Lando Norris kicked off McLaren's 2026 Formula 1 campaign in style, securing the team's first victory of the season with a commanding performance in the Miami Grand Prix sprint race. The defending constructors' champions delivered a dominant 1-2 finish, with Norris crossing the line 3.7 seconds ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri at the iconic Hard Rock Stadium circuit.
The reigning drivers' world champion looked unstoppable over the 19-lap sprint, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium. This win marks a significant milestone for McLaren, as it's the first non-Mercedes victory of the 2026 season—ending the Silver Arrows' streak of three consecutive grand prix wins plus the Shanghai sprint.
So what changed in Miami? While Mercedes arrived with minimal updates, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all brought substantial upgrades to their machines. The results were immediate: Norris edged out Kimi Antonelli for pole in sprint qualifying, with Piastri completing the top three. Leclerc and Max Verstappen rounded out the top five, while George Russell could only manage sixth, a full six-tenths off Norris's pace.
The race itself was far from straightforward. The reigning world champion got a solid start, but Antonelli struggled off the line, dropping behind Piastri and Leclerc into fourth. Russell and Lewis Hamilton also jumped Verstappen in the early chaos. Antonelli fought back aggressively, attempting to pass Leclerc at Turns 8 and 11, but the Ferrari driver held firm—and wasn't shy about his frustration, radioing in: "Kimi is so bad at wheel-to-wheel, I feel like we're going to crash."
In typical 2026 fashion, that battle might have continued in a 'yo-yo' pattern, but Miami brought a key change: the super clipping limit was increased to 350kW, reducing the reliance on energy management. This adjustment allowed for more sustained racing. Instead of keeping pace with Leclerc, Antonelli actually fell back, getting overtaken by teammate Russell on lap eight at Turn 17—though the Italian quickly regained fourth the following lap at Turn 11.
The drama continued just seconds later when Verstappen overtook Hamilton but crossed the white lines at corner exit, forcing him to hand the position back to the seven-time champion. The Red Bull driver finally completed a 'legal' pass on Hamilton at Turn 17 during lap 10. By then, the top three had already streaked clear, with Norris enjoying a comfortable 2.7-second lead over Piastri.