In a thrilling turn of events at the Miami Grand Prix, Lando Norris clinched his first-ever Formula 1 victory, halting Max Verstappen’s dominance at the circuit. The British driver, competing for McLaren, emerged victorious in his 110th career start after Verstappen’s error relinquished his lead.
Verstappen, who had started from pole position and triumphed in Saturday’s sprint race, encountered a mishap when he hit a chicane, necessitating a pit stop and handing Norris the lead. Despite Verstappen’s valiant efforts, Norris maintained control of the race, securing McLaren’s first win since Daniel Ricciardo’s victory in 2021.
Norris’ triumph marked only the second time in F1 history that a British driver was celebrated on the podium with “God Save the King,” with George Russell achieving a similar feat in 2022. The victory was a testament to McLaren’s resurgence, coinciding with the debut of significant upgrades on their cars.
With a final margin of victory of 7.6 seconds over Verstappen, Norris’s win was a significant milestone for McLaren, equalling Ferrari’s record of 13 wins in races held in the United States. Notably, it was McLaren’s first triumph on American soil since Lewis Hamilton’s victory at Circuit of the Americas in 2012.
In the aftermath of the race, Norris expressed his elation, stating, “Finally. I am so happy. I knew it. I knew it when I came in this morning. And I nailed it.” McLaren’s recent success extends beyond F1, with victories in Formula E and IndyCar in the past two months.
Verstappen, gracious in defeat, acknowledged Norris’s achievement, remarking, “You win. You lose. I think we’re all a bit used to that in racing. Is a bad day P2? I will take it.”
The race also saw former President Donald Trump making an appearance in the McLaren garage, igniting chants of “USA! USA!” from fans as he made his way to the starting grid.
Elsewhere in the race, Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished third and fourth respectively, followed by Sergio Perez of Red Bull. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton secured sixth place, with Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull’s junior team finishing seventh.
The event was not without its share of incidents, notably a crash involving Logan Sargeant, the sole American driver on the F1 grid, which brought out the safety car. McLaren capitalized on the opportunity to strategize their victory over Verstappen, solidifying Norris’s place in F1 history with a memorable maiden win.
