Race Notes - Norris takes maiden f1 victory

By Mark Karp

Lando Norris won the Miami GP in his McLaren-Mercedes, winning by 7.612 seconds over Max Verstappen in his Red Bull-Honda in second, and Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari in third place, 9.920 seconds behind the winner.

In his 110th F1 race, the win is Norris’ first career win, and he is the 114th driver and 23rd British driver to win in Formula One.

Carlos Sainz (11.407s) in the second Ferrari was fourth, followed by Sergio Perez (14.650s) in the second Red Bull in fifth, Lewis Hamilton (16.585s) in the Mercedes GP was sixth, Yuki Tsunoda (26.185s) in the VCARB-Honda was seventh, George Russell (34.789s) in the second Mercedes was eighth, Fernando Alonso (37.107s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes was ninth, and Esteban Ocon (39.745s) in the Alpine-Renault took the final point in tenth place.

Before the start, with hot conditions for the sixth round of the 2024 season, Verstappen is on pole with Leclerc alongside on row 1, Sainz and Perez on row 2, the McLaren’s of Norris and Piastri on row 3, the Mercedes of Russell and Hamilton on row 4, and Hulkenberg and Tsunoda rounding out the top ten.

All drivers in the top ten are on medium tyres, except Hamilton on hard.

At the appointed time the field came around on the formation lap, the lights went out and the race began with Verstappen gets a quick start, Perez dives past Leclerc, and then goes wide into the first corner.

Gasly gets ahead on his team mate.

At lap 2 Verstappen leads Leclec, Piastri, Sainz, Perez, Norris, Hulkenberg, Hamilton, Tsunoda and Russell in tenth place.

On lap 4 Piastri passes Leclerc for second place.

Russell passes Tsunoda for ninth.

On lap 7 Hamilton passes Hulkenberg for seventh, but Hulkenberg gets back around later in the lap.

At lap 10 Verstappen leads Piastri by 2.8 seconds, followed by Leclerc (3.7s), Sainz (4.2s), Perez (6.1s), Norris (7.6s), Hamilton (16.4s), Hulkenberg (17.7s), Russell (18.7s) and Tsunoda (19.1s) in tenth.

On lap 12 Russell passes Hulkenberg for eighth.

Hulkenberg pits for hard tyres and rejoins 15th.

On lap Albon and Stroll battling for 17th. Norris getting close to Perez.

On lap 15 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m32.689s.

On lap 17 Perez pits from 5th for hard tyres and rejoins tenth.

On lap 19 Perez passes Ocon for ninth.

Leclerc pits for hard tyres and rejoins sixth.

Norris sets fast lap at 1m32.476s, and again the next lap at 1m32.421s.

On lap 21 Leclerc passes Hamilton for fifth.

Verstappen hits a ballard in turn 15.

On lap 23 the virtual safety car is out to retrieve the ballard and a number of drivers pit.

The virtual safety car is ended.

On lap 24 Verstappen pits for hard tyres and rejoins fourth.

Norris sets fast lap at 1m31.982s.

Perez passes Tsunoda for seventh.

On lap 25 Hamilton pits for medium tyres and rejoins ninth.

On lap 27 Piastri pits from second, Sainz from third, both switching to hard tyres and they rejoin fourth and fifth. Norris takes over the lead.

Magnussen and Sargeant make contact and are off the track and the safety car is out. Sargeant hit the wall and is out. Perez and Tsunoda pit.

On lap 30 Norris pits for hard tyres and is still in the lead.

Behind the saftey car Norris leads Verstappen, Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Perez, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Russell, and Ocon in tenth, Alonso, Gasly, Albon, Zhou, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Bottas, and Magnussen in 19th.

Magnussen is given a 10 second penalty for causing contact with Sargeant.

At the end of lap 32 the safety car is in and the race resumes with Norris in the lead.

On lap 33 Norris has a 1.4 second lead on Verstappen.

Norris sets fast lap at 1m31.157s.

On lap 34 Sainz is battling Piastri for fourth place.

Hamilton passes Tsunoda for seventh place.

On lap 35 Norris sets fast lap at 1m31.133s, and again the next lap at 1m31.074s.

Verstappen informs the team, “I can’t get the car to turn.”

Sainz and Piastri battle and Sainz takes fourth.

Perez and Hamilton pass Piastri. The team tells him to pit for front wing damage, he rejoins 19th.

One lap 41 Norris 1m31.059s.

Sainz complains something is wrong with his car.

On lap 44 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m30.634s.

At lap 45 Norris leads Verstappen by 4.3 seconds, followed by Leclerc (5.8s), Sainz (10.3s), Perez (12.4s), Hamilton (13.2s), Tsunoda (17.1s), Russell (20.7s), Ocon (23.0s) and Alonso (23.0s) in tenth place.

Stroll passes Ricciardo for 15th place.

On lap 48 Stroll passes Zhou fir 14th.

Alonso passes Ocon for ninth.

Piastri is challenging Ricciardo for 16th. McLaren tells Piastri that Lando is leading, and we don’t want to see a safety car.

Stroll passes Albon for 13th.

Albon locks up his brakes and goes off the run off.

At lap 55 Norris leads with Verstappen 6.6 seconds behind.

At the finish Lando Norris wins with Verstappen and Leclerc following.