MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Two years after nearly finishing last at the Miami Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri claimed his fourth victory of the season and third in a row on Sunday, cementing his position as the Formula One world championship leader. The Australian McLaren driver dominated the race, finishing ahead of teammate Lando Norris and more than 1 seconds behind George Russell (Mercedes).
"It's incredible to see how far we've come. In 2023, we were the slowest on this track. Today, we're winning by such a margin. It's a reward for the hard work of the whole team," said Piastri. He thus becomes the first McLaren driver since Mika Hakkinen in 1997-1998 to win three consecutive times.
McLaren has secured a one-two finish in Miami for the second year in a row, with Norris having won the event in 2024. This weekend, the Briton also won the sprint race, although a late safety car denied Piastri victory on Saturday. Sunday, despite a stormy start where Max Verstappen aggressively defended their position, pushing Norris off the track, the British team dominated the proceedings.
Verstappen, who became a father on Friday, was uncompromising at the start, forcing Norris to widen his line and lose several places. "It's always the same with Max: either you let him pass or you risk an accident," commented a visibly annoyed Norris. The Dutchman, who finished fourth, took responsibility for his maneuver: "I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to have fun."
Piastri overtook Verstappen on lap 14 of the 57-lap race and was never troubled again, while Norris gradually moved up to second place. McLaren once again confirmed that it allows its drivers to fight freely. Despite a late-race comeback attempt, Norris was unable to catch Piastri.
Behind the McLaren duo, George Russell completed the podium. Alex Albon (Williams) finished fifth, followed by Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton, who had to give up his place to his teammate on team orders. Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) complete the top 10.
Jack Doohan, on the other hand, had a disastrous weekend. He crashed on the first lap and retired on the second, fueling rumors of an imminent replacement by Argentinian Franco Colapinto. Alpine boss Oliver Oakes tried to calm things down, assuring that Doohan would remain the starter "for now." But with zero points scored in six races, the young Australian's future seems uncertain.
The next meeting at Imola could well mark a decisive turning point in this already exciting 2025 season.
