- Oscar Piastri finished runner-up in sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix
- Aussie’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris claimed victory in event
Australia’s F1 world championship leader Oscar Piastri has been left frustrated by a ‘cruel’ finish to a rain-hit, chaotic sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix which he’d been controlling until a late safety car gifted his victory instead to McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
Piastri had looked set to increase his championship advantage on the wet circuit surrounding the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday as he sped into the lead on the first corner and was still clear with four laps remaining, only to pit at the most inopportune moment for slick tyres on a rapidly drying track.
Norris was called in immediately afterwards but the safety car was then deployed while he was in the pits after Fernando Alonso had crashed his Aston Martin into the wall.
That meant Piastri had to slow and couldn’t regain his lead, with Norris returning to the track in the lead.
And with the safety car staying out until the chequered flag because of all the debris still littering the track, there was no chance for the McLaren duo to duel.
It gifted Norris a badly-needed victory and reduced his deficit behind Piastri in the championship by one point to nine.
Oscar Piastri has been left frustrated by a ‘cruel’ finish to chaotic sprint race at the Miami GP
The Aussie came in second to teammate Lando Norris in the sprint event
‘I don’t think I’m going to be buying a lottery ticket around this place,’ Piastri sighed afterwards.
‘I feel like I did everything right so a bit disappointed to come in second.’
‘But that’s that’s how it goes sometimes. Unfortunately, racing’s a pretty cruel business so, hopefully, that means I get the luck for this afternoon and tomorrow. But another great start and I’m happy with what I did.’
Piastri had another superb start, just as he did in beating Max Verstappen to the first corner in his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix win, this time outpacing the youngest ever F1 pole-sitter, 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli.
The young Italian Mercedes driver complained that Piastri had pushed him off the track unfairly with his surge up the inside, but stewards disagreed, simply noting the duel and taking no further action.
Piastri went on to show the sort of command he has done in his last two wins in Jeddah and Shanghai until Norris began to close after a dozen laps and then the unfortunate safety car denouement. In all, only 14 of the original 19 laps were raced.
Verstappen, who had originally finished fourth behind Lewis Hamilton, was demoted to 17th and last after Red Bull got a 10-second penalty for an unsafe pit-lane release which saw the world champ’s car collide with the unfortunate Antonelli, who ended up 10th.
Hamilton was rewarded as Ferrari were the first of the leading pack to switch to the slicks, but Piastri suffered once Alonso hit the wall in his Aston Martin, leading to the decisive safety car release.
Piastri has qualified fourth fastest for Monday morning’s Miami Grand Prix
‘My luck in Miami seems pretty good,’ smiled Norris, who enjoyed similar good fortune last year during his maiden F1 win.
‘It has worked for me two years in a row now. I would have preferred if that happened tomorrow rather than today — but I will take it.’
Earlier, Charles Leclerc’s race ended before it began as he crashed into the wall on the way to the grid as the raun careered down.
He apologised to his team after his Ferrari suffered extensive damage.
There was plenty of work for all the teams before the quick turnaround before Saturday’s later qualifying session for Sunday’s main race.
