Lando Norris secures DHL Fastest Lap but misses out on Miami victory

After their five-week break, Formula 1 teams produced a real feast of updates for Miami. Without a doubt, McLaren had the most eagerly anticipated package. Lando Norris immediately demonstrated that it was working as hoped with an unchallenged sprint into P1 from pole position. In the race, Norris took the lead after just a few laps and kept main challenger, Kimi Antonelli, in check until the round of pit stops.

At this point, Mercedes then made the race-deciding move and got one over on the Constructors' World Champions as they brought Antonelli in for a tire change on lap 26, while Norris stayed out with a 2.2-second lead. McLaren reacted on the very next lap, lap 27, by bringing their man into the pits. Norris and Antonelli later approached the first turn side-by-side, but Antonelli's tires were already up to temperature, which made the undercut work and Antonelli overtook Norris.

Norris then went on a charge and victory seemed to be absolutely on the cards when Antonelli announced via pit radio on lap 33 that he was having gearbox problems. The world champion set the DHL Fastest Lap on lap 35 with a time of 1:31.869 minutes, but it wasn't enough for the win in Miami.

Still, Norris took his first podium finish of the 2026 F1 season with second place. "We just got undercut," said Norris after the race. "There are no excuses, we should have boxed first. I am gutted to miss out on a win. But as a team, we have to be happy with the result."