Kimi Antonelli wins Miami Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix on May 3 for Mercedes, holding off McLaren’s Lando Norris after 57 laps at the Miami International Autodrome. Formula 1’s official race report said the 19-year-old Italian secured his third consecutive victory of the season, while FIA classification documents listed Norris second, 3.264 seconds behind, and Oscar Piastri third. The result added to a run that Formula 1 said began with wins in China and Japan. The same report said Antonelli became the first driver in the series’ history to turn his first three pole positions into race wins, and another Formula 1 recap said the Miami result extended his championship lead over teammate George Russell to 20 points. (formula1.com) ### How did Antonelli win after the opening-corner trouble? Antonelli started from pole with a fastest qualifying lap of 1:27.798, ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, according to FIA qualifying results. Formula 1’s race report said both Antonelli and Verstappen locked up into Turn 1, and Verstappen later spun down the order as the lead changed hands several times. (formula1.com) Formula 1 said Antonelli later overtook Leclerc and then held off Norris through the closing stages of the race. Antonelli said afterward that he had locked up while trying to avoid Leclerc at the start and that Mercedes’ strategy helped recover control of the race. “Then the team did a great strategy; we did a massive undercut, and we managed to bring it home,” he said. (fia.com) ### What did the official results show behind him? FIA’s final classification listed Norris second, Piastri third and George Russell fourth, giving Mercedes two cars in the top four. Max Verstappen finished fifth, Lewis Hamilton sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh after late trouble, the FIA document showed. (formula1.com) Lando Norris also recorded the fastest lap at 1:31.869 on lap 35, according to the FIA sheet. The same document listed four drivers as not classified: Nico Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar. ### Why was Miami notable beyond another win? Formula 1’s Miami recap said Antonelli had already broken through at the same event in 2025 by taking Sprint pole, and returned in 2026 to claim both pole and the Grand Prix victory. (fia.com) The report said he had to recover from a compromised practice session and a difficult Sprint that included a time penalty for exceeding track limits. Antonelli said after the race that gearbox concerns added pressure late on. Formula 1 quoted him saying the race was “not easy,” and that he wanted to enjoy the win before returning to work for Canada. ### What does this do to the standings fight? (formula1.com) Formula 1’s post-race coverage said Antonelli moved 20 points clear of Russell in the drivers’ standings after Miami. The same report said Russell’s fourth-place finish, combined with Antonelli’s win, widened the gap heading into the next round. (formula1.com) The AP described Antonelli after Miami as “a legitimate championship contender,” attributing that assessment to his run of three straight victories. That framing matched Formula 1’s own reporting that the Mercedes driver had opened a clear early-season lead. ### When is the next race, and where? Formula 1’s 2026 calendar lists the Canadian Grand Prix as the next round, scheduled for May 22-24 at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. (formula1.com) A separate Formula 1 event page says the race itself is set for Sunday, May 24, over 70 laps. Montreal will be Round 5 of the 2026 championship, following Miami’s Round 4, according to Formula 1’s official season calendar. (apnews.com) (f1tv.formula1.com) (formula1.com)