly, impressively, Antonelli inched himself sufficiently ahead, withstanding Norris’ close attentions for more than 30 laps. It was impressive, no question, and Russell knows that better than anyone else.
