The Miami Grand Prix proved to be yet another eventful race. Last year, Max Verstappen crossed the finish line with a commanding 5-second lead, with Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso finishing behind him. It was expected that Verstappen could win this race as well, as has been the case quite often in the last few seasons. But a certain McLaren youngster finally beat the Dutchman.
Lando Norris has shown glimpses of what he can do in Formula 1, with 15 podium finishes to his name until recently. He was on the hunt for a race win, until the Miami GP. Interestingly, he did not have the lead over the rest of the pack until the 27th lap. It was his teammate Oscar Piastri who was at the front for quite some time. When Verstappen and Charles Leclerc pitted in the 28th lap, that played into Norris’ advantage.
Your top ten in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix! 🌴#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/a9zXrQI3t9
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 5, 2024
But what happened next possibly won the race for the Englishman. In the 28th lap, a full Safety Car was out after Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant collided, leaving the Williams driver in the barriers. Norris managed to pit and keep his advantage, but the fight by Verstappen and Leclerc wasn’t over. Norris didn’t have a great restart, and he was under attack by the Red Bull star. He managed to keep his elbows out and keep Max at bay in the 33rd lap, but the latter was right on his tail throughout until the end of the race.
Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, and Esteban Ocon made up the top ten. Mercedes’ lead driver Hamilton had quite the rise late in the race, managing to finish P6 despite a slow start.
McLaren’s Lando Norris feels ecstatic after maiden F1 race win
Lando Norris made his Formula 1 debut in 2019. Out of 110 Grands Prix so far, Norris has won only one race, with accumulates to a percentage of 0.91. But it would surely be the start of something special for the young driver. This is probably the first time McLaren has looked like a strong and solidified team since Lando’s debut in the sport.
lando on his plans tonight: “i’m not gonna sleep i’m going all the way! i might have more than just a scratch on my nose tomorrow… i was kind of hoping it was going to be at silverstone but i’ll try to do it there as well” 😁 pic.twitter.com/9VWBGFhAI6
— ray (@ln4norris) May 5, 2024
The young driver revealed that he would have liked to win his first race at Silverstone, a historic track in the sport. He said, “I’m not gonna sleep I’m going all the way! I might have more than just a scratch on my nose tomorrow. I was kind of hoping it was going to be at Silverstone but I’ll try to do it there as well.”
Silverstone is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar, and Norris is currently aiming to win his second race in the United Kingdom. The Miami International Autodrome is a street track that was intended to promote attacking during races. That was certainly the case in 2024, as almost every driver went for it against their rivals.
Max Verstappen makes a touching gesture despite disappointing outing
We know that Max hates to finish anywhere behind P1. He has made it a mission to try and win almost every race he takes part in. This was the case even when Red Bull did not have a car that could contend for the title. That was the case in Miami too. He had a disappointing race, failing to establish a solid lead right from the start. Piastri and Leclerc managed to overtake him and set fastest laps with ease. It didn’t look like Max’s race right from when the lights went out.
Max Verstappen applauding Lando Norris from the cockpit after Lando’s first F1 win.
Great sportsmanship between friends. pic.twitter.com/nETrap4kXk
— Daniel Valente 🏎️ (@F1GuyDan) May 5, 2024
But despite this, Max chose to congratulate his friend on the win, right after they made it past the finish line. Verstappen applauded Norris while he was still in his cockpit, which indicates the bond between the two drivers. The defending champ has mentioned that Norris was one of his closest friends, and it is wholesome to witness that the pair are both currently the face of the sport.