At the beginning it was a gripping Grand Prix of Miami, then a demonstration of power in Formula 1: Despite great resistance, world champion Max Verstappen was against Oscar Piatri and his McLaren colleague Lando Norris. Piatri grabbed his third success in a row and the fourth this season.
At the start, many may have felt reminded of the final phase of last season. Verstappen and Norris fought a gripping duel, in which no one gave the other one inch. The world champion breathes in the second curve, which Norris used to overtake – but Verstappen closed, his opponent came off the route.
Afterwards Norris complained that Verstappen had forced him to leave the racing course. However, there was no punishment that he wanted, but the Dutch stayed at the top, and a virtual safety car phase in the second round did not change anything. Norris had fallen back to sixth by his maneuver.
Piatri leaves Verstappen no chance
Behind Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli, who had caused a sensation in the days before, worked in second place, behind it the World Cup leading Oscar Piatri. However, this order only kept briefly, the 18-year-old quickly had the McLaren pilot, who had already celebrated three season wins, quickly let the lead. Piatri hunted Verstappen.
The Red Bull racing team gave the defending champion the order: “Let him work for it.” And Verstappen followed the instructions that Piatri was faster, but the task of passing his opponent proved to be a mammoth task – thanks to which Norris, who had overtaken Antonelli in the meantime, turned out to be working. But in the 14th round, Verstappen’s fight was fought out, Piatri was just too fast.
Second duel against Verstappen goes to Norris
But Verstappen had to continue to defend himself against his teammate, Norris immediately put pressure on and started the first overtaking attempts. After three rounds the Briton was over, but Verstappen countered sensational and took second place. But only for a short time, then the 27-year-old had to give up. In the meantime, Piatri had already pulled away at the top, his lead over Norris was already nine seconds in round 20.
Piatri was around his third win in a row, also because the feared heavy rain failed to fail. And Norris also easily distanced the competition behind it, the McLaren cars were again a class of their own.
Hamilton gets together with Ferrari
Behind it showed Lewis Hamilton a good reaction after he had disappointed in qualifying as a twelfth. The old master fought himself seventh in Ferrari, but he was now slowed down by his team -mate Charles Leclerc. Hamilton was encouraged by his racing team not to overtake the Frenchman, although he was obviously faster. “This is not a good teamwork, I don’t say anymore”said Hamilton.
Only then did Leclerc and Ferrari have an understanding and let the British pass – but there was still the frustration finale for him. Because Hamilton did not come to the rest of the field, the Box Leclerc born in the fifth -last round again in front of the record world champion. He smugly asked if he should also have ex-ferrari pilot Carlos Sainz passed, which was ninth behind him.
Mercedes makes it on the podium with Russell
For Hamilton’s former Mercedes team there was a success – but not by Antonelli, who ended the race as the sixth. George Russell completed the Miami platform as third after only starting fifth. Behind it ended up in fourth place, Fifth was Alexander Albon in Williams.
Nico Hülkenberg did not make it into the points because of the mortgage of his 16th starting place. The currently unique German Formula 1 driver was 14th, the 37-year-old missed the top 10 for the fifth time in a row.