Sprint Race Report - Norris wins McLaren 1-2

By Mark Karp

Lando Norris won a drying Miami GP Sprint Race under a safety car finish over his McLaren-Mercedes team mate Oscar Piastri.

Lewis Hamilton, after coming in early, switching from intermediate wet tyres for dry tyres finished third in his Ferrari.

Max Verstappen finished fourth on the track in his Red Bull-Honda, but was given a 10-second penalty for hitting Antonelli exiting his pit stall.

Alex Albon in the Williams-Mercedes finished fourth, followed by George Russell in the Mercedes GP in fifth, Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin-Mercedes in sixth, Liam Lawson in the Racing Bull-Honda was seventh, and Oliver Bearman in the Haas-Ferrari took the final point in eighth. Yuki Tsunoda in the second Ferrari was ninth, and Kimi Antonelli in the second Ferrari took tenth place.

The grid is set with Antonelli on pole, and Piastri alongside Norris and Verstappen on row 2, Russell and Charles Leclerc on row 3, Hamilton and Albon on row 4, and Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso rounding out the top ten.

As the drivers began their reconnaissance laps to come to the grid, the heavens opened up and Leclerc on intermediate tyres bumped the wall, and will not start.

The weather looks uncertain for the coming race. As the start time approaches, the rain has stopped falling and the track is damp.

All drivers starting on intermediate wet tyres, except Carlos Sainz on full wet tyres.

At the appointed time for the 19 lap Sprint Race, the is out on the track behind the safety car.

Verstappen locks up his tyres and goes wide, but continues and returns to his position.

The officials decide the visibility is not good enough and the red flag is out, and the field comes into the pits and lines up on the pitlane. The start procedure is suspended and when the officials feel they can restart, a 10m clock will be set in motion.

The officials give the 10 minute warning, and announced the start time will be 12:25 local time.

Teams are not expecting rain in the next half hour.

Tsunoda will start from the pitlane.

The field went on track once again behind the safety car.

It is decided that it will be a standing start.

After two laps the safety car pulls in and the cars form on the grid. The lights go out and the race begins with Piastri goes down the inside of Antonelli and takes the lead over Norris, Verstappen, Antonelli, Russell, Hamilton, Albon, Alonso, Lawson and Hadjar in tenth.

On lap 5 Sainz is battling with Esteban Ocon for 12th.

On lap 7 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m40.238s.

Verstappen is complaining about the visibility of his visor.

Piastri is saying the track is drying, but not as quick as he would like.

On lap 10 Russell is right on the tail behind his team mate Antonelli.

Albon is closing on Hamilton in sixth.

DNS has been enabled.

On lap 11 Tsunoda pits for medium dry tyres, and rejoins last.

On lap 12 Hamilton pits for soft dry tyres and rejoins 15th.

On lap 13 Verstappen pits for dry tyres and hits Antonelli coming in - Antonelli has to do another lap to pit.

Sainz is limping back to the pits with a flat tyre.

Piastri pits.

At lap 14 Norris leads, Piastri. Hamilton passes Verstappen for third, Albon, Russell, and Stroll.

On lap 15 Alonso is in the wall, after battling with Lawson.

The safety car is out, with the order of Norris, ahead of Piastri, Hamilton, Verstappen, Albon, Russell, Stroll, Lawson, Bearman and Tsunoda in tenth.

Verstappen is given a 10-second penalty for his release into Antonelli in the pits.

Alonso’s car is not cleaned up in time and the field finishes on lap 18 under safety car, Norris over Piastri and Hamilton.