Norris wins in the middle of chaos in Miami

After the first victory of Lando Norris in F1 last year, then the first pole position of Kimi Antonelli during the Sprint qualifications on Friday, Miami still has many surprises in store for us. This Saturday, the rain decided to be embedded at the party and could well help the young Italian driver to get his first F1 victory, certainly in Sprint, but a victory all the same.

But for that, the Mercedes driver will have to resist the four strong men of this start of the championship: the McLaren of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and George Russell. While Yuki Tsunoda will start stands after having changed the settings, Charles Leclerc will not participate in this Sprint race. Initially sixth on the grid, the Monegasque pilot, who left for intermediate tires during the training round while the rain was intense, typed the wall before sliding on the latter for a few meters. He will therefore not be at the start. Lewis Hamilton, Alexander Albon, Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso complete the Top 10.

VIDEO – Leclerc gets into the wall in the rain before the sprint!

At the start of this sprint race, all the pilots are equipped with intermediate tires, with the exception of Carlos Sainz, which starts in rain tires. While we chain two training laps, many pilots complain about a lack of visibility. Finally, the race management then decides to suspend the starting procedure. The red flag is agitated and the single -seaters return to the lane of the stands.

After about twenty minutes of waiting, the 19 cars pick up the track for two training laps behind the safety car. It is ultimately a stopped departure which is chosen to start the race.

Antonelli loses all the first turn

At the shoulder to shoulder in the first meters, Antonelli and Piastri come into contact in the first turn. The Mercedes is forced to deviate, leaving orders to Piastri. Norris and Verstappen take advantage of it and take the second and third positions. Antonelli still resists his teammate and retains fourth place. Behind, Hadjar was fooled by Alonso and Liam Lawson, and falls in tenth place.

During the first five laps, the Top 10 cars were all sheltered, all of which are more than a second of the other. It is behind that it comes alive, with a beautiful battle between Esteban Ocon and Sainz, to the advantage of French for 12th position.

Alonso in the wall, luck smiles in Norris

In mid-race, Piastri is three seconds ahead of his teammate Lando Norris. The same gap is observed between the British and Max Verstappen. Behind, Antonelli is dangerously threatened by Russell, while at the same time, Lewis Hamilton is in difficulty against the Williams of Albon. In the 11th round, the DRS is authorized by the race management, while Tsunoda stops by the stands to put on slick tires, mediums precisely. We try the same thing on the side of Ferrari, Hamilton passing through the stands to put on tender tires.

It is in the 13th round that the race takes another turn. While Carlos Sainz is the victim of a puncture, Verstappen and Antonelli hang on the path of the stands. The Red Bull is released too early when the Mercedes arrived. Antonelli was therefore unable to stop in his stand, while Verstappen lost his fin before. The Italian stopped a round later, coming out 11th and the Dutchman was penalized by ten seconds.

But the big winner of all this chaos is Lando Norris. Last to stop to put on sklics, the McLaren driver was saved by the Safety because after the accident of Fernando Alonso, who was sent to the wall by Liam Lawson. Norris therefore came out of the stands in front of his teammate, heading towards a victory under Safety Car.

Started and concluded under Safety Car, it is Lando Norris who wins in this sprint race. The Briton is ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton, another big winner of this sprint. Albon and Russell complete the Top 5, followed by Stroll, Lawson, Bearman, Tsunoda and Antonelli, which completes the top 10.