McLaren secures 2026 season opener with Norris victory in Miami sprint
The world champion controlled proceedings from the first corner, while a five-second penalty for Kimi Antonelli reshuffles the championship standings.
Lando Norris has claimed McLaren's first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season, converting pole position into a dominant win in the Miami Grand Prix sprint race. Starting from the front row, the world champion took the lead at the first corner and maintained control throughout the event, finishing ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri in a McLaren one-two.
The team's performance marked a significant shift following a tricky start to the campaign. Norris attributed the success to substantial car upgrades introduced by the team for this fourth race weekend of the season. The driver managed his medium tyres with care in the opening laps, extending the gap over his team-mate before Piastri was forced to hold off Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the closing stages.
Further up the field, the results were complicated by a penalty for Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver finished fourth on track but received a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits. This sanction dropped him behind George Russell and Max Verstappen, reducing his championship lead over the Briton to seven points. Antonelli noted that he made several mistakes during the race, including the track limit infringement.
The race also saw a tense exchange between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap involving wheel touches. Although Verstappen was initially advised to hand the place back to the seven-time champion, the Red Bull driver eventually passed Hamilton on lap seven. Both cars went off the track during the move, but Verstappen retained the position after out-braking the Ferrari into the final corner.
Before the start of the sprint, drivers and team members observed a minute's silence to honour the late Alex Zanardi. The tribute acknowledged the former F1 driver, IndyCar champion, and Paralympic champion who died aged 59. Zanardi was a significant figure in motorsport history, inspiring millions across the globe during his career.
Looking ahead, qualifying for the main Grand Prix is scheduled for 21:00 BST. Drivers and teams will now focus on securing strong positions for Sunday's feature race, with Russell noting that the recent improvements from Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull remain a daunting challenge for the field.
