Antonelli Makes History with Third Straight Win in Chaotic Miami GP

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli recovered from a first-corner mistake to win a dramatic Miami Grand Prix, becoming the first driver in Formula 1 history to take both his first three pole positions and his first three race victories consecutively. The Italian held off a charging Lando Norris, while a multi-car incident brought out an early Safety Car and shuffled the order.

Why it matters:

Antonelli's unprecedented start to his F1 career solidifies his status as a generational talent and signals a potential power shift at Mercedes. After years of struggling, the team now has a driver capable of consistently converting pace into wins, which could reshape the championship battle. The chaotic race also highlighted the volatile nature of the 2026 season, where strategy and survival are as crucial as raw speed.

The details:

• The race erupted into chaos immediately. Max Verstappen spun from second place at Turn 1, while Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto collided further around the lap.
• An early Safety Car was deployed on Lap 4 after a sequence of crashes. Isack Hadjar hit the wall at Turn 14, and moments later, contact between Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson sent the Alpine barrel-rolling out of the race.
• After the restart, Norris led from Charles Leclerc, but the looming threat of rain created a strategic puzzle. Through the pit stop cycles, Antonelli, who had pitted earlier, managed to undercut Norris and reclaim the lead he would not relinquish.
• Max Verstappen's alternative strategy of an early stop onto hard tires backfired, causing him to fade in the final stages and be passed by both Leclerc and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
• On the penultimate lap, Piastri pulled off a bold move on Leclerc for the final podium spot, which resulted in the Ferrari driver spinning into the wall and dropping to sixth at the finish.

By the numbers:

• 3: Consecutive wins and poles for Kimi Antonelli to start his F1 career—a historic first.
• +3.264s: Antonelli's winning margin over Lando Norris after 57 laps.
• 5th: Max Verstappen's finishing position, marking a difficult day for the reigning champion.
• 4: Cars eliminated in major incidents (Hadjar, Gasly, Lawson, and damage for Colapinto).
• 2: Double points finish for Williams with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in 9th and 10th.

What's next:

Antonelli's historic streak and Mercedes' apparent resurgence will be the major talking point heading into the next round. The pressure now shifts to rivals like McLaren and Red Bull to find an answer to the young Italian's blistering form. With the championship battle wide open, every point from here will be critical, and consistency will be tested as the calendar moves to more traditional European circuits.