Lando Norris reignited his stuttering championship challenge by winning a dramatic rain-hit sprint race in Miami.
Piastri appeared on course to take the victory, but McLaren team-mate Norris cashed in when Fernando Alonso crashed out with four laps remaining and the British driver was afforded a free stop for slick tyres under the safety car.
It allowed Norris to take a much-needed win ahead of Piastri with Lewis Hamilton third and Max Verstappen fourth at the chequered flag.
Lando Norris leads a McLaren 1-2 over the line 🏆
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 3, 2025
Here are your Sprint points scorers 👇 #F1 #F1Sprint #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/YV3HJEnpoM
However, Verstappen was demoted to 17th and last after he was hit with a 10-second penalty following a collision with pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli in the pits.
Verstappen’s punishment elevated Alex Albon to fourth, one place ahead of George Russell. Antonelli finished 10th.
Antonelli became the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history when he sprung the surprise of the season so far by heading qualifying here in the dry.
But following a delay of 30 minutes due to a deluge of rain, it was hero to zero stuff for the Italian teenager in the damp conditions.
He attempted to go toe-to-toe with Piastri through the right-left chicane at the start, but he ended up off the track.
WHAT A SPRINT! 🧡
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 3, 2025
Lando and Oscar make it a double podium for the Sprint in Miami 😍 #McLaren | #MiamiGP 🏝️ pic.twitter.com/UQf9zUPphX
Antonelli claimed Piastri pushed him off the circuit, but although the stewards noted the incident, they tellingly took no action.
It left the rookie in fourth with Piastri, Norris and Verstappen all promoted a place.
After he assumed the lead, Piastri took charge, but with a dozen laps gone he soon had Norris breathing down his neck.
Then, Hamilton rolled the strategy dice and was the first of the leading pack to switch to dry rubber with the track drying out.
Verstappen and Antonelli were in on lap 13, but then collided in the pit-lane with Red Bull inexplicably releasing the world champion into the Mercedes’ path.
Max Verstappen takes wing damage after making contract with Kimi Antonelli in the pit-lane! 😳 pic.twitter.com/hg99hWt0UT
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 3, 2025
Up front, Piastri ran off the road before immediately changing to the slick tyres. Hamilton had benefited from his early change to dries and was soon charging past a wounded Verstappen for third.
On the same lap, Alonso ended up in the wall in his Aston Martin and when the safety car was released – slowing down the field – Norris was able to come into the pits and leave on dry tyres to assume the lead and take the win.
Norris’ win takes him from 10 points to nine behind Piastri ahead of qualifying for Sunday’s main event.
Norris took advantage of a safety car period to claim the maiden win of his career here least year, and he said: “My luck in Miami seems pretty good.
“It has worked for me two years in a row now. I would have preferred if that happened tomorrow rather than today but I will take it.”
https://x.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/1918713885923701125
Hamilton was out of sorts on the intermediate tyres but his early stop transformed his fortunes.
“I am so happy with that,” said Hamilton. “It has been a tough year. I never thought it would rain in Miami but what a race it provided.
“I was struggling on the inters and going nowhere and I made that call (to change to dries). I took the gamble and it paid off.”
Charles Leclerc’s race was over before it started after he crashed into the wall on the way to the grid.
CHARLES IN THE WALL 🤯
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 3, 2025
The Ferrari driver is caught out by the wet conditions, he sustains heavy damage and won't start the Miami Sprint 🌧️💥 pic.twitter.com/DY1dBqLDYq
In the earlier torrid conditions, Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari in a straight line and thudded into the wall.
Leclerc suffered extensive damage to the right-hand side of his car before he parked up at the side of the road.
“I am so sorry,” he said.
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