Oscar Piastri Wins Third Straight Race as McLaren Dominates 2025 Miami Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri Wins Third Straight Race as McLaren Dominates 2025 Miami Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri added another win to his strong 2025 campaign by taking first place at the Miami Grand Prix, making a decisive move on Max Verstappen early in the race. The victory is his fourth of the season and strengthens his position at the top of the Formula One championship table.
Starting from fourth, Oscar Piastri moved up the field methodically. A well-timed move on Verstappen into Turn 1 on lap 14 gave him control of the race, which he maintained to the finish. His teammate Lando Norris followed with a strong recovery drive, securing second place and handing McLaren its first one-two result of the season.
McLaren One-Two Caps Off Clean Weekend
McLaren’s race strategy and pace paid off in Miami, with both drivers finishing well ahead of the rest of the grid. Norris, who dropped several places early in the race after a failed attempt to pass Verstappen, regained ground quickly and passed the Red Bull driver on lap 18. From that point, McLaren controlled the race.
By the end, Norris held a comfortable margin over Mercedes’ George Russell, who crossed the line in third. The gap between Norris and Russell was nearly 38 seconds, reflecting McLaren’s superior long-run pace throughout the afternoon.
While pleased with the outcome, Piastri acknowledged his weekend wasn’t flawless, pointing to a subpar qualifying session where he started from fourth — a position he felt didn’t reflect the car’s full potential.
“I didn’t make things easy for myself on Saturday,” he said. “The car was great in the race, but starting further up would have taken out some of the risk.”
The pivotal moment came when Piastri closed in on Verstappen and applied consistent pressure. Verstappen defended hard, but a deep entry into the first corner on lap 14 gave Piastri the opportunity to cut back and take the lead. He held firm from that point, managing tyre wear and pace under increasing pressure from Norris in the latter stages.
Although Norris trimmed the gap slightly in the final laps, Piastri’s control and consistency kept his teammate at bay.
Ferrari Faces Internal Friction as Hamilton Voices Concerns
Further down the order, Ferrari’s struggles continued, with Lewis Hamilton finishing eighth after starting 12th. The seven-time world champion voiced frustration over delayed team orders that initially instructed both Ferrari drivers to hold position despite being on different strategies.
After being held behind Charles Leclerc longer than expected, Hamilton was finally given the green light to pass but not before expressing frustration over team radio, suggesting — with some sarcasm — whether he should make way for yet another competitor.
Post-race, Hamilton admitted the delay in team instructions was frustrating in the heat of competition, but reaffirmed his commitment to progress. “We’ve got work to do — we’re not performing at the level we should be,” he said. “That moment didn’t help, but we’ll regroup and keep pushing.”
Hamilton currently sits seventh in the championship standings, well behind the leaders.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who started on pole, led early but couldn’t maintain the pace as the race unfolded. After losing position to both McLaren drivers, he was later passed by Russell and finished off the podium.
Verstappen’s car showed good speed in qualifying but lacked the consistency over race distance to challenge for the win. His position in the championship also takes a hit, as McLaren’s drivers now sit firmly at the top of the standings.
In typical Miami fashion, the Grand Prix offered more than just racing. Drivers took part in the parade lap using full-size LEGO replicas of their cars, each made from hundreds of thousands of bricks and fully drivable.
Post-race, Oscar Piastri kept a light tone by attempting the viral “Griddy” dance as part of a pre-race bet with NFL player Justin Jefferson. While the celebration was modestly received, it earned Jefferson’s approval on social media.
The event also drew high-profile attendees including Timothée Chalamet, Patrick Mahomes, and Lisa of Blackpink, solidifying Miami’s place as one of the most star-studded stops on the F1 calendar.
