MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., May 5 (UPI) — McLaren’s Lando Norris expertly hurtled his orange and black car around 19 turns, holding off reigning champion Max Verstappen enroute to his first career Formula 1 victory on Sunday at the Miami Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old British driver, who started fifth, went without a win through his first 109 starts in the racing series.
“About time,” Norris said on the ABC broadcast from the Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Fla..
“What a race. It’s been a long time coming, but finally managed to do it. I’m so happy for my whole team. I finally delivered for them. Long day, tough race, but I’m finally on top, so I’m over the moon.”
Charles Leclerc finished third, followed by Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz and Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez.
“You win, you lose,” said Verstappen, who won four of the first five races entering the Miami Grand Prix. “We are all used to that in racing. … If a bad day is P2 [second place], I’ll take it. I’m very happy for Lando. It’s a long time coming, but it’s definitely not his last win.”
Lewis Hamilton finished sixth on the street track, which winds around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium. Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon also earned standings points with Top 10 finishes.
American Logan Sargeant was the only driver in the 20-car field who did not finish the race.
Verstappen, who won pole position, kept his lead early on. He then clipped a safety pole on lap No. 22, triggering a virtual safety car and slowing down the race. He required a pit stop to assess his car’s damage, which allowed Oscar Piastri to take the lead.
After additional pit stops, Norris took his lead on lap 28 and never looked back. Kevin Magnussen bumped Sargeant’s tire on the same lap, sending him into a wall and knocking him out of the race.
That crash put another safety car on the track. Norris held onto the lead while Leclerc attempted to overtake Verstappen.
Norris increased his lead as Leclerc and Verstappen wrestled for position. Verstappen, who admitted to struggling with handling his car, eventually fell more than eight seconds behind the race leader.
Norris (83 points) remains in fifth place in the driver standings, but is now just two points behind the fourth-place Sainz. Verstappen (136) remains in first, followed by Perez (101) and Leclerc (98).
The Formula 1 season will continue in two weeks with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. That event will be held May 19 at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy.
