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The Miami Grand Prix reminded everyone why Formula 1’s return to Florida has quickly become a highlight on the calendar. Round 4 of the 2026 season delivered chaos, strategy intrigue and a relentless fight at the front, culminating in another landmark victory for Kimi Antonelli at the Miami International Autodrome.
From the moment the lights went out, drama was guaranteed. Pole-sitter Antonelli locked up heavily into Turn 1, opening the door for Charles Leclerc to sweep into the lead. Max Verstappen, squeezed and committed, spun a full 360 degrees in a heart-stopping moment that sent the Red Bull tumbling down the order. Behind them, contact between Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto left the Ferrari with damage that would compromise Hamilton’s race from the outset.
Leclerc led the early phase, but Antonelli was never far away. The Mercedes rookie showed maturity beyond his 19 years, recharging and striking back decisively, while Lando Norris lurked just behind, happy to let his rivals squabble.
The race was neutralised on Lap 6 after a double blow: Isack Hadjar broke his suspension after clipping the barriers, and Pierre Gasly was spectacularly rolled out of contention following contact with Liam Lawson. Thankfully both drivers were unhurt, but the Safety Car reset the field and added another strategic variable to an already complex race.
At the restart, Norris began to assert himself. Capitalising on the battles ahead, the McLaren driver swept into the lead by Lap 14, briefly looking like he might convert his strong Miami form into a first win of the season.
With rain threatening but never truly arriving, pit wall decisions proved decisive. Ferrari blinked first, pitting Leclerc early to cover George Russell. That call backfired badly, dropping the Monegasque into traffic and out of the lead fight.
Mercedes, by contrast, executed a perfectly timed stop for Antonelli on Lap 27. The undercut worked to perfection, vaulting him back ahead of Norris once the McLaren stopped a lap later. From there, it became a straight duel.
Despite brief radio scares about gearbox and throttle issues, Antonelli remained ice-cool. Norris closed to within a second several times, but the Mercedes driver managed his tyres superbly on the hard compound and edged away in the closing stint.
Over the final 20 laps, Antonelli absorbed relentless pressure. Norris even reported a potential wing issue late on, but still pushed to the limit. In the end, Antonelli crossed the line 3.2 seconds clear, sealing his third consecutive Grand Prix victory from pole position — an unprecedented feat in Formula 1 history.
Oscar Piastri was the standout mover. The McLaren driver picked off Russell, Verstappen and eventually Leclerc with a string of clean, decisive overtakes to claim a deserved third place.
Ferrari’s afternoon unravelled late on. Leclerc, having fought back bravely, spun on the penultimate lap and clipped the wall, damaging his car and tumbling to sixth. Hamilton followed him home in seventh, having spent the entire race nursing a wounded Ferrari.
Franco Colapinto delivered an excellent drive for Alpine to finish eighth, while Williams enjoyed a double points finish thanks to Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon — a strong reward for their improving reliability.
Antonelli’s win extends his championship lead to 20 points over team-mate Russell, underlining Mercedes’ strength even without their major upgrade package.
Toto Wolff struck a note of caution afterwards, saying “It is important not to get carried away… but sustaining that pressure and delivering like this shows a great character trait.”
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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