McLaren returns to form as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris make podium behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli
After an unexpected five-week break, Formula One returned to Florida, where McLaren showed it was on the rise; In a chaotic race, Australian Oscar Piastri finished third and teammate Lando Norris finished second.
But it was Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli who won in Miami, continuing his record-breaking run to win three races in a row and increase his championship lead.
Piastri, who started seventh after a difficult qualifying session, took advantage of the chaos in the first lap, when Max Verstappen spun on wet roads and tried to take the lead, and rose to fourth place.
This is welcome news for Piastri, who has had a disastrous start to the 2026 season, crashing for weeks, suffering mechanical problems and having to “watch F1 from the sidelines”. The Australian pilot finished second at the most recent race in March, the Japanese Grand Prix, and can now add another podium to his list.
Having had a difficult start to 2026, the 25-year-old driver said he felt McLaren was finally on the rise.
“I think we showed this weekend that if we get position on the track we can hold on well to anything.” he said.
“We were close in Japan but we definitely took a step forward and hopefully we can take another step forward again in Canada.
“[I’m] “I’m excited for the future.”
How did the chaotic start unfold?
Often known for its glitz and glamor, the Miami Grand Prix is often the draw card for A-list celebrities on the calendar. But Miami’s weather forecast put a damper on the festivities, forcing organizers to move the race up three hours to avoid heavy rainstorms and lightning.
Despite the earlier start, the race started on a slippery and slippery track that suggested chaos was on the cards, and these predictions soon came true.
McLaren arrived in Miami with major updates, aerodynamic changes and a development package that will change the course of the 2026 season.
When the amber lights flashed, pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli floundered and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc jumped, moving from third to last place. Max Verstappen, who was in the front row, tried to maintain his lead at the first corner, but locked his tire and spun on the track.
Pistri kept his cool and overcame the chaos to move his McLaren from seventh to fourth. A minor mistake and lock-up saw him briefly lose his place to Mercedes driver George Russell, but the Australian calmly recovered and regained his place.
On the fourth lap, Kimi Antonelli, who usually loses places at the start of the race, easily passed Leclerc and regained the lead in the Miami race.
Fight, overturned car and safety car massacre
With the threat of rain, Antonelli and Leclerc wrestled for the lead, switching places several times. At one point Lando Norris, who was in third place, was told to let the duo tackle and “yo-yo”.
Changes in Seesaw’s leadership confirm that despite McLaren’s upgrade package, this year’s battle is still between Mercedes and Ferrari for now. While the Silver Arrows’ speed is unmatched, Ferrari’s engine has a smaller turbocharger than its rivals, allowing them to make impressive overtakes at the start of races.
There were no losses in the race. Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar crashed into the wall and Alpine driver Pierre Gasly flipped in the air after colliding with Kiwi Liam Lawson, triggering the safety car.
Piastri continued to battle Russell with superb wheel-to-wheel racing, while teammate Norris traded the lead with Leclerc and Antonelli.
Multiple lead changes depended on who was using the electrical power. It led to several race leaders emerging and changing within minutes.
Overtaking at the last and last minute
On lap 26, sporadic rain began falling at the Miami International Autodrome, prompting drivers to engage in a cat-and-mouse contest as to who would pit first. Both McLaren drivers were left out due to Mercedes and Ferrari pitting.
Piastri finally started looking for new tires on lap 28. With Mercedes’ George Russell leading, the Australian followed the Mercedes and eventually managed to overtake the Briton and then successfully pass Verstappen.
With one lap left, Piastri suddenly found himself in the fight for third place. On the penultimate lap, he began to move behind Leclerc’s Ferrari and attempted to overtake numerous times but was unable to pass the Monegasque, forcing the cars to go single file.
Then he did. At the corner before the last lap, Piastri took third place and moved towards the finish line and the podium. Meanwhile, Antonelli turned pole position into victory by finishing behind Norris. But the 2025 world championship winner mourned what could have been, saying McLaren “should have won”.
Antonelli continues to leave his mark on F1 folklore as the only drivers after Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to achieve consecutive career top three titles.
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Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports journalist and Formula 1 writer for The Age.Connect via email.
