McLaren's Lando Norris wins F1 Miami Grand Prix 2024; Max Verstappen P2, Charles Leclerc P3

McLaren's Lando Norris clinched his inaugural Formula One victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, fending off Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen in a thrilling race.

This triumph marked a long-awaited breakthrough for the British driver, who previously held the record for the most podium finishes without a win, with 15 podiums and eight agonising second-place finishes in 110 Grand Prix races.

Verstappen appeared poised to secure his fifth victory in six races until a mid-race crash reshuffled the standings, allowing McLaren to capitalise during a safety car period. Norris strategically pitted and emerged in the lead, successfully maintaining his position despite Verstappen's relentless pursuit after the restart.

Completing the podium was Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, followed by his teammate Carlos Sainz, who incurred a five-second penalty for his involvement in a collision with McLaren's Oscar Piastri, ultimately relegating him to fifth place. Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez benefited from Sainz's penalty, advancing to fourth place.

Reflecting on his long-awaited win, Norris expressed his elation to Sky Sports, stating, "About time! What a race. It's been a long time coming. Finally, I've managed to do it. I'm so happy for my whole team. I finally delivered for them." He continued, "Long day, tough race. Finally on top, so I'm over the moon. I'm just proud. A lot of people doubted me along the way. I've made a lot of mistakes over my last five years in my short career but today we put it all together."

The victory scene at the Miami International Autodrome was charged with excitement as Norris received jubilant congratulations from his team and fellow drivers. Among the spectators was former US president Donald Trump, who visited the McLaren garage prior to the race.

Verstappen's second-place finish had minimal impact on the drivers' standings, as he maintained a comfortable 35-point lead over his teammate Perez. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton secured sixth place, with Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes' George Russell following closely behind in seventh and eighth places, respectively.

Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin claimed ninth place, while Esteban Ocon secured Alpine's first point of the season by finishing tenth.

Verstappen's early dominance in the race was evident as he commanded the first 20 laps from pole position. However, a rare error on lap 20 saw him go wide and collide with a bollard, prompting a virtual safety car period and ultimately altering the race dynamics in Norris's favour.

Reflecting on the race, Verstappen acknowledged the unpredictable nature of motorsport, stating, "You win, you lose. I think we’re all used to that in racing, right? Today was just a bit tricky. If a bad day is P2, I take it. I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming and it’s not going to be his last one, so he definitely deserves it today."