He’s finally done it. McLaren’s Lando Norris, who’s been one of F1’s most beloved drivers since his debut in 2019, scored his first win at Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix. He’d scored 15 podiums in his 109 previous races but had never stood on the top step.
That all changed in Miami. On lap 28 of 57, Williams’ Logan Sargent and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen came together at Turn 3, sending the Williams into the barrier rear-first. Magnussen was able to continue, but a safety car was called on lap 29 to collect Sargent's busted FW46. Magnussen later received a penalty for causing a collision.
Norris had previously been in fourth place behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, but all three pitted just before the safety car's deployment, allowing Norris to pit for new hard tires and retain his newfound first-place position.
Despite Verstappen pressing Norris hard at the restart, Norris was able to get out of Verstappen’s DRS range in the one lap before DRS was re-engaged. Verstappen was unable to close the gap and later complained of difficulties turning his Red Bull.
Norris had extended his lead over Verstappen to almost eight seconds by the time he saw the checkered flag. His win marked McLaren’s first win since current RB driver Daniel Ricciardo won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, which was the team’s first win since 2012. Norris himself finished a close second in that race.
Norris had come close to victory once before, at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, but it ended in heartbreak. He had a late lead but opted to remain out in the rain as others pitted for intermediate tires. He lost the lead, lost control, and finished a heartbreaking seventh.
Thankfully for Norris, McLaren’s form has consistently increased in recent years. Norris finished in second place six times in 2023 and also finished second in this year's most recent race, the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix.
His consistent success but inability to secure a win had become increasingly well-known in recent times, and his 15 podiums without a win equaled an F1 record.
Despite starting fifth in Miami, Norris finally put it all together, becoming the 114th race winner in F1 history. He’s currently tied fourth in the driver’s championship standings with 83 points, 53 points behind championship leader Verstappen.
Meanwhile, McLaren hold third place in the constructor's championship standings with 124 points. They have sixty points of breathing room on each side, with Mercedes soundly in fourth (64) and Ferrari comfortably in second (187).
Norris and McLaren will now look ahead towards the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was cancelled in 2023 after massive flooding in the region. Norris has seen great success in previous races at Imola, scoring third place finishes in both 2021 and 2022.
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