World champion Lando Norris delivered a masterclass performance in Saturday's sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, leading teammate Oscar Piastri to a commanding 1-2 finish that signaled McLaren's return to peak form.
The 26-year-old Briton dominated the 19-lap race at Miami International Autodrome, crossing the finish line 3.766 seconds ahead of Piastri. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc secured third place, followed by Mercedes' George Russell and four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
In a race marked by intense heat and high drama, championship leader Kimi Antonelli—the youngest driver to top the F1 standings in history—finished sixth after receiving a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits. The teenage Italian sensation had been running strong but the penalty cost him a position.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton crossed the line seventh for Ferrari, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly grabbed the final point in eighth place.
This victory marked Norris's fourth sprint win and McLaren's second consecutive 1-2 finish in Miami. Team chief Andrea Stella dedicated the triumph to the memory of former F1 driver Alex Zanardi, who passed away Friday at age 59. The win also represented the first race this season not won by Mercedes—a significant milestone in the championship battle.
"Let's do it all again," Norris said confidently over team radio after climbing from his car. "It was a good race—and nice to be back on the top step. A massive job by the team in bringing the upgrades. I know everyone is saying the same thing, but ours have really helped. It was hot and sweaty out there and I tried to balance between pushing and not making mistakes."
Piastri added: "It was a good morning. Now let's see what we can do in qualifying." Leclerc echoed the sentiment: "The upgrades worked well. I'm satisfied with that, but unfortunately not with P3. I wish we were a bit higher."
The race began with a minute's silence honoring Zanardi, the former F1 driver and Paralympic handcycling champion. Only 18 drivers formed the grid after Arvid Lindblad started from the pit lane for Racing Bulls and Nico Hulkenberg was sidelined when his Audi suffered a blazing engine failure during the pre-grid lap.
Norris made a clean start from pole position, but Antonelli's early promise faded under pressure. For McLaren, this dominant display confirms they have the pace to challenge at the front—and for fans of the papaya-colored team, the best may be yet to come this season.