The Miami Grand Prix offered a completely crazy scenario: Kimi Antonelli wins with authority, while Charles Leclerc loses everything in the final lap.
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The 2026 Miami Grand Prix, held at the Miami International Autodrome, started under tricky conditions after being brought forward to avoid thunderstorms. Although the track was dry at the start, the threat of rain was already looming over the race.
From the lights out, Charles Leclerc made a perfect start to take the lead. Behind, Max Verstappen attempted a late braking but got trapped, spinning before dropping down the order.
In the chaos of the first lap, Kimi Antonelli quickly positioned himself in ambush, ready to seize any opportunity.
Double French retirement and turning point of the race
The race turned at the sixth lap with two major incidents. Isack Hadjar hit the wall after a mistake in a chicane, causing his immediate retirement.
A few seconds later, Pierre Gasly was involved in a spectacular accident after contact with Liam Lawson. His car ended up flipped, fortunately without physical consequences for the Frenchman.
The safety car was deployed, completely reshuffling the cards, especially strategically.
Antonelli takes control, Norris follows
At the restart, Lando Norris managed to take the lead, taking advantage of an intense battle between Leclerc and Antonelli. But the momentum would quickly shift.
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Thanks to an effective strategy, Antonelli regained the advantage and gradually extended the gap. Norris tried to keep up the pace, without really threatening the Mercedes driver over the long run.
Behind, the fight was fierce for the honor places, with Oscar Piastri coming back strongly on the leaders after a complicated pit stop.
Verstappen and strategies at the heart of the game
Despite his initial mistake, Verstappen started an impressive comeback. Taking advantage of the safety car to put on hard tires very early, the Dutchman stayed in the fight, even if his pace eventually declined against the leaders.
Several strategies then clashed, notably with staggered stops that allowed some drivers to climb up the order. The rain, forecasted, never actually came to completely disrupt the race, leaving room for a purely strategic battle.
Leclerc cracks on the last lap
While he seemed solidly established on the podium, Leclerc experienced a nightmare final lap. Under pressure from Piastri, the Monegasque attempted a tactical move… before making a fatal mistake. Spinning, he was immediately overtaken by George Russell and Verstappen, dropping sharply in the standings.
Up front, Antonelli never wavered. The Mercedes driver wins with authority and signs a third consecutive victory after his previous successes, confirming his status as the new benchmark on the grid.
Norris finishes second, while the podium is ultimately completed by Piastri. A cruel end for Leclerc, who sees a solid result slip away in the final moments of a completely crazy race.
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2026 Miami F1 GP standings:
