'McLaren Advance, Verstappen is Back. But Antonelli Triumphs in Miami'

The Italian driver tightened his grip on the championship over his team-mate, even as McLaren pushed hard this time around, with Mercedes looking less dominant than usual across the entire weekend in Florida.

That did not stop Antonelli from securing his third win of the season, with the drivers’ standings now showing him 20 points clear of the Briton, almost a full race advantage after just four rounds. The biggest loser of the weekend was him, having hoped to reclaim favourite status in Miami after the Suzuka setback, something that ultimately did not materialise as reflected in the final standings.

The episode also focuses on McLaren, which had already shown strong signs of a turnaround in Suzuka, and on the key upgrades introduced in Miami that allowed Lando Norris not only to take the sprint win, but also to come very close to securing his first victory of the season, denied by a superb Antonelli. However, Mercedes played a strong strategic card, enabling Antonelli to stay in the lead and control the gap to the reigning world champion, while also withstanding the pressure.

Credit also goes to Max Verstappen, whose Formula 1 future had been widely discussed during the April break, with Red Bull responding strongly to a difficult start to the season by handing him an RB22 packed with upgrades, allowing him to fight for the podium despite his spin at the start. Will the speculation over his future now begin to ease?

There was also a brief flashback to 2021, as the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton crossed paths once again. While they have not fought at the front for years, they still deliver great spectacle whenever they share the track. The seven-time world champion endured a fairly quiet weekend, although in the race he had the mitigating factor of carrying damage on his SF-26.