Formula 1’s return to the United States for Round 4 delivered a headline Miami Grand Prix, with a Sprint on Saturday and the main race on Sunday. Several teams, including Red Bull and McLaren, showed improved form across the weekend, but the defining result belonged to Kimi Antonelli, who prevailed when the biggest points were on offer.
Arriving as the Drivers’ Championship leader, Antonelli left Florida with his advantage stretched to 20 points over teammate George Russell. The Italian started from pole and, for the third race running, converted top spot on the grid into a win, holding off Lando Norris to take the flag by just over a second.
The 19-year-old overcame a slightly scruffy start before imposing control on the race and managing the pace to the finish. It marked another commanding Sunday for Mercedes in what has been a flawless campaign so far. The victory also made Antonelli the youngest driver in history to turn his first three pole positions into consecutive wins.
While Antonelli and Mercedes celebrated, the stewards’ room remained busy after the chequered flag. Max Verstappen received a five-second time penalty for crossing the white line at pit exit.
The penalties capped a dramatic close to the Miami weekend and provided further talking points as the paddock packs up from Florida. Attention now turns to whether Mercedes can sustain its momentum and how the stewards’ rulings will influence the narrative heading into the next round.
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*Originally published on [News Formula 1](https://newsformula.one/article/antonelli-triumphs-in-miami-as-verstappen-leclerc-penalised). Visit for full coverage.*
