Miami Grand Prix 2025: Piastri Triumphs as Verstappen Struggles and… Read more
Oscar Piastri clinched a dominant win at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, leading a strong McLaren 1-2 finish alongside teammate Lando Norris. The Australian capitalized on early chaos involving Max Verstappen and Norris to secure his first victory of the season. Verstappen, the reigning world champion, endured a difficult race and finished a distant fourth, over 30 seconds behind the McLarens.
Drama unfolded on the opening lap as Norris attempted to overtake Verstappen but ran wide, losing three positions. Over the team radio, Norris accused Verstappen of forcing him off the track, though the stewards chose not to investigate the incident. As the race progressed, Verstappen and Norris continued to battle, which ultimately benefited Piastri, allowing him to build a comfortable lead. Norris recovered and passed Verstappen for second on lap 18, but his earlier setback meant he had no chance of challenging his teammate for the win.
Behind the leading trio, George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Verstappen in fourth. Williams’ Alex Albon impressed with a fifth-place finish, while Kimi Antonelli secured sixth for Mercedes. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and eighth respectively, though Hamilton’s race was marred by tension with his race engineer over delayed team orders. The seven-time champion expressed frustration over radio communications and the timing of a position swap with Leclerc, sarcastically telling his team to “have a tea break” during the process.
Carlos Sainz in the second Williams came ninth, while Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top 10. Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar finished just outside the points in 11th, followed by Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. The rest of the field saw a mix of struggles and retirements, with Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll all finishing a lap down.
Four drivers were forced to retire. Jack Doohan’s Alpine suffered a puncture on the opening lap, while Ollie Bearman’s Haas engine failed on lap 29. Gabriel Bortoleto of Kick Sauber pulled off with engine problems, triggering a virtual safety car. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson became the fourth retirement due to significant floor damage on his car, which hampered performance.
Verstappen remains the current world champion, having secured his fourth consecutive title in 2024. Notably, the 2025 season no longer awards a point for the fastest lap, a rule removed due to controversies in previous seasons. The change comes after drivers, like Daniel Ricciardo in Singapore 2024, exploited the rule to benefit teammates in the championship battle.
