MIAMI – Lando Norris lucked in to win a rain-hit and crash-strewn Miami Grand Prix dash race in a McLaren one-two on Saturday that trimmed teammate Oscar Piastri’s Components One result in 9 factors.
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Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, winner of the season’s first dash in China, had a smile on his face once more after ending third with the protection automobile main the closing laps earlier than peeling off on the finish.
“My luck in Miami seems pretty good at the minute, really happy,” grinned Norris, who received final yr’s fundamental grand prix for his first F1 victory after additionally benefitting from a security automobile interval.
“I don’t think I will be buying any lottery tickets at this place,” commented Piastri over the automobile radio.
Norris obtained fortunate with the protection automobile deployed simply as he pitted for slick tyres, with Piastri having already stopped, and got here again out nonetheless within the lead he had inherited from the Australian.
“I probably would’ve preferred if this had happened tomorrow, rather than today, but I’ll take it. Good job by the team,” he mentioned.
Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen was demoted to final place after being handed a ten second penalty for an unsafe launch that led to a pitlane collision with Mercedes’ pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli completed tenth the 18-year-old left with nothing greater than the file for youngest ever F1 polesitter in any format in a race delayed and shortened from the unique 19 laps because of the climate.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had already crashed on his means from the pits to the beginning grid in treacherous situations and didn’t begin.
The security automobile led the sphere round earlier than the beginning process was suspended, with drivers struggling to see within the spray, and all 19 vehicles returned to the pit lane earlier than an eventual standing begin on a drying observe.
Piastri seized the lead into flip one, with Antonelli pressured broad and dropping to fourth as Norris and Verstappen additionally went previous.
“He pushed me off,” shouted the Italian over the crew radio, however the transfer caught.
Verstappen was investigated for a attainable false begin, with no additional motion, after which the observe started to dry making a change of tyres more and more look a rewarding however doubtlessly dangerous transfer.
HPY HAMILTON
Pink Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda was first to make the leap, with nothing to lose and 37 seconds off the lead, after which Hamilton pitted for softs and started shifting again up quickly.
Carlos Sainz crashed his Williams, leaving particles, and Fernando Alonso was pitched into the wall after contact with Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls, triggering the decisive security automobile to the end.
“I did pretty much everything right. A bit disappointed to come away with second but that’s how it goes sometimes. Racing is a pretty cruel business,” mentioned Piastri, who might be chasing a 3rd grand prix win in a row on Sunday.
“Hopefully that means I get a bit of luck this afternoon in qualifying and tomorrow.”
Qualifying for the principle race adopted later however was delayed because of the earlier climate.
Hamilton mentioned he had made his tyre name and reaped the rewards, leaping from sixth place.
“It’s been a tough year so far but… I never thought it was going to rain in Miami. Its the first time we’ve been on track in the wet here and what a race it provided us,” mentioned the seven-times world champion.
Alex Albon completed fourth, however beneath investigation for a security automobile infringement, with Mercedes’ George Russell fifth and Lance Stroll sixth for Aston Martin.
Lawson was seventh, but in addition beneath investigation for the conflict with Alonso, and Haas rookie Ollie Bearman took the ultimate level.