In a dramatic display of resilience and skill, championship leader Kimi Antonelli turned a rocky start into a triumphant third consecutive victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. The Mercedes driver, who entered the weekend as the man to beat, faced an early setback when a sluggish reaction at the lights saw him slip from pole position to third behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

The race kicked off under the shadow of an early safety car deployment, but Antonelli quickly regrouped. The young Italian driver showcased his trademark grit, methodically working his way back through the field. His defining moment came on lap 29, when he reclaimed the lead for good—a move that had the crowd on their feet.

Despite struggling with rear tire degradation in the latter stages, Antonelli held off a determined challenge from defending champion Lando Norris. Norris, driving for McLaren, secured his first podium of the season with a solid second-place finish, building on his sprint race victory the day before. Team-mate Oscar Piastri added to McLaren's success by snatching third place from Leclerc on the final lap, completing a dream weekend for the Papaya team.

The Miami Grand Prix marked Formula One's return after an unexpected hiatus following the Japanese GP on March 29. The sport was forced into an unplanned break after races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, making this victory even more significant for Antonelli as he extends his championship lead.