Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix, extending his championship lead, while Charles Leclerc softened his criticism of the young Italian driver. In the sprint race, Lando Norris won ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, marking McLaren's first one-two finish of the season.
Leclerc Apologizes for Harsh Comments
During the sprint race, Leclerc criticized Antonelli over the radio, calling his driving "unbelievable" and warning of a potential crash. Later, Leclerc acknowledged his comments were "a bit too harsh," citing adrenaline in the moment. He emphasized his respect for Antonelli as a person and teammate, despite past on-track tensions.
Antonelli’s Strong Performance
Antonelli, the youngest championship leader in F1 history, claimed pole position with a 0.166-second margin over Max Verstappen. His qualifying lap was marred by a late braking error, but he secured the top spot. However, he faced a five-second penalty in the sprint race for exceeding track limits, dropping him to sixth place.
McLaren’s Dominance in Sprint Race
Norris led the sprint race from start to finish, while Piastri held off Leclerc for second place. This marked McLaren’s strongest performance of the season, ending Mercedes’ early-season winning streak. Norris’ victory closed the points gap to Antonelli, who now leads by 10 points.
Red Bull’s Resurgence
Verstappen, who had struggled early in the season, expressed optimism after qualifying second for the main race. He noted significant improvements in his car’s performance, reducing the gap to the front-runners. His teammate, Isack Hadjar, qualified ninth.
Weather and Upgrades
The Miami Grand Prix follows a five-week hiatus due to the Middle East conflict, which canceled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races. Teams introduced major upgrades, leading to a more competitive field. The race will take place under potential storm conditions.