Antonelli wins Miami Grand Prix, takes third straight victory and championship lead

Key facts

• Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, 2026, his third consecutive victory.
• Antonelli started from pole for the third straight race, the first driver to do so since Ayrton Senna.
• He leads the drivers' championship with 100 points, 20 ahead of teammate George Russell (80).
• Lando Norris finished second, with Oscar Piastri third, both for McLaren.
• Charles Leclerc spun on the last lap and finished sixth, later penalized to eighth.
• The race was moved to 1 p.m. local time due to threat of thunderstorms.
• It was the first race after a five-week gap caused by cancellation of two Middle East races due to the war in Iran.
• New regulations aimed at promoting wheel-to-wheel racing were in effect for the first time in the U.S.

Antonelli overcomes early error to claim Miami victory

Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, securing his third victory in a row and increasing his lead in the world championship. The 19-year-old Italian prodigy started first after taking his third consecutive pole position for the race. But he lost the lead at the start, running wide at Turn 1, and had to fight back through the field.

A chaotic opening lap reshuffles the order

The race began with a frenetic start. Max Verstappen spun out of second place on the exit of Turn 1, while halfway around the lap Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto collided. Charles Leclerc emerged out front before a three-way scrap developed with Antonelli and Norris. An early Safety Car was called when Isack Hadjar hit the wall at Turn 14 and slid out, moments before Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson made contact, sending Gasly barrel-rolling into the wall.

Norris controls the middle stint but loses out in the pits

After clearing Leclerc, Norris controlled the race following the restart as the threat of rain created a strategic headache for teams. Through the pit sequence, Antonelli regained the lead as Norris slotted into second. An early stop and a long stint on hard tyres saw Verstappen fall backwards in the latter stages. He fought but was passed by Leclerc and Piastri.

Late drama as Piastri snatches podium, Leclerc spins

On the penultimate lap, Oscar Piastri put a move on Leclerc to steal the final podium place. Leclerc spun and made contact with the wall, dropping to sixth at the flag. A penalty for cutting chicanes later dropped him to eighth. Leclerc said he was “disappointed” with himself for the error, telling reporters he was trying hard to secure a podium.

Antonelli's historic streak and growing championship lead

Antonelli’s win marked three on the trot, making him the first driver in F1 history to take both his first three poles and three race victories in consecutive events. He now has 100 championship points, ahead of Russell (80), Leclerc (63) and Norris (51). “This is just the beginning. The road is still long,” Antonelli said after the race. He acknowledged that teammate George Russell will be “super strong in Canada” for the next race.

New regulations deliver wheel-to-wheel racing in first U.S. race since changes

The Miami Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 2026 season, coming after an unplanned five-week gap due to two races in the Middle East being canceled because of the war in Iran. It was also the first race in the U.S. since new rules were introduced to address criticisms that the previous regulations devalued flat-out racing in favor of battery management. The race delivered on the exciting wheel-to-wheel racing that F1 hoped for, with numerous battles as Antonelli, Norris and Leclerc each looked capable of winning at different moments.

Outlook: Antonelli's dominance sets up intra-team battle with Russell

Antonelli, who became Formula 1’s youngest ever championship leader in March, has now defeated his more experienced teammate George Russell for the third straight race. Russell, 28, entered the season as the betting-odds favorite to win the title but finished fourth on Sunday. The next race is the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on May 24, where Antonelli expects a strong challenge from Russell.

The bottom line

• Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix, his third straight victory, and leads the championship by 20 points.
• The race featured a chaotic start with multiple incidents, including Verstappen spinning and Gasly barrel-rolling.
• New regulations aimed at promoting wheel-to-wheel racing produced numerous battles for the lead.
• Antonelli became the first driver to win his first three poles and three races consecutively.
• The five-week gap between races was caused by the cancellation of Middle East races due to the war in Iran.
• McLaren's Lando Norris finished second, with Oscar Piastri third, while Charles Leclerc dropped to eighth after a late spin and penalty.