Exciting Miami Sprint Race Yields Another Win for Lando Norris

The growing American fanbase of Formula 1 was treated to a thrilling sprint race in Miami, marked by incidents and accidents that culminated in another victory for Lando Norris. Despite a downpour before the race, F1 delivered an unforgettable experience in the United States.

Pre-Race Incident Marred Grid Formation

The excitement began even before the race started, as Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari aquaplaned into the wall on his way to the grid. The start was eventually aborted to ensure the track was drivable.

After a delay of over 30 minutes, the now 18-lap sprint began with the youngest polesitter in any F1 format, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, losing the lead on the first corner and dropping down to fourth. The McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Norris, along with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, quickly overtook the Mercedes rookie.

Drying Track Sparks Excitement and Overtaking Opportunities

As the track began to dry out, the potential for a switch from intermediates to slick tyres opened up, adding an extra layer of excitement to the race. Lewis Hamilton was one of the early front-runners to take a gamble and switched to soft tyres, causing a chain reaction that invigorated the sprint.

Verstappen and Antonelli pitted on the same lap, with Verstappen inadvertently releasing into the path of the former pole sitter, earning a 10-second time penalty that ultimately relegated the world champion to the back of the pack.

Incidents Continue as Race Heats Up

The incidents continued, with Liam Lawson forcing Fernando Alonso off the track and into the wall, and Carlos Sainz also popping a tyre after clipping the wall. The Alonso incident proved beneficial for Norris, who inherited the lead having come in a lap after Piastri to change tyres.

Although a safety car ending may have denied fans a full final lap spectacle, Norris took the chequered flag to repeat his Miami Grand Prix win from the previous year. Piastri finished second, and Hamilton, a fan-favorite in America, built on sprint race success in Shanghai by taking third place.

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