Lando Norris wins Miami sprint with help from safety car as McLaren edge chaotic wet-dry showdown
Lando Norris continued his love affair with Miami by snatching a dramatic sprint race victory in unpredictable conditions, capitalising on a perfectly timed safety car to beat McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to the flag. The Briton’s opportunistic win on a drying track mirrored the fortune that brought him his maiden Grand Prix win at this very circuit last year, once again leaving the Florida fans with something special to cheer.
Saturday’s sprint at the Miami International Autodrome was far from straightforward. After a weather-affected build-up that saw a 28-minute delay due to standing water and poor visibility, what followed was a masterclass in chaos management — strategy, weather calls, and a sprinkle of good luck all playing crucial roles.
Wet Start, Wild Finish
The drama began even before the lights went out, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashing en route to the grid, ruling him out before the race even started. After two exploratory laps behind the safety car to assess conditions, race control made the call to delay the start.
Once racing finally got underway, it was Oscar Piastri who made the early running. The Australian got the better launch off the line, sweeping past pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli at Turn 1. While Antonelli accused the McLaren man of forcing him off, replays showed the rookie Mercedes driver simply ran wide on his own.
Piastri quickly built a gap at the front as drivers tentatively searched for grip on the damp surface. Behind him, Norris slotted into second, with Max Verstappen and a recovering Antonelli rounding out the early top four.
But this was not going to be a straightforward sprint to the flag. With track conditions improving lap by lap, the big strategic gamble came down to when — or if — to make the switch to slick tyres. And here, fortune favoured Norris.
Safety Car Gamble Pays Off
Piastri was the first of the McLarens to pit, diving in for slicks on lap 13 of the 18-lap race. At that moment, it looked like he’d regain the lead, having timed his stop perfectly — until the crash between Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson triggered a safety car just seconds later.
That changed everything.
With the field slowed down, Norris made his own pit stop under the safety car and crucially rejoined ahead of Piastri. The advantage was done and dusted — Norris had jumped to the front without turning a wheel in anger.
“I guess Miami just keeps smiling on me,” Norris said post-race. “It’s worked out two years in a row now. The timing’s crazy, but we were in the right spot to take advantage.”
The safety car stayed out until the chequered flag, meaning the Briton didn’t even need to defend his lead. He coasted home to take the win, his second career sprint victory and one that narrowed the gap to Piastri in the standings to just nine points.
Piastri: “That One Hurt”
For Piastri, who had driven a near-perfect race up until the safety car, the result was hard to swallow.
“I don’t think I could’ve done much more,” he admitted. “You try to make the right calls, but sometimes the racing gods have other plans. Still, it’s points in the bag and we’re in a good place for tomorrow.”
While it wasn’t the outcome he’d hoped for, the Australian continues to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in both qualifying and race trim.
Verstappen’s Nightmare: From Fourth to Last
Further back, things got even more complicated for Max Verstappen. The Red Bull star had been running comfortably in fourth, behind Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, but a botched pit stop proved costly. Released into the path of Antonelli, Verstappen collided with the Mercedes, damaging his front wing and triggering a 10-second penalty for an unsafe release.
That penalty demoted him from fourth on the road to a lowly 17th — last of the classified runners.
“Not our day,” Verstappen admitted. “Everything that could go wrong kind of did.”
The clash also wrecked Antonelli’s afternoon. Delayed by the incident, the Mercedes rookie had to abort his own pit stop and circulate for another lap before finally coming in. He eventually finished 10th, just outside the points.
Hamilton Back on the Podium
One driver who did make the right call was Lewis Hamilton. Struggling for grip on the wets early on, the seven-time champion made the bold decision to pit for slicks on lap 11 — two laps before the safety car.
That call vaulted him up the order from sixth to third, and he kept his nose clean in the madness to claim his first sprint podium of the season.
“I made the call myself,” Hamilton said. “Felt like we were going nowhere on the wets. As soon as I got the slicks on, the car came alive.”
It was a much-needed result in what’s been a tricky campaign for Ferrari so far, giving Hamilton hope that Sunday’s Grand Prix could offer even more.
Albon, Stroll and Bearman Star
Behind the frontrunners, the chaotic mid-race shuffle opened the door for some unexpected names to claim points. Alex Albon, who had been running solidly in the top 10, found himself elevated to fourth after Verstappen’s penalty — a huge result for Williams.
George Russell came home fifth in the second Mercedes, while Lance Stroll took sixth for Aston Martin.
Special mention must go to Oliver Bearman. Starting 19th on the grid, the Haas reserve driver navigated the madness brilliantly to snatch the final point in eighth — a gritty performance from the young Brit.
What’s Next in Miami?
While Saturday’s sprint delivered the drama, the main event is still to come. Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix promises more fireworks, especially with Norris and Piastri on form, Hamilton confident, and Verstappen with a point to prove.
Rain might not be forecast, but after this sprint chaos, no one will be taking anything for granted in South Florida.
As Norris himself said: “If the luck’s going to run out, let it be in a sprint. I’d take that Grand Prix win again any day.”
