Piastri Dominates in Miami as McLaren Secure 1-2 Finish

Oscar Piastri has strengthened his grip on the World Championship by claiming a commanding victory at the Miami Grand Prix, leading home teammate Lando Norris for a dominant McLaren 1-2 finish.

The Australian's fourth win of the season came after a masterful drive that saw him overcome pole-sitter Max Verstappen, extending his championship lead to 26 points over Norris as McLaren continued their impressive form in the 2025 season.

The race began dramatically when Verstappen and Norris battled into Turn 1, with the Briton forced wide and dropping down the order. This allowed Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Piastri to move up to second and third respectively. Piastri wasted little time, overtaking Antonelli on lap 4 before setting his sights on Verstappen.

After several attempts, Piastri finally made a decisive move on lap 14 when Verstappen out-braked himself, allowing the Australian to cut back and take the lead. Norris followed suit shortly after, completing a McLaren takeover at the front of the field.

From there, the papaya cars were in a league of their own, with Piastri eventually crossing the finish line 4.63 seconds ahead of his teammate. George Russell claimed the final podium position for Mercedes, though he finished a staggering 37 seconds behind the race winner – a stark illustration of McLaren's dominance on the day.

"I won the race that I really wanted to," said a delighted Piastri after the race. "Yesterday was a tricky day. Obviously the Sprint was what it was, but Qualifying was probably one of my trickiest sessions of the year. To come away with a win still on Sunday is an impressive result."

The Miami International Autodrome once again delivered an action-packed race, with changeable conditions adding to the drama. Rain had fallen before the start, and though the track was drying as the race began, teams kept a watchful eye on forecasts suggesting more precipitation could arrive mid-race.

Indeed, light drops were reported around lap 20, adding another strategic element to an already intense battle. This proved particularly challenging for Verstappen, who reported his car was "super slippery to drive" as Piastri closed in on him.

The pivotal moment came when Piastri made his move after Verstappen went wide, showcasing the impressive pace advantage the McLaren held over its Red Bull rival. Norris' subsequent overtake solidified McLaren's superior performance, as the teammates pulled away from the field with remarkable ease.

The race featured two Virtual Safety Car periods – first when Jack Doohan retired on lap 1 following contact with Liam Lawson, and later when Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman both stopped on track with mechanical issues.

McLaren timed their pit stops perfectly, executing a flawless double-stack strategy during the second VSC period that allowed Piastri and Norris to maintain their positions at the front. Russell benefitted similarly, using the VSC to leapfrog Verstappen for third place.

Alexander Albon delivered an outstanding performance for Williams, finishing fifth after overtaking Antonelli mid-race. The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton engaged in an interesting team dynamics situation, with Hamilton initially being allowed past his teammate before the positions were reversed in the closing stages.

The seven-time world champion wasn't pleased with the situation, sarcastically telling his team to "have a tea break while you are at it" during a delay in making the call to swap positions. Leclerc simply noted, "We'll discuss after the race," suggesting some post-race conversations would be needed at the Scuderia.

Hamilton was later involved in a last-lap battle with Carlos Sainz, with the Williams driver attempting a lunge that ultimately proved unsuccessful – an incident that would be investigated by the stewards after the race.

Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the points-paying positions in tenth for Racing Bulls, despite receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. His performance was enough to hold off teammate Isack Hadjar, who finished 11th.

It was a challenging day for Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso suffering a heart-stopping moment when he spun at the same corner where he had crashed during Saturday's Sprint. Fortunately, the Spaniard avoided the barriers this time, but he and teammate Lance Stroll were the last classified finishers in 15th and 16th respectively.

The F1® circus now takes a week's break before heading to Imola for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix from May 16-18, where Piastri will be looking to extend his championship advantage further.

Final Results

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. George Russell (Mercedes)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
5. Alexander Albon (Williams)
6. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
9. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
10. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)