F1 2026: Miami Grand Prix Sprint Recap

Lando Norris eases to Sprint win in Miami

McLaren seemed to have made the most of the month-long break as the reigning Constructors’ champions returned to form with reigning world champion and Sprint pole sitter Lando Norris picking up a big Sprint win at Miami. Norris led a 1-2 for McLaren with Oscar Piastri finishing second ahead of an impressive Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

An engine failure while gearing up for the Sprint saw Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg ruled out of the Sprint even before it started which meant 21 drivers started the 19-lap race. As the lights went off Lando Norris led off the line but it was his teammate Oscar Piastri pressured by Charles Leclerc immediately with both the McLaren and Ferrari starting well off the line. Kimi Antonelli was the big loser at the start as he lost two places off the line and dropped to fourth behind Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari was involved in an early scrap with former teammate George Russell and former championship rival Max Verstappen with Hamilton getting past Verstappen for P6 early on. While there was tight racing at the front of the grid, Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez made a move on Liam Lawson at Turn 17 to move up to 15th place.

By lap 5, Norris led a McLaren 1-2 with Norris being well over a second clear of his teammate while Leclerc, Antonelli and Russell followed behind. On lap 7, Russell overtook his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, to move into fourth place but Antonelli attacked him instantly heading into Turn 1 with Russell just about staying ahead. As the two Mercedeses fought in front, just behind them, Verstappen got his elbows out and pushed Hamilton off the track to move to P6 but was asked to give the place back by his team, which the four-time World Champion obliged to. The action was happening everywhere as Antonelli retook fourth place from Russell on lap 8 as well. Verstappen got past Hamilton eventually on lap 10, going on the inside of Hamilton at Turn 17 to take P6 and this time as he did it on the track, the Red Bull driver kept the spot and sped away. 

With five laps to go, Norris was more than three seconds clear of Piastri but it was Leclerc inside a second from the second McLaren as the Ferrari driver kept the pressure on the Australian. Norris seemed in a league of his own as the world champion eased to a comfortable Sprint win with Piastri seeing off some late attacks from Leclerc to make sure McLaren finished 1-2 in Miami once again, repeating the result from last year’s Sprint. Behind Leclerc, current championship leader Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly finished in the points, with all picking up some crucial points ahead of the main race tomorrow. Post the race, Kimi Antonelli was handed a five-second penalty for exceeding tack limits, which dropped him to P6, behind Max Verstappen with George Russell moving up to P4. With the Sprint done, the grid will be back in action soon for the Miami Grand Prix 2026 qualifying session.