Miami: Teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli delivered a landmark performance to extend his lead in the Formula One drivers’ championship, powering to a dramatic victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 19-year-old Italian, racing for Mercedes, became the first driver in F1 history to secure three consecutive wins from his first three pole positions, adding the Miami triumph to earlier victories in China and Japan.
Antonelli crossed the line 3.264 seconds clear of reigning world champion Lando Norris of McLaren, with Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri finishing third, more than 23 seconds adrift after a late-race reshuffle.
The race, the first following a five-week break linked to regional tensions in the Middle East, unfolded with high drama and strategic intrigue. Antonelli initially struggled to assert control but turned the contest in his favour through a decisive undercut during the pit stop phase, allowing him to seize track position from Norris in the closing stages.
Behind the leading trio, George Russell placed fourth, followed by Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, whose late spin on the penultimate lap cost him a potential podium finish.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton came home seventh in the second Ferrari, ahead of Franco Colapinto of Alpine and the Williams duo of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.
Mercedes, dominant in the opening rounds despite arriving in Miami without a major upgrade package, once again underlined their superiority. Antonelli’s composure under pressure and the team’s sharp strategy proved decisive in a race punctuated by incidents and changing conditions.
“I was able to bring it home. It was a tough race,” Antonelli said after the victory, praising his team’s execution while admitting minor errors in the early stages.
Norris, who briefly led the race, described the outcome as frustrating after losing track position through strategy. “We just got undercut. We should have boxed first, but Kimi did a good job,” he said.
The race began with immediate drama as Leclerc surged past Antonelli at the start, while Verstappen spun after clipping a curb. A series of early incidents, including crashes involving Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly, triggered a safety car period that reshaped the field.
When racing resumed, Norris briefly took control before pit stop strategies came into play. Antonelli’s perfectly timed stop allowed him to leapfrog his rival and establish a slender but crucial advantage.
As the laps ticked down, Norris closed to within a second, but Antonelli held firm under intense pressure. Further back, Verstappen recovered from his early setback to climb through the field, while Leclerc’s late error ultimately handed Piastri the final podium position.
The victory cements Antonelli’s status as the standout performer of the season so far, with the young Italian continuing to rewrite the record books in his debut campaign.
