To beat Max Verstappen, you always need a little help from fate. In Australia, Carlos Sainz and Ferrari benefited from the three-time world champion’s retirement due to a brake problem. In Miami, it was a safety car in the wrong place that allowed Lando Norris to score his very first victory in F1, for his 115th participation.
Starting 5th on the starting grid, the British driver first took his time to get rid of Sergio Perez, the driver of the second Red Bull. Once overtaken, Norris unleashed the horses of his much improved McLaren and set several lap records to close the gap on Carlos Sainz. He then took advantage of the competition’s stops to move into the lead and stretch his first stint. Until this twist of fate and the collision between Logan Sargeant (Williams) and Kevin Magnussen (Haas) on the 28th lap, which forced the race management to bring out the safety car.
It was at this moment that the race swung in favor of the English driver. By positioning itself in front of Max Verstappen’s car and not in front of Lando Norris, then leader, the safety car allowed the Woking team to make its driver stop in complete peace and restart in front, while it was slowing down. the whole pack and Verstappen upstream. An obvious error but Norris did not waste this gift of providence. The Dutch ogre still had to resist and he did much better than that, quickly breaking away from his pursuers.
Piastri lost big
Verstappen, unable to keep up, complained about his car and could do nothing to prevent Norris from becoming the 114th winning driver in a Grand Prix. He placed second and ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who completed the podium. Carlos Sainz, after a fierce fight with Oscar Piastri, ranks fourth in the race.
Norris’ teammate lost everything in his fight with the Ferrari, while he was in a strong position for a podium. A first contact between the two cars set the tone, before a second which ended badly a few laps later, this time with a broken front wing for the Australian driver. Forced to return to his stand, Piastri left dead last and came out of this race empty-handed.
Alpine unlocks its counter
This weekend in Miami wasn’t just special for Lando Norris. For Alpine, it has a particular flavor, with the first point of the season, thanks to Esteban Ocon’s 10th place. The French driver even occupied 9th place at the end of the race and tried to resist a furious Fernando Alonso, who was able to restore order in a difficult weekend. Pierre Gasly, in the other blue car, ranks 12th.
