The British driver Lando Norris, of the McLaren team, surprised everyone by winning the Miami Grand Prix, the sixth date of the 2024 Formula 1 season, held this Sunday on the Hard Rock Stadium circuit.
Behind Norris came Max Verstappen (Red Bull), defending champion and current leader of the season, who was earthly in the face of the Briton’s impetus. The Dutchman has his fifth podium, but it is the first in which he does not rise to the top. The Monegasque Charles Leclerc, with Ferrari, completed the podium.
Norris needed 110 competitions and an error by Max Verstappen to achieve the first victory of his career in Formula 1, with which he ended the Dutchman’s dominance in the Miami GP.
The world champion, who started from the first place on the grid and had just won the sprint on Saturday, was in front when he touched the chicane and knocked down a cone on the circuit. This led to the three-time reigning F1 champion having to return to the pits, which Norris took advantage of to move to the front.
The 24-year-old McLaren driver controlled the rest of the race in what became the Woking team’s first victory since Daniel Ricciardo’s success at the Monza circuit in September 2021. Norris also became the second Briton in F-1 history to celebrate with “God Save the King”following in the footsteps of George Russell, who last year was the first British pilot to win after the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
The best of the race in Miami
With 10 laps to go, Norris realized that victory depended on him, as he extended his advantage over Verstappen. “Five seconds?” Norris said into the team radio.
“Am I alive?” He was surprised at what he had achieved. Of course, he was as excited as his team, as he celebrated a rare victory on a weekend in which he debuted changes to both of his vehicles. McLaren has 13 victories in the United States, tying Ferrari’s record in this country.
McLaren has won in F1, Formula E and IndyCar in the last two months and Norris is the second driver to beat Verstappen this season, after the Dutchman was eliminated in Melbourne due to mechanical failure.
See alsoFormula 1 announced that an Argentine company will be its new official partner “You win, you lose. “I think we are all used to this in racing,” said Verstappen. “Is second place a bad day? “I am happy for Lando,” added the leader of the classification.
Norris’s victory, on the other hand, confirms that McLaren is on the right track, after finishing last season in good shape, and returning to the top of the podium after almost three seasons.
The fight against the champion was expected from Ferrari, but, behind the Dutchman, third and fourth, Charles Leclerc and Sainz entered. Behind, starting fifteenth, Alonso had a busy battle to scratch some points, finishing with good pace at least.
It was a long-awaited victory for the Briton, who held the record for most podiums without victories (15), having finished second eight times in 110 grands prix.
Verstappen looked well placed to take his fifth victory in six races, until a mid-race accident allowed McLaren to take advantage of the safety car start, in which Norris pitted and emerged with the lead. The Dutchman, who was looking for a hat trick of victories in Miami, filled Norris’ mirrors at the restart, but his Red Bull could not overcome the McLaren.
