Emotion and excitement take over the city of Miami as Max Verstappen secures the pole position in the Formula 1 Grand Prix amidst thunderous applause. However, his competitors are not backing down. A thrilling Sunday is on the horizon at the Florida circuit, with Lando Norris in the McLaren and the young sensation Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes hot on the heels of the Red Bull’s Dutch driver. Unfortunately, the Ferraris seem to be struggling, with Charles Leclerc only managing an eighth-place grid position and Lewis Hamilton even further back in 12th place, despite finishing third in the Sprint race.
The big news is that there are at least five drivers within a few tenths of a second, all capable of winning the race based on their lap times. After years of domination by Verstappen and Red Bull, Formula 1 is once again wide open.
However, the Italian colors are proudly represented by Antonelli in Miami, who, at just 18 years old, clinches a remarkable third-place starting position on the grid after his pole in the Sprint race.
The unpredictable element of rain could add a twist to the proceedings tomorrow, as it did in the Saturday afternoon Sprint race. Anything can happen in the Sprint race: rain showers, delayed starts, on-track and pit lane incidents, safety cars, daring overtakes, and the inevitable post-race controversies. McLaren shines in the short race format, taking advantage of Florida’s unpredictable weather, with Kimi Antonelli facing some unfortunate moments. The race turns bittersweet for Ferrari, losing Leclerc early on but salvaging a third-place finish with Lewis Hamilton. All eyes are on Antonelli starting from pole position.
The drama begins even before the race starts, with rain falling on the track during warm-up laps. Leclerc switches to intermediate tires hoping for improved track conditions but loses control of the Ferrari, crashing into a wall.
The race ends before it even begins, with continuous rain leading to a safety car start and a 30-minute delay. Eventually, the race kicks off. Piastri emerges as the quickest, pushing Antonelli off the track. The Brit takes the lead, while the Italian finishes fourth and protests via team radio. However, the race officials rule in favor of the Brit. The struggling Ferrari sees Hamilton defending a modest sixth place from an attack by Alexander Albon in the Williams. It’s all part of the strategy, as Hamilton switches to soft tires six laps from the end, mounting a comeback to clinch a podium behind the McLarens.
Antonelli, struggling after the start, fails to recover and gets blocked by Max Verstappen (who receives a 10-second penalty) in the pit lane. A challenging race for the Mercedes driver, ultimately finishing in 10th place.
Hamilton unleashes his fury thanks to his tire choice. However, with four laps to go, Fernando Alonso crashes into a wall.
The crane enters the track to remove his car, while the safety car freezes the positions and guides the drivers to the end of the race.
Agenzia ANSAF1: a Miami succede di tutto, gara Sprint a Norris – Notizie – Ansa.it
Hamilton terzo con la Ferrari. Antonelli 10mo (ANSA)
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