Lando Norris Beats Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc to Win Miami F1 Sprint

Lando Norris claimed a commanding victory in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race, leading from start to finish to secure McLaren's first win of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Norris crossed the line ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, marking a significant milestone for the Woking-based team after Mercedes had dominated the early part of the year.

Starting from pole position at the Miami International Autodrome, Norris got away cleanly and quickly built a comfortable lead, avoiding the battles unfolding behind him. Piastri and Leclerc engaged in a tight contest for second place, but the Australian managed to hold off the Ferrari driver to secure a McLaren 1-2 finish — the team's first of the season.

"It was a good race – nice to be back on the top step, even if it's a Sprint," Norris said. "A massive job for the team in bringing the upgrades – they've really helped this weekend, so I'm happy to get it done for the team. It was hot out there, it was sweaty. I was still pushing, trying to find that balance of pushing but also being quite relaxed and not making any mistakes."

Further down the field, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli had a difficult race, dropping from second to fourth at the start and eventually finishing sixth after a post-race penalty for track limits violations. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton also had an intense battle, with Verstappen ultimately finishing fifth after being ordered to give back a position he gained off-track.

The Sprint result also came against a backdrop of sadness, as the paddock held a minute of silence for motorsport and Paralympic legend Alex Zanardi, who passed away earlier in the week. The result provides a significant boost for McLaren heading into the main Grand Prix qualifying later on Saturday.

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