2025 Miami Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri Leads McLaren Masterclass as Max Verstappen Falters

Oscar Piastri strengthened his hold on the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship standings with a dominant victory at the Miami Grand Prix, leading home teammate Lando Norris to secure a decisive 1-2 finish for McLaren. The Australian’s fourth win of the season places him 26 points clear of his teammate at the top of the drivers’ standings.

The 57-lap race at the Miami International Autodrome unfolded under drying conditions following earlier rainfall. Although Max Verstappen began from pole position, early contact with Norris at Turn 1 compromised the Briton's race start and allowed Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and Piastri to move ahead. Piastri capitalised on the opening laps, overtaking Antonelli for second before closing in on Verstappen.

Verstappen, who struggled with grip and reported “super slippery” track conditions, managed to fend off the McLaren temporarily. However, on Lap 14, a lock-up from the Red Bull driver allowed Piastri to take the lead with a clean cut-back move. Norris followed suit a lap later after a feisty duel, briefly relinquishing and then retaking second place following an off-track overtake.

From there, McLaren surged ahead. By mid-race, Piastri had built a nine-second lead over Norris, who in turn was well clear of Verstappen in third. A Virtual Safety Car (VSC), triggered by Haas’ Ollie Bearman stopping on track, offered the perfect window for McLaren to execute a double-stack pit stop. The strategy was flawlessly executed, and both drivers rejoined in the top two positions, maintaining their advantage to the chequered flag.

George Russell secured third for Mercedes after also pitting during the VSC, beating Verstappen to the final podium position. The Red Bull driver, unable to recover from earlier tire and setup struggles, finished fourth and continued the pattern of Miami polesitters failing to convert to victory.

Alexander Albon delivered a standout performance for Williams, claiming fifth ahead of Antonelli, who was delayed in the pit lane while avoiding an unsafe release. The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and eighth respectively after a protracted intra-team battle, which included a controversial mid-race position swap that was later reversed.

Carlos Sainz crossed the line in ninth for Williams following a late-race clash with Hamilton, an incident set to be investigated by the stewards. Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top 10 for Red Bull, despite receiving a five-second penalty for pit lane speeding.

Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar narrowly missed out on points in 11th, followed by Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine), the latter also under investigation for a potential yellow flag infringement. Nico Hülkenberg finished 14th for Kick Sauber, while Aston Martin endured a dismal outing with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll ending 15th and 16th respectively.

Four drivers failed to finish. Jack Doohan retired on Lap 1 after contact with Liam Lawson, who later also withdrew. Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Haas’ Bearman both suffered mechanical failures that prompted VSC periods.

Piastri’s win not only cements his place at the top of the standings with 131 points but also underlines McLaren’s growing strength in the 2025 campaign. Norris follows with 105 points, while Verstappen sits third on 99.

The championship resumes at Imola for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on May 16-18, where teams will look to respond to McLaren’s clear statement of intent in Miami.