Lando Norris dominated the Miami Grand Prix Sprint from start to finish. McLaren delivers an impressive one-two ahead of a pressured competition.
Read more What time does the qualifying for the 2026 Miami F1 Grand Prix start?
The 2026 Miami Grand Prix offered an intense spectacle during the Sprint race, marked by McLaren’s demonstration. Starting from pole, Lando Norris was never troubled and won with control, leading every lap without ever giving the slightest opportunity to his rivals.
Behind him, his teammate Oscar Piastri perfectly secured second place, giving the British team a solid one-two. Charles Leclerc completed the podium after a focused race, but without really threatening the McLaren ahead of him.
Before the start, a minute of silence was observed in tribute to Alex Zanardi, who passed away the day before, adding a touch of emotion to an already intense weekend.
A race marked by heat and retirements
The conditions played a key role in this Sprint. With over 30°C in the air and a track exceeding 50°C, the tires were put to the test. The majority of the field opted for medium tires, seeking a compromise between performance and management.
The race was also disrupted even before the start by the spectacular retirement of Nico Hülkenberg, victim of a fire on his Audi during the formation lap. Arvid Lindblad also did not see the finish, forced to retire after a technical problem.
At the green light, Norris perfectly controlled his start, unlike Kimi Antonelli, who lost several positions after a difficult start. This situation allowed Piastri and Leclerc to quickly settle into the leading trio.
Read more Why McLaren surprised and beat Mercedes in Miami
Further back, the battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton animated the race. The two men engaged in a tough duel, marked by an initial failed overtake by the Dutchman, forced to give back his position after exceeding track limits.
But Verstappen eventually regained the advantage after a sharp maneuver, reigniting a rivalry still as electric between the two champions.
McLaren extends the gap, Ferrari limits the damage
At the front, Norris gradually extended the gap, reaching up to three seconds ahead of Piastri. Behind, Leclerc tried to come back, without success, tire management seeming to penalize Ferrari in the final laps.
On the Mercedes side, the performance proved more complicated than expected, with a slower pace in these extreme conditions.
With this controlled one-two, McLaren, which unveiled a deeply revised MCL40 in Miami, sends a clear signal to the competition during this sprint weekend. Norris confirms his status as favorite on this track, while Piastri once again demonstrates his consistency at the highest level.
It now remains to be seen if this dominance will be confirmed during the Grand Prix qualifying… and especially in the main race.
Read more McLaren changes everything in Miami: a heavily revamped MCL40 on track
2026 Miami F1 GP Sprint Classification:
