Lando win in the Miami GP is warmly welcomed throughout the paddock: the Englishman is universally liked and has no enemies. McLaren’s upgrade package delivers a significant performance leap, relegating Ferrari to the role of third force. However, Leclerc finishes in Verstappen’s wake without any surprises.
There’s a sense of fulfillment in Lando Norris win at the Miami Gp. At twenty-four, the former karting prodigy, plucked from McLaren’s ‘Young Driver’ program in 2017, had amassed records that could be interpreted in two ways. To become the driver with the most podiums and points without ever winning a Grand Prix suggests being a top-tier driver but not a winner.
Norris had come close to victory on several occasions; the most notable was in Russia in 2021 when, with four laps to go, he chose to stay out on dry tires, hoping that a few drops of rain wouldn’t turn into a downpour. It didn’t work out. Two weeks prior, he had stood on the second step of the Monza podium, celebrating his then-teammate Daniel Ricciardo’s victory.
In the meantime, Norris had witnessed several peers of his generation clinch their maiden Formula 1 victories, from George Russell to Charles Leclerc, securing podium finishes sixteen times but never reaching the top step. Today in Miami, that day arrived, and the first to celebrate Lando’s journey were his fellow drivers, all of them, who immediately rushed to pay tribute. It’s not something you see often, but Norris is a driver who has earned his place through hard work, without any shortcuts, with genuine friends among his peers, and most importantly, no enemies. Never a controversy, a misplaced word, or a cunning maneuver, on or off the track.
The victory in Miami came thanks to a bonus offered by the safety car (deployed on lap 28) but not only that. In the past, Max Verstappen had taken a few laps to make his way through and reclaim the lead, not today. Norris played the Verstappen role, restarting at a faster pace than the lead Red Bulls, a pace that quickly allowed him to build a comfortable margin. Lando made no mistakes, waiting patiently in the early laps when stuck behind Perez, and pushing when he had a clear track, showcasing the qualities of the MCL38, debuting in its revised version by the technicians in Woking.
With the hard tires, no one could challenge Norris, not even Verstappen. The assist was there, but the Norris-McLaren duo certified the victory by proving to be the fastest on track. “We knew the car would perform well“, commented a delighted Andrea Stella, “but what we saw lap after lap, well, it was a bit of a surprise. Of course, we were very pleased, also looking ahead to the future“.
The McLaren team principal, who dedicated the victory to Gil De Ferran, also praised Norris’ work. “He deserved it so much, so, so much. We always said that as soon as he had the right car at his disposal, he would do it, and he didn’t disappoint us“.
Verstappen and Red Bull gracefully accepted the outcome. “If when things go wrong I’m in second… it’s not bad, right“? he commented. Max’s biggest scare came in the backroom of the podium, when watching the start footage, he realized he had narrowly avoided collision with Sergio Perez. Checo significantly impacted Carlos Sainz’s race, while Leclerc turned his second-place qualifying result (behind Verstappen) into a third position, still behind Max.
In terms of results, Ferrari’s outing wasn’t negative. The safety car didn’t favor Carlos and Leclerc, but they showed consistency during the race. Now, attention turns to Imola, where the SF24 will be revamped, putting it on par with direct rivals. McLaren’s performance in Miami sparks hope for something different from Red Bull’s predicted dominance. To be clear, we’re not talking about world titles but about competitive races, perhaps with some surprises that credit the work of other drivers and teams. Just like what happened today in Miami.
