Italian Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli (Mercedes), the championship leader, won the Miami Grand Prix (USA), the fourth race of the Formula One World Championship, held this Sunday at the circuit built around Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Antonelli, 19, achieved his third F1 victory—his third consecutive win of the year—and strengthened his lead by winning ahead of the two McLarens, driven by Briton Lando Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri, who finished the race in second and third place, respectively.
Argentine Franco Colapinto (Alpine) finished eighth, one place ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Williams). The other Mercedes, driven by Briton George Russell—second in the championship—finished fourth.
The other Spaniard, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), finished fifteenth, one place ahead of Mexican Sergio Pérez (Cadillac). Four-time world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finished fifth.
The Ferraris of Monegasque Charles Leclerc and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line in sixth and seventh place, respectively. Spanish tennis star Rafa Nadal waved the checkered flag at the finish.
Also scoring points, in tenth place, was Alex Albon, Sainz’s teammate at Williams.
Leclerc received a harsh 20-second penalty for leaving the track “on several occasions without justifiable cause,” according to the official FIA race control document. These maneuvers by the Monegasque driver occurred on the final lap when, after crashing into the wall, he continued driving his damaged Ferrari while defending against attacks from George Russell and Max Verstappen.
Because Colapinto finished within the 20-second penalty imposed on Leclerc, the Argentine moved up to seventh place, achieving his best result in Formula 1.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, also received a five-second penalty for crossing the white line separating the pit lane exit from the track as he rejoined the race after changing tires. However, the Red Bull maintained fifth position, as Lewis Hamilton (6th) crossed the finish line more than seven seconds behind.
Antonelli will arrive at the next Grand Prix, the Canadian Grand Prix, to be held on May 24 at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal, as the championship leader with 100 points, 20 more than Russell.
