Lando Norris won a spectacular delayed and wet Miami sprint race via a perfectly timed safety car, while a pit crash between shock polesitter Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen ruined both their races.
Any hope of getting the race started on time were futile after a downpour in the build-up. Verstappen showed how treacherous the track was, unable to even turn in to the Turn 17 corner at the end of the long back straight, and Piastri said on the radio “the visibility is genuinely the worst I’ve ever had in a race car”.
The safety car stayed out after the formation lap, but the next lap the race was red-flagged and a countdown of a one-hour 30-minute timer starting at the original race time was initiated for getting the race finished.
The race began 28 minutes after the original start time, with much less spray and far better visibility, necessitating the whole field starting on intermediate tyres in what was eventually decided would be a standing start on lap two (becoming lap three when they crossed the line) of the race.
Piastri got the better start and although it was extremely close, he appeared to be ahead at the first corner before edging Antonelli wide and onto the run-off where he dropped to fourth behind Norris and Verstappen.
The stewards deemed no intervention for the move was needed despite Antonelli’s plea he had been pushed off.
Piastri set about building a lead of over three seconds, but just as Norris reduced that to less than a second on lap 12 of 18, drivers gambling by pitting for dry tyres - initiated by Yuki Tsunoda’s early stop - were clearly quicker and triggered more stops for tyres despite that not being mandatory in a sprint.
UPDATE: Penalties cost three drivers Miami sprint points finishes
While grabbing fresh rubber at this time, Red Bull released Verstappen into Antonelli initiating contact which broke Verstappen’s wing and stopped Antonelli from getting to his pit box, while McLaren pitted Piastri first and left Norris out for another lap.
That proved perfect for Norris as Fernando Alonso was spun into a crash by Liam Lawson - Alonso robbed of his first points of the year - just as Norris got into the pits, which brought out a safety car and assured Norris’s lead.
It also helped Piastri, who was under serious pressure from Lewis Hamilton on a fresh set of softs.
Hamilton had struggled to keep Alex Albon’s Williams behind in the early stages in sixth, but an undercut and the new tyres unlocked the Ferrari and he jumped the damaged Red Bull of Verstappen and closed on Piastri before the safety car.
The race did not get back underway due to the time needed to clear away Alonso’s car, securing the Norris, Piastri and Hamilton podium.
Verstappen fell all the way back to 17th and last on the road after a 10-second penalty for the incident with Antonelli. The latter’s fairytale pole had already come undone but he fell to 10th after needing to come around and pit again after the incident.
Albon took fourth for Williams, ahead of Russell, Lance Stroll, Lawson - who would be lucky to escape the Alonso incident without punishment - and Ollie Bearman made up 11 spots to get the last point in eighth.
The stewards will be extremely busy trying to decide on penalties before qualifying for the grand prix proper later today.
More from Miami Saturday:
Hamilton thought he'd replicate Leclerc's pre-race crash
'Not again!' The data behind Piastri's painful Miami sprint loss
Winners and losers from F1's 2025 Miami sprint race
Norris wins Miami F1 sprint thanks to safety car
Leclerc crashes out before Miami F1 sprint race begins
Hamilton was the lone Ferrari in the race after Charles Leclerc crashed on the way to the grid before the race even started.
Leclerc crashed heavily into the outside wall on the exit of Turn 10 in treacherous conditions robbing him of a race start, and to add insult to injury, he’ll be investigated by the stewards after the sprint for potentially breaking a new-for-2025 rule where drivers have to pull over immediately if they sustain “significant” damage.
Results (after penalties)
1 Lando Norris (McLaren)
2 Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
4 George Russell (Mercedes)
5 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
6 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
7 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
8 Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
9 Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
10 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
11 Alex Albon (Williams)
12 Esteban Ocon (Haas)
13 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
14 Ollie Bearman (Haas)
15 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
16 Jack Doohan (Alpine)
17 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
DNF Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
DNF Carlos Sainz (Williams)
DNS Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
