MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Upon Oscar Piastri’s debut at the Miami Grand Prix as a Formula 1 driver, he found himself lagging behind in the slowest car, just barely avoiding a last-place finish. Fast-forward two years, and both Piastri and McLaren Racing have undergone a remarkable transformation.
Piastri bolstered his standing in the Formula 1 championship by clinching victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. This marked his fourth win in the first six races of the season. Demonstrating McLaren Racing’s upward trajectory, Piastri has secured three consecutive wins, with teammate Lando Norris by his side, as they attempt to unseat Max Verstappen of Red Bull, the reigning four-time champion.
Last year, it was Norris who triumphed in Miami, seizing his first career win in Formula 1.
“The hard work put in is just amazing,” Piastri remarked regarding McLaren’s success. “I remember being here two years ago, and we were truly the slowest on the track, even getting lapped two times. To see us win the Grand Prix by over 35 seconds is a phenomenal testament to the dedication from every single team member.”
Piastri’s three back-to-back victories make him the first McLaren driver in 28 years to achieve such a feat since Mika Hakkinen in 1997 and 1998.
As Piastri extends his lead over Norris in the drivers’ standings by 16 points, Verstappen now trails him by 32 points.
Norris’ victory in Miami last year disrupted Verstappen’s winning streak, which previously dominated the course around Hard Rock Stadium. Norris also claimed the sprint race on Saturday, although a last-minute safety car incident saw Piastri lose an anticipated victory. Despite this, Verstappen secured pole position during qualifying.
Verstappen, who recently celebrated the birth of his first child earlier in the weekend, aimed to defy the stereotype that fatherhood would dampen his driving zeal. He quickly took the lead at the start and defended his position fiercely against Norris, nudging him off the track during a crucial moment.
The result was Norris losing four places as he avoided a collision. He criticized Verstappen for his aggressive tactics, but Formula 1 officials did not penalize the Dutchman.
“What can I say? There are always critics,” Norris reflected. “But when it comes to Max, it’s either a crash or a pass.”
Unaffected by such claims, Verstappen insisted his actions complied with racing regulations. Expressing no frustration towards McLaren’s strong early-season performance, he said, “We’re here to compete. Today we fell short, so it won’t change much.”
As the race unfolded, Norris recovered from the setback and worked his way forward, but not before Piastri took the lead from Verstappen during the 14th of 57 laps. Notably, McLaren has given their drivers the freedom to compete against each other without imposing team orders.
Although Norris managed to close in during the final laps, he could not surpass Piastri and settled for a second-place finish, ensuring a 1-2 result for McLaren. They built nearly a 40-second lead over George Russell of Mercedes, who completed the podium in third.
Other notable finishes included Alex Albon of Williams in fifth, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes in sixth, and Charles Leclerc in seventh, who received a team order from Ferrari that allowed him to overtake Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton ended in eighth place.
Carlos Sainz Jr. captured ninth for Williams, while Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten for Red Bull.
Jack Doohan’s struggles continue after a rough start at the Miami Grand Prix, where he was involved in a collision on the opening lap and crashed shortly after, sparking discussions about his future at Alpine. Reports suggest Franco Colapinto might replace Doohan, although Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes has refuted such speculations for now.
“A lot of what you hear is just noise,” Oakes clarified. “Jack remains our driver with Pierre Gasly, but ongoing evaluations are always part of the process. We’re staying committed to Jack as things stand today.”
Doohan, yet to score a point this season, saw his best result being 13th at the Chinese Grand Prix.